WITH THE MATMEN

Chronicle (Levin), 23 July 1946, Page 6

WITH THE MATMEN

"Spectator")

KATAN AND KAEMPFER IN RUGGED BOUT

(By

Christchurch had another good bout last Thursday night, when Hank Kaempfer met John Katan for the flrst time in a good exhibition of rugged fighting in which both men often disregarded the laws of wrestling. The decision was in favour of Katan by a penalty fall after Kaempfer had delivered a series of jolts below Katan's belt. After the decision had been given, Katan, who thought that he had lost, took to the referee and gave him three hard jolts to the head. Perhaps the referee will think twice next time. A speetacular feature of the Blomfield — Kaempfer match at Wellington last Saturday night was the giant swing, wnich is a hold used effectively by Kaempfer. This hold requires great strength, and when Kaempfer secures his swing his is sure of a fall. The bout was exciting, although both men were capable of. a better performance. Kaempfer just managed to win on points after Blomfield secured his fall in the seventh round with "the octopus clamp. Jim Dryden, ex-New Zealand amateur champion, has challenged Lofty Blomfield to a professional contest for the New Zealand heavyweight title. Dryden, wno weighs a little over 19 st., has defeated Ken Kenneth, who also! intends to fight Blomfield. If Dryden is as good as he was in 1939 he may prove a tough customer for Blomfield.

Many grapplers in New Zealand to-day take the liberty of delivering olows to the referee purposely, which, according to the rules of the New Zealand Wrestling Union, is forbidden. Rugged fighting is very popular with the audiences, but some wrestlers overstep the mark by deliberately jolting the referees. It has gradually become worse during the course of the season, and if action is not taken soon the union may find it hard to get referees to enter the ring. Probably there is no hold in New Zealand at present as effective as Lofty Blomfield's octopus clamp, and in one of the amateur preliminary bouts at Wellington on Saturday night, Colin Croskery defeated Jack Prestney by the use of this hold, Prestney being unable to contmue. Croskery has the makings of a good wrestler, and should he specialise in this hold he may be as successful as Blomfield has been. Speciality holds of mat men at present in New Zealand are as follows: Lofty Blomfield, the octopus clamp;' John Katan, the Australian crab and the commando hold; Jack Claybourne, the drop kick, followed by a top body press; Hank Kaempfer, the giant swing; Earl McCready, the rocking chair splits-and Lou Newman, the dump. Earl McCready defeated Jim Londos, the world's heavyweight champion, some years ago and it will be interesting to sce how McCready fares when Londos visits New Zealand. This evening at the Wellington Town Hall, Kaempfer meets McCready in a professional 12-round heavyweight contest. This bout should prove of interest as their last fight resulted in a draw.