KNIGHTS OF THE GLOVE

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1060, 24 February 1911, Page 6

KNIGHTS OF THE GLOVE

PETONE,' - BURNS DEFEATS LECKIE. .The first...toHmamcpt, prpmotcd at Pctono by tlio AVellington Boxing Association was. held-in .the-Palace Thcatro.lnst evening,'before an audience ,of about 800. Tho'star item of the evening was tlio meeting of A. Leckie and Burns in tlio professional welter-weight competition. Both men.werq in'excellent fqttu, but tlio contest was not inspiring from a scientific standpoint, tlio'general procedure being to stand off and punch. Burns piled • up points in tho early rounds,' and ''thin' iieckio pulled up well, but Burns left him agaiu as tho rounds: proceeded, scoring freely as a Tesult of his clover,'in-fighting; The amateur contests wero not .at all exciting. Tho duties •of referee were 1 carried outl by Mr.'Jas.' Dwle. Messrs. A. Lnurortsori and L. W. Ludwig wero time-keepers, aud Messrs. T. Sampson arid B. A; Guise- official' seconds. A special train left 'Wellington at 7 p.m. 'with a large number of enthusiasts, and returned to town at midnight. ' Details of tho various contests are:— , -.Til IHfi G Burns, lOst. 81b. (Petone), v. A. Leckie, lOst. 111b.' (Wellington) r-yTho first round was slightly in favour of the Pctono idol, who led nicely, and got tho best of one particularly warm rally. Several straight leads with right and left by Burns disconcerted Leckie in tlio same round, and points,generally .went to, tho Pctono man. In. .'the next rouriil Burns got in soino effective body blows, but his opponent retaliated willingly on the body and face. Twosevere*lefts' to, tho faco. steadied Burns at tho start ;pf,'{he;next .round, but this,>as,t)ia lygiuning- ,of a warm time. Burns upper-cut "nicely, and lieckio retaliated and followed with a series of blows.to the face and ribs. Following Leckie. to tho ropes, ho jabbed several short arm "blows to the body, but. tho -r&iiRQ was too clofo 3 to, offectivo. | Early in tho fifth round Burns swung a stiff left to L-eckie's face, but tho Wellington man was not affected, and replied .in kind. Tho next .round was even* Loc- ' kie'tjutting - in~eoind ; -capital work with his left, smothering.niccly,'.and landing several hard punches to Tho face. Tho seventh round saw.' Leckie. send a series of straight rights into Burns's face. The Petono man.' retaliated with a will, but Leckie got in again, and had tho better of this round:! In*tho eighth round both men took things quietly. Burns, if anything, having tho better of thp'.cxchanges. Xeckio's guard,. which had been sound all through. 'was really pretty !in. tho ninth ■round arid he also .pasfod on a couple of nicc right, swings to'liis opponent. 'Burns, however,, was ,tht> fresher, of the. two, and was "scorihg, steadily in'-tho. close work. Two'straight: nunches to. .the faco V Burns Wero' followed by a' right and a left saving to tho faco by-Leckie. . Burns ■ landed, a straight' left on Leckie's ;face and' for tho first timo (eleventh round), skin, was'broken. Tho next round saw Leckio pile up -pbipts at tho outset, but ho' left himself open to a stinging TipV swing by Burns who was quick; to soizo any opening.' A right and left to tho faco by Leckie opened tho twelfth round, but •Burns put in two straight,lefts,and followed th'em up with three more. Just before the gong went'Leckio waded in and made up somo leeway by, getting honkwith right and left; Round thirteen' was slightly in favour pf Burns' whose 1 m. fighting was, and had been all through, 'decidedly abovo that of'his opponent. .In the fourteenth round Leckie did his; utmost •to land a right'swing on his op-, Dofient's jaw) but tho'nttemnt's wero nicely ' dodged' by' Burns; who 1 stood off and contented himself with an; occasional straight';drivo to'tho face. Tho final'round was a case of stand off aind-punch : in ' which Burns did tho most effective work. ; ,Tho verdict was given- to the Pctono riian ;who deserved his, win. Cheers wero given for both men. ' ~ tiiiepper Beaten oby .Wilson.i. H. Lepp'cr (Petone),'9st;,v." G. Wilson (.Wellington), 9st. This was a brief but willing, event, lasting less tlum two miputes. ', Wilson shaped' .promisingly from the'outset, and pressed his opponent to tho ropes, whero the contest Has ended with a right, hook, which .sent Lepper to tho floor,, where ho remained and was counted out. Tho winner is a promising boxer. 'Ho appeared a' little"nervous at the outset, but overcamo this when business commenced. Tho contest was tho winner's second appearance before ' the public." ,-Ho is a pupil of T. Tracy's. ' ... ,-Mack Defeats. .Wright. ' AV. Mack'(Wellington) Bsf.' 101b. v. J. Wright' (Wellington). ,95t.',,,.,Th0 lack of science displayed by the participants in this bout tempted tho*crowd.;fo treat it as a serio coniio affair; Neither of tho rpen was what could be called masters of the ,art, but their enthusiasm made up for, a good'deal.. Mack had a littlo the best of.vthe. encounter throughout, •..al-though-the story may have' been different had (Wright,possessed,a straight punch. instead of a wild downward swing, which was invariably faken-ron his opponent's shoulder of neck. .In the last Tound Mack hit his opponent ~where and as often as he liked, and' was declared the v;innef. without any display of oppositionVfrom one of the spectators. ' ' ' Adamson and Murphy. H. Adamson (Petone)..i(lsijvßlb. v. J. Murphy (Wellington); ffst: 121b. Adamson led consistently in the ■ first Ground, and gavo Murphy an opportunity, of showing ?ome clever footwork. Tho second ronnd was even, hut - Murphy was decidedly ahead 1 in 1 tho next' round; and ho increased' his lead in tbe : riext, 'a straight right finding a lodging-placo on Adam-so.n's-face several tiroes. ' Murphy was „ showing' sljjns 'of'tiring aS'.tJio bout progressed,"o'riil'l had to' tho most of his superior footwork;' Throughout tho last rou;id Adamson hugged Murphy like a brother, and would noi let him go. 'hat 'chances Murphy did get lie mado good use of, and it was a surprise 'when tho referee announced tho result as a draw.' Murphy had poor 'luck in |not getting the verdict. , . " ":'Stew4'rt..Outpoints .Kutner. . T. Kutner (Wellington), • Bst. 41b., r. W. Stewart (Pctono), Bst. Blb. Stewart opened out vigorously, and, did most of the'leading in tho first round, pressing Kutner closely., on., -i two. occasions, and getting home several effective blows. The second round'also was-in ..'favour of Step-art, ,Yjl9„.used, h,i.'>, 1 2f£jj effectively, although-Kutner s-footwork saved him several times., ..Kutiiera.was,obviously out of it- in the next round; ■but his knowledge and footwork saved him from several vicious uppercuts and right swings. The fourth, found taw Stewart still leading on point?, l but Kutner's, defence was good, although his form was* failing. Ho revived considerably in''th'e" final round, and gave Stewart, the liveliest round ho had had. When the referee pronounced in favour of Stewart .tlio applause was loud and prolonged.