EXCELLENT BOXING

Chronicle (Levin), 4 June 1947, Page 4

EXCELLENT BOXING

Levrn Club's first Tourney - ThrsSeasoii Well matched, lively and eleanly fought bouts were a feature of the Levin .Amateur Boxing Club's first tournament for the 1947 season, held* on Monday night in the Regent Hau before "a good house. The evening's' smoothly running programme was a gceat success from the entertainment point. of view and the ^ght fans present ; witnessed the nest night's boxing |seen in Levin for a number of years. ' ' • As at the previous tournaments run by the club, the huge amount of preparatory work necessary to : ensure flrst class entertainment ' was, in evidence and all ofhcials are to be congratulated on their fine eifort. Credit is also due to ;the ring ofiicials for their contribution to the programme. The most noticeable feature of the tourney was. the manner in ..which each contestant accepted the judges' decision and the spqrtsmaniike gesture of the beaten fighter to be the flrst to eongratu-r late his opponent. For the amount of experience that the Levin and distriet boxers have had, they .put up. an excel1 lent showing against the visitors, who had the greater ring knowledge, which can only qome from ■ contests. In opening-the tournament, the president, Mr. C. Lars.en, thanked the patrons for their support, the committee members for the vast amount of work they had done to make the tournament a success and the visiting trainers and boxers for their co-operation in helping to stage the contest. Qnly ten bouts were fought of the seheduled 1.4, and the club expresses regret for the unavoidable cireumstances which made it impossible for some of the. contestants to, be present. At the conclusion, Mr. Larsen presented the prizes to thd successful boxers and the spuoial prizes to H. Gravi'no (Feilding) for the best loser ; and the award for the most scientific , boxe'r to P, Adams (Wanganui). Club officials during. the evening were;— President: Mr. Carl Larsen; judges: Messrs, W. Greig and G. O'Brien; referees: Mr, Ces. Matson (Palmerston North) and R. Prinkwater (Dannevirke) ; announcer: Mr, L. Carmichael; timekeeper: Mr. H. Hunt; gong: Mr. W, Hannan; scales; Mr. B. Bell; glove stewards.: Messrs. D. Convexy and H. Ward; seconds: Messrs,. Rankin and Walker; call stewards; Messrs, W. Marks and A. Ramsay; booking office: Mr. c. Wilkinson; door saies; Mr. N, D. Tilley; doorkeepers:; Messrs, D. Robert&Qn and A, Fletcher; supper: Messrs, S, Wiskovitch and R. de Malmanche; match committee:- Messrs. iA,- Stewart,- D, Hair and J. McFarlane; ushers: Messrs. C. Smith, A, Eastcm and R. Beatty. Paperweight The only paperweight bout of the evening was one of the most popular of the whole programme. Straighter punches and superior ring knowledge gave a points decision to R. stevens (Palmerston North) 4st. 121b. from H. Cravino (Feilding) 4st. 41b. ■ Both fighters. soon made it obvious that they were willing to mix punches, but Stevens, using his straight left, kept hitting at Cravino's face and drew blood in the second round. The pluekiness of Cravino in facing Steven's southpaw methods earned him an ovation from the crowd and the fight ended amidst. a shower of coins from the appreciative audience. Fly w eight His inability to use both hands

erreeaveiy cost N, Johnson (Dannevirke) 7s.t, 71b, the fight on a points decision to P, Baldwin (Wanganui)- 7sf, Baldwin contiiiualiy bored in. wijth lefts "and . ■rights, and seored time and again' with right cxosses. Johnson kept poking out a long right to. keep Baldwin out. of range, but apparently forgot he also had a left. The decision was popular. Featherweight A langer reaoh used to advantage enabled R. Brewer (Dannevirke) 8st. 91b. to gain a points decision over C. Taylor (Levin) 9st. Taylor was aggressive from the start and threw a two-handed harrage at Brewer, who, took most of the blows on his shoulders and gloves, Brewer calmly took his time and then replied with some long punishing lefts to Taylor's face. One of the most punishing bouts of the night resulted in K. Leaeh (Dannevirke). 8st. 71h. being awarded a points decision over K. Andrews (P.N.) 8st. 81b. Leaeh sent Andrews to the canvas in the flrst round, but not long"' enough for a count to be taken. Leaeh continually seored with rights and lefts, but Andrews kept' on coming back.in and giving as much as he was taking. Andrews tifed in the last' round and Leaeh moved raound him sending out long lefts to the body and head. Lightweight The flrst lightweight. bout of the evening between Basin (Wanganui) lost. 41b. and F, Doak (Dannevirke) 9st. lOlbs. ended disappomtingly in the second round, with Doak being awarded the bout on a foul when Basin landed a blow after « being told to break. The bcmt had promised ,to- he bright. • After being knoeked out of the rmg in the- flrst round, R, Baldwin (Wanganui) 9st. 41b, staged a fine cmne-baek to seeure a T.K.O. verdict over R. Hills (Levin) 9st, 21b HUls launqhed a lightning, twofisted attack in the flrst found arid had Baldwin worried, but the (Continued on' Page 7)

EXCELLENT BOXING (Continued from Page 4) Wa'nganui boy . carefully back moved and then showed that he also could give out punishment. He worked Hills into a corner and soon had him in a helpless condition. S.- Stevens (P.N.) 9st. 51b. and R. Hakaraia (Otaki) 9st. 101b. fought to. a draw in a whirlwind battle which kept the crowd on its to.es from start to finish and called for another round. Both fighters came out determined to win by the short-cut method. Each and every round was full of thrills and after a particularly furious exchange of rights and lefts Stevens went down for the count of eight. However, he was soon up after his rest and then sent Hakaraia down twice, but Hakaraia came . up befbre the count was put on him. Another right cross ' by Hakaraia sent Stevens down, but the gong came on the count of one. Neither let up in the second round and each was throwing telling punches freely. Although they were both tired out in the third round 'they still showed a willingness to fight. Hakaraia was the nippier ahd fitter of the two. A draw was a very popular decision. Welter weight P. Adams (Wanganui) lOst. 51b. won a T.K.O. decision over W. Maranui (Levin) lOst. 101b. in the first round. Maranui was the taller and had a longer reach, but Adams kept boring in and at last worked Maranui into a corner and had him helplessly sagging on the ropes after a left rip to the solar plexus and a right to the side of the jaw. Middleweight The aggressiveness and harder hitting power enabled R. Rice (Dannevirke) lOst. 131b. to gain a points decision over B. Foster (Feilding) lOst. 131b. Foster was down for two in the second round, but was up quickly only to run into some good straight lefts and right rips from Rice. Rice continually forced Foster to the ropes, where he heavily punished him. Foster was groggy in the third round and holding out for time by sagging on the ropes. A long straight left and a right uppercut gave J. Goggins (Dannevirke) 11st. 41b. a points decision over B. Marshall (Levin) 11st. 71b. Marshall made the fight and continually. went after Goggins, who retaliated with his long straight lefts and an occasional haymaking upper-cut. This was Marshall's second appearance in the ring, and with more experience he should develop into one of the best Levin has yet produced. He was very fit, but inclined to swing his punches instead of hitting out straight.