BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 6

BOXING.

DOMINION CHAMPIONS—I9I2THREE FROM TIMARU. i THE FINALS 4.T THE TOWN HALL. Bantam Champion—J. Gunn, Timaru. Feather-weight Champion—G. Barr, Wairarapa, Light-weight Champion.—M. M'Grath, Timaru. Welter Champion—G, Watchorn, Manawatu. Middle-weight Champion—S. Monaghan, Ohakune. Heavy-weight Champion—R. Fitzsimmons, Timaru. The New Zealand Amateur Boxing Championships wero concluded last evening in tho !Town Hall. Despito Hie uncongenial weather, there was a largo increase in the attendance—which approximated 1100 The semi-finals and finals provided excellent fistic entertainment, several of the bouts being hotly contested. Timaru representatives captured three championships'— heavy (Fitzsimmons), light (M'Grath), and bantam (Gunn). M'lvenzio (Auckland) and Simpson (Christchurch) scratched—the former because of, an injury .to the groin received on Tuesday evening. Tho Wellington Boxing Association prizes for the most scientific exhibitions wore awarded as follow— C. Leary (Wellington), feather-weight; •T. Gunn (Timaru), and "Young Owens" (Westport), bantam-weights.

SEMI-FINALS. FEATHER-WEIGHTS. , , G. Barr, Bst. 101b. (Wairarapa), beat J. Mills, Bst. 111b. (Christchurch). Barr, much the stronger boy, worked in close and banged away to the body. The second round was dull and uneventful. In. the third round Barr punished his man about the body, but his leads for the head were stopped by the smother. Mills hung • on, and Harr got the decision. "T. Thompson" (Southland), Bst. 131b., won by default, H. M'Kenzie (Auckland) "scratching." WELTERS. J. Murphy, 10st, 61b.. (Wellington) beat H. Withey, 10st, 71b. (Otago). The Wellington, representative, a boxer pure and simple, "put it all over his man" in the first and second rounds for skill. His blocking, left leads, and footwork wero too battling for Withey, who'was a good loser. MIDDLE-WEIGHTS. .C. G. Cate, 10st. 131b. (Gisborne), beat D. Boreham, 11st. 21b. (Otago). This was a "wild and woolly" business from start to finish, but it was tho sort of boxing comedy the crowd delights in. C'ate's ehiefest asset was a measured right chop, which he always telegraphed. Boreham was bewildered by the cyclonic tactics of tho Gisborne lad, and was pushed, roughed, wrestled—anything but boxed— off his feet. Knocked down twice in tho second round, ho induced applause by his gritty showing. Date continued his whirlwind tactics'right through, and Boreham, who suffering from wounded ' feetwas exhausted and beaten when tho Tefereo intervened to save him further punishment.

BANTAMS. I. Kutner, Bst, 11b. .(Wellington), beat W. M'Minn, Bst. 11b. (Christchurch). Tho southerner made the pace hot from the Jump, but liis rushes were eluded by Kutner's clever footwork, which carried him oat of danger.- The Welling-: ton lad scored heavily' throughout for ducking and stopping, and general ringcraft. M'Minn tried for Kutner's chin, especially in tho last round, but the local boy cleverly evaded the onslaught. It "was an even go, with Kutner in front, most of the time. The judges disagreed, and a fourth round was ordered, Kutner getting the verdict—a popular one. HEAVY-WEIGHTS. R. Fitzsimmons, 12st. slb. (Timaru), beat <> Mathewson, 12st. 101b: (Otago). Tho Timaruvian used a dashing left that landed hard and often. Slogging rushes by Fitzsimmons missed, owing io Mathewson's alertness. The Timaru representative went wide with his uppercuts, and ho was at times judging distance badly. The work was brisk in the second round, both mixing it. In the last round the.men got close up, and there were fireworks, both indulging in wild swinging. Mathewson scored' with a heavy right, to which his opponent replied with two equally solid swings to the jaw. The pair tired badly, the Otago man especially weakening fast. "Fitzsimmons wins" was a popular verdict.

