A FOUL PUNCH

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 61, 13 March 1934, Page 13

A FOUL PUNCH

FITZGERALD WINS

FRANKLIN DISQUALIFIED

A low punch in the sixth round ended the boxing contest between Jack 'Fitzgerald (Australia) and Joe Franklin (New Zealand) at the Town Hall last night. Franklin was the offender, and he was disqualified by the referee, Mr. E. Perry. The 1500 spectators were bewildered at the sudden ending of a bout that up to the terminating incident had been decidedly interesting. Franklin, who won the lightweight championship of New Zealand from Ted Oxley last week, was making his first appearance in the Wellington ring. He displayed confidence' and ' eagerness, .but lacked the polish and experience of the clever Australian! His nuggety appearance reminded one o£ Pete Sarron. Throughout the contest he was almost continually on the attack and took a fair amount of punishment in\ his endeavours to obtain a shot with :his right hand, but, although he. connected with this weapon once or. twice, Fitzgerald was unshaken and only slightly perturbed. The Australian fought back with judgment and precision. He was the speedier puncher of the pair and looked as if he would stay the distance better. / He had the advantage in both weight and height* and used his long arms effectively-when-ever Franklin set himself for a punch. Franklin had delivered a couple of low punches earlier in the L contest, but they had had no weight behind them. The one that lost him. the fight apparently carried more sting, although ,it could not clearly be seen from the Press table, which wa3 on the, other side of the ring. There was a demonstration'from the crowd following the referee's decision, and it might- have been, more satisfactory if Mr. Perry had counted; Fitzgerald out and then called a doctor - into the ring to examine him, awarding^him the contest if the medical man held that a foul blow had been delivered. A minute after.; he left the ~ ring Fitzgerald was examined in' hijs dressing-room by a medical man, who* expressed his opinion that a foul blow had been struck. The Australian's shield was badly dented.. The weights were: Fitzgerald 9st 91b, and Franklin 9st 21b, '. . . ."■.- ' ... BOUT DESCRIBED. i Franklin got busy from the gong,. weaving in and throwing punches with both hands. Fitzgerald was obviously taken aback for a moment, but. quickly recovered and commenced to shoot out his left. Franklin landed with his right to the. head and also with both hands ": to the body, but Fitzgerald countered coolly with left and right, which did not prevent the New Zealander from boring in. Fitzgerald got home a stinging left just before the gong. The Australian boxed .calmly through the second round, being easily the cleverer boxer. Franklin kept on top of his man, but got in the way of several nicely-timed punches to head and body. The New Zealander was looking for an opportunity