ARMY BOXING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 13, 11 October 1943, Page 7

ARMY BOXING

Central Military Command Championships

Some promising talent was revealed at the Winter Show on Saturday night when tho semifinals and finals to ueciut the Central Military Command’s boxing championships were hold. A crowd of about 500 thoroughly enjoyed the boute. The winners will represent the Central Military Command at the services boxing championships in Auckland this month, when army, navy and air force representatives will contend. That the army has developed some highly promising boxers was proved at the tournament. C. Gregory, years of age, and who only started boxing this year, proved himself a first-class performer by the decisive manner in which he took the light-heavyweight title. With an upright stance, he is quick on his feet, carries a punch in both hands, and has sound defence. J. Holder, who won the lightweight title, was another boxer ol amateur championship class. Cool and collected, he showed nice footwork and timed his straight puriehes well. In army boxing no differentiation is made between professional aud amateur. All soldiers are eligible to enter for the championships, and the best men take the titles. Thus it' was that Jim Grlfiin, the well-known professional, took part in the tournament and won the welterweight title bv beating the only other entrant in this division, T. King, on Friday night. The refereeing was done by Captain P. G. Thomson and Mr. P. Stone, and ths judges were Captain C. J. H. Davidson, Captain Thomson and Mr. P. Stone. The proceeds will be handed over to the patriotic funds. Following are the results:— Middleweight: In the semifinal W Newton, 11.2, made short work of B. Grllnn, 10.7. Using both hands with speed, Newton scored at will and put his man down for eight with left and right to the head. Grifliu was so groggy on resuming that the referee stopped the contest before the first round had ended, and awarded the contest to Newton. That the winner has a punch was proved on Friday night by the way in which he disposed of J. Arnold by a t.k.o. in the first round. • In the final W. Newton, 11.2, employed a Jem Mace stance to knock out W. Parker, 11.5, with a right jolt to the point early in the second round. The winner proved himself a finished boxer to take the title in convincing fashion. Lightweight: J. Holder, 9.9, proved too rugged for A. Beere, 9.1 J, in the final. The winner hit, hard with both hands, and when Beere' went down under a barrage of blows in the third round the referee stopped the contest and awarded the title to Holder. Light-heavvweight: In the semifinal C. Gregory, 11.13, was much too clever for R. Winstanley, 11.10. The winner used both hands well and had his man down for eight with a well-timed right cross in the first round. Using a beautiful straight left to the face, Gregory continued to deal out such severe punishment that the referee stopped the unequal contest halfway through the second round. In the final the youngest amateur boxer in the Dominion. C. Gregory, aged 19, beat the oldest, G. Lovatt, aged 46. Lovatt scaled 12.2 and Gregory 11.13. The winner used a straight left well to take the verdict in a willing bout. The lad’s straight punching was more effective than the veteran’s swings. Heavyweight: Smiling broadly and enjoying every minute of the bout. L. Hindrup, 12.6, a Maori, outpointed R. Woller, 13.6, in tho final. The winner proved something of a comedian and caused much amusement by using, the ropes frequently to launch surprise attacks on his opponent. Hindrup did all the leading and won by a wide margin of points. Bantamweight: "Shorty” Herd, 8.2, who won the title unopposed, took the ring against R. Ramanos, 7.13, a 15-year-old lad from Galley’s gymnasium. The lad gave the champion a boxing lesson, used both hands cleverly and showed nimble footwork to win by a wide margin. Special bouts: T. McCoy, 10.13, and Jim Grifliu, the professional, 10.1, met in a special bout for a trophy. The professional proved so superior that the referee stopped the bout in the first round. A. J. Birchfield, 11.13, and M. Tracey, 11.3, met in a contest for a special trophy. Tracey showed good footwork and beat his man to the punch, taking the verdict from his pugnacious opponent, who did most of the leading. Jim Griflin, 10.1, appeared in an exhibition spar with G. Vadauowich, of the Air Force, 8.9. The professional had a big advantage in height and reach and liad his opponent doing some lively side-step-ping and much head weaving and (lucking.