BOXING

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 59, 3 December 1926, Page 3

BOXING

PURDY OUTPOINTS McCARTHY

BRILLIANT DISPLAY BY AUCKLALDER

Showing more aggressiveness than he has vet displayed here, Charlie Purdy, of Auckland, outpointed Bert McCarthy, of Australia, in a 15-round professional ' contest, belore a crowded audience at • tho Town Hall last night. Revealing - beautiful footwork, Purdy exhibited all ;■ that elusiveness which has made his name as a boxbr. The Aucklander led"’ from the third round onwards, and out-n classed the Australian bv a wide margin of points. The weights were announced as: Purdy 9st. 10,1 b., and McCarthy 9st. lOjlb. Purdy did the leading in the openinground, making pretty play with a light left to the head. Purdv was warned just before the gong went for n.ot step--ping back from the breaks. Purdy was the stronger of the pair, and twice bore his man on to the ropes in the second session. Tile Aucklander was faster and,: cleverer, and was showing more aggressiveness than usual. McCarthy scored a • good right to the side of the head. . before the round closed. In the third thev did some wrestling, but neither, showed much science in close. McCarthy ■ got in a couple of lance-like lefts to tha tface, but a solid right from the Auckland-'-er opened a cut in the Australian’s eye--The fourth opened with bright footwork by Purdy, which enabled him twice to shoot the left to the face.?Purdy was boxing well, and doing most ■ of the leading. The Aucklander clapped. ■; on the pace in the fifth session, prov- • ing lie can fight when he likes. "Fight '. Him back. Mac,” called a voice with a ’ touch of brogue in it, and the Austra- ; lian took the advice, to the delight of the crowd. In the sixth, Purdy con- '• tinned to ply the left, and twice rushed McCarthy to the ropes, but in the next . round McCarthy scored a solid left to., the face the most tolling blow so far. Purdy again got the Australian on the \ ropes, and scored with both hands to tho head just before the gong went. In the eighth, the first blow of consequence was a left rip by Purdy to the midriff.', ' . McCarthy was doing better now in close. Opening the ninth, McCarthy met Purdy’s left lead with a right uppercut, i arid started in to make matters more in- ■ foresting. Purdy made his man miss badlv. but McCarthy a little later tap- . ped claret with a beautifully-timed left. ■ which loltod the Aucklander’s head ■ back. Thev mixed it more freely in ' tho tenth, both paying attention downstairs. Both showed signs of wear when they returned to corners. In the next round Purdy made the Australian miss with clever footwork, and a little later . darted in to score with right and left , to the head. The twelfth was quiet, but was brightened by two good straight lefts and a left hook, which went down to Purdy’s account. The Australian ~ got a bit of his own back with a solid left hook to the head. In the thirteenth ; round, Purdy gave a display of the elusiveness which has made his name, and for a time McCarthy was smiting tho air. In the .penultimate session, a : left hook opened a cut over Purdy’s right eye, which bled freely. Amidst the greatest excitement, McCarthy started to force the pace, and had all the better.-of the round, which ended to a storm of applause. Well behind on points, McCarthy went looking for a ver- ■ diet by the short route in the final round. A left started Purdy s damages eye bleeding freely again, and thus seemed to sting the Aucklander to action. It was Hie first time a Wellington audience had seen the hitherto com* paratively gentle Purdy display a touch of spirit. Purdy kept close to his man, and the referee had to separate them frequently. It was willing, work to the end, and a clever and spirited display ended to thunders of applause. Hie fudges. Messrs. P. W. Woods and B. J.. Guise, pronounced for Purely, who won by a wide margin of points. Mr. Ear Stewart controlled the match tv ell. AJIATEUR PRELIMINARIES.

Four amateur preliminary bouts preceded tho professional watch. D C. Cleverley (Bst. rib.) and A. Hawker lost. 121 b.) first took the ring in a light-weight argument of four■ ute rounds. Ci ever ley had the bettei style, and piled on points .in the first round, showing speed and nimble fait, work. The second round was fairly even, but thev sparkled up in the third, Hawker making things lively with a heavilyloaded right. They made matteis willing in the final round,, in which Hawker kenf his opponent side-stepping nt a brisk pace. The verdict for Cleverley, though the correct one, met with some Arbuthnot (Ost.) and A. TutfaJBrt. • Wlb ) next appeared in a feather-weight , contest Tbe Pl latter did all the leading in tho early •- stages, but Arbuthnot fought like a wild eat wnen cornered and did effective work with the right The frowd enjoyed the voik m the second season, in which both > mixed it freely. Thev continued at it hammer-and-fongs in the third, in which some stirring exchanges were seen Thev went at each other at such a bat in the fourth that first one and then the other went hurtling through the ropes. It was willing going to the end, and the crowd were pleased when l another round was ordered-. In the extra round. Arbuthnot came to. bjrht a successjqn of telling straight «> the face and secured a popular verdict. Both lads were cheered for their spirited dl Tlio y ha.ntams. F. Keith («**-..’’lb-L and A Wliife (Sst. Gib.), were a well matched pair. There was little doing m the first round, but they infused a bit more ginger into it in the second session, Keith beat, his man to the punch m the third, and, continuing the faster ana cleverer of the pair, took the bout by a fd Much r m?erest attached to the meeting of the big men, V. Ragsdale /13st. 11b.) and ”. Fitzsimmons (12st.). Though -both were crude, it was a great battle they nut up for heavies. Ragsdale used both hands freely, and had Fitzsimmons bustled for a time, but a heavv right swing to the head caused Ragsdale to take'the count for 9. Rising he landed a solid left to the head, which, in turn, had the tall Taranaki man thinking. Ragsdale, 'who is a fighter, made toe pace in the second, and had his opponent in a bad way for a time. It was the most willing battle which has. ever been seen hero between heavyweights. Thev stood up to each other in the third, and swapped heavy wallops. Both were game to tho core, and the house was in a fi'enzy of excitement. Both were far spent in the last round, but thev waded into each other between the clinches, which'the referee was kept busy breaking. It was a stirring battle to the finish, and ended in a whirlwind, of applause. The verdict went to Fitzsimmons, but the 'margin was a narrow one. Prolonged applause followed the b't? fellows from t>he ring, and they well deserved it. as it was bv far the most stirring contest which has been witnessed here for years past, even though they were both somewhat crude as far asspeed and science goes.