■LIGHT-WEIGHTS. M. M'Grath, 9st. 121b. (Timarii), beat-'E. Stewart, 9st. 111b.'(Wellington). ' Contrary to expectations, the Wellington lad was overmatched. M'Grath is a sturdy lad, who carries a'hard punch in cither hand, and has been well trained. Generally speaking, he out-boxed his man, both at long range and in close, In tho second round, Stewart, leaving a clinch, was upper-cut twice going away, and was also the recipient of a solid rig Tit to the body. Stewart recovered, and stopped the impetuous M'Grath with a couple of jarrin<r lefts. Both men were cantioned for holding in the third round, and Stewart, under punishment, hung on hard and often. M'Grath, finishing strongly, won well. i\

THE. FINALS. . WELTER-WEIGHTS. G. Watchorn, lOst. 71b. (Manawatu), beat J. Murphy, 10st. 61b. (Wellington). Murphy foiled his man trickily, Watchorn displaying a tendency to make a rushing battle of it. The opening round was comparatively quiet, uud ended in. favour of the Wellington representative. Tho second round opened with Murphy nailing his man )with stabs to the face, following this by an upper-cut which hurt. The Welliugtonian, with shifty head and footwork, beat his opponent oil numerous occasions. Murphy led in'both tho first and second rounds, and in the third baffled 'his man .with straight lefts and clever ducking. The round ended- in Murphy's favour, but the judges ordered another round. Watchorn, who was using . his weight discreetly in the tight, wns lasting the better, and punished hi!s opponent, adding to his points." Tho Wnirarana representative roughed his way to the finish, and certainly took the honours of tho extra round, in which Murphy tired sadly. MIDDLE-WEIGHT. S. Monaghan, list. lib. (Ohakune), beat C. G. Cate, list, 21b. (Gisborne), This bout soniowhat resembled a gladiatorial contest, each of tho seekers for championship honours waved their heavy limbs round find round, and sometimes I,ho wild waving and dancings encountered something. Mostly they did not. "Go on, Cyclone," called some wag, and <in flapped the wings.' At the Hi j of the three rounds the decision was given in'favour of Moiuighan. Biol'j| contestants received an ovation as they left the ring. They certainly deserved it.

BANTAMS. J. Gunn, 7st. 121b. (Timaru), beat I, Kutner, Bst. 11b. (Wellington). Both these lads were clever, the southern boy displaying more science than his adversary. Many ware the punches received b ( v the Petone lad, but he turned up .smiling for the next. This bout was fought in the best spirit exhibited during the evening. Gunn plainly had the advantage up to the third round, and in the final go he got in left after left anil an occasional right. The judgment "Clutili wins" was received with approbation by the spectators.

representative being content to smother where possible. Hound 2 was very each setting sonic tolling shots' Fitzsiminon.s kept his left going with tolling effect. Round It appeared to bo in favour of Caldwell, Fitzsimmons seeming to tiro. The northerner got in soino telling blows which caused l'itzsiininons (who is a nephew of the redoubtable "Hob") to think ;i lot. After, much indiscriminate slogging end .some cautioning on the part of tho referee; Fitzsimmons was declared tho winner, the decision not being received at all well.

. LIGHT-WEIGHT. M'Grath Wins by Default. R. Simpson, who beat \V. North, was due to meet M, M'Grath (Timaru) in tho final, but scratched. M'Grath winning by default.

FEATHER-WEIGHTS. G. Barr, Bst. 101b. (Wairarapa), beat G. Thompson, Bst. 131b. (Southland). Thompson led off with right and left hooks, and endeavoured to land an uppercut. His adversary, however, thwarted his endeavours; to a certain extent, but one oi' two of Thompson's shots got home. In the second round Thompson shaded the other man, his clever foot work telling. In this round both boxers wero oautioned for holding on more than one occasion. The round finished in Thompson's favour. The/final round was very willing for a spell,' again both moriiivere cautioned, and about half way through the reforee disqualified Thompson for holding. The decision was well received. Hanan and D. Murphy Matched. The Wellington Boxing As sociaHon has matched "Billy" Hanou (N.S.W.) and D. Murphy (X.Z.) for the welter championship of the Dominion'. Tho contest is to take place in the Town Hall in the first week in August.