Mensah Beats Ford Easily On Points

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 14

Mensah Beats Ford Easily On Points

E. Mensah (Ghana) out-boxed and outfought the Australian welter-weight contender, G. Ford, in a catch-weight bout at Canterbury Court last evening.

The result was a successful final chapter to Mensah’s stay in New Zealand. He won four of his five bouts, four in Christchurch. The Australian outweighed Mensah by 4|lb but did not use any body blows until the eighth round and neglected his left hand for much of the fight. His southpaw action worried Mensah in the first few rounds and led to rather untidy boxing later. There was a lot of infighting and clinching during the bout and Mensah held Ford by the head several times. The judges all scored Mensah a clear winner. Mensah had been guaranteed £3OO, win or lose, and Ford received £BO for his loss. Mensah again used the inside of his glove when on the offensive, but from the start anything other than a points decision appeared remote. Early in the second round Ford threw out a rather inoffensive right Mensah began to move back, slipped, and nearly catapulted through the ropes. Ford began moving forward and put Mensah off balance. Mensah appeared to grab Ford’s head and attempt to toss him over his shoulder. Australian Held Off In the seventh round Mensah kept Ford at bay with straight “efts until he landed

another hard right to the jaw. Ford still kept coming in and momentarily staggered Mensah with a right hook to the jaw. The crowd roared as Ford, in spite of losing his mouth guard, charged in the last round, throwing lefts and rights in an effort to knock Mensah down. Mensah met Ford’s punches with equal aggression. Ford slowed first and Mensah weathered the storm easily. The referee was Mr N. Fisher.