Downes Outpointed by Clarke

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1949, Page 6

Downes Outpointed by Clarke

. ■» *••• ■ • Before a eapacity gallery in the Opera House, Palmerston North, last night the New Zealand professionaj light-heavyweight title holder, Tommy Downes, was outpointed in a ten-rouna catehweight contest by the Aucklander, Barney Clarke. It was a good fight with both men punching hard and aggressively. There were some torrid patches of inflghting with Clarke scoring repeatedly with lefts and rights to Downes' head. 5 It was Clarke 's' swift-moving inside rights that douiinated the early round, and whiie effeetively couhtering Downes ' wieked left hooks he managed to give the heavier man telling punishment. From the second round on,. Downes brought his own right into effective play but it was with his left that he did most damage. Downes1 went down for the count of nine in the first round, taking his full measure oi' time. He was knocked off balance again in the sixth but was quiekly back on his feet. Clarke 's iong reach, easy movements and swift punching made him an at- , tractiVe fighter. Once or twice Downes ; feinted cleverly and went after Clarke with his left, but the Aucklander bao« moved smartly and kept out of danger. Mr. P. Chase was the referee. Preliminary amateur bouts resuiteA as under decision being on points unless otherwise stated: — Paperweight: I. Hunt (Pahiatua) 6.13 drew with R. Tawharu (Hubbard's) 6.124. Featherweight: A. Rule (Kiwi) 8.11} ® beat J. Brown (Dannevirke) 8.64. Lightweight: B * Hakarkla . (Otaki.; 9.54 beat C. i>axi (l eilding) 9.6;, W. SulJivan (Hubbard's) 9.5 beat K. Jeffries (Awapuni) 9.34; N. Whittingliam (Kiwi) 8.9} lost- to G. Batt (Rongo- j i tea) 9.2}. Light-heavyweight: J. Healy (Kiwi) t 11.84 beat J. Cullen (Ohakea) 11.10; II. Tua (Hubbard's) 12.94 beat J. Paul' (Ohakea) 12.3} on a t.k.o. in the third round.