BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1273, 31 October 1911, Page 7

BOXING.

WELLS-MOIR CONTEST ABANDONED. Uy I'oleeraph—l'rcss Association—Copyright London, October 29. The boxing contest between "Bombardier" Wells «nd Moir has been abandoned, the proprietors of the large halls declining to tako any risks after the recent agitation against the Johnson-Wells fight. LIGHT-WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. At the Stadium, Rushcutter's Bay, Sydney. on October Hi, Mehegan successfully

defended his title of light-weight champion of Australia, the challenger being Hock Keys. Keys is, while his condition lasts, probably the cleverest boxer alive ("ays the Sydney "Daily Tclcfjrnph"). For 12 rounds he made the champion look r. novice. It was not the circumstance that he hit Mehegan at will that disclosed his cleverness, it was rather that, bavin;? hit him, ho was able to escape Mehecran's return blows. He was bewilderingly fast, and his ducking. side-stepping, body moves, and slopping combined to make a scientific exhibition, the like of which lias not broil seen in the Stadium before. Hut Mchetfan had youth on his side. Into the bargain he took his punishment unflinchingly, and never gave his more skilful opponent a moment's peace. Nothing but a knock-out blow will stop Mohognn, and Keys has not one in his repertoire. Keys ran apparently hit anywhere ho likes, but the blow, while it is fast as a (lash, does not put the other man out of action. A coward would, of course, soon get sick, but Mohfgan is no craven, lie took his gruel and waited. Mehcgan physically is stronger than Keys. He is built on stouter lines. He has a greater capacity for receiving punishment. Keys is as game as can be, but lie could not have stood the punishment he dealt out to Mohegan. So that, while during the first 10 rounds Keys led by so many points that you could not liave counted them unless you were verv good at arithmetic, Mohegun afterwards began to put something on the credit side of his account. Although ho had been hit lightly for more than half an hour, lie disclosed only a damaged nose as a result. A damaged nose, while it is not a nice thing to have, docs not necessarily moan defeat, For 12 rounds Keys had been going at top pressure. , Then Mehegan's turn came. Keys had palpably tired. He was unable to evade blows that earlier in the contest would havo missed him by a yard. In t.li 9 14th round a blow sent him to the floor. Ho struggled up after nine seconds had been ticket! off, tnd went down to a push. Struggling up again, plucky to the last, ho received one which sent him down again. Simultaneously his seconds threw in a towel in token of defeat, the referee, "Snowy" Baker, held up his hand as an indication that the bout was over, and an inspector of police, present in his official capacity, waved his hunting crop at tho referee to denote that the Government's representative had made up his mind that the contest must end there. Some minutes elapsed before Keys was in normal condition again, and then he was cheered vigorously by several thousand spectators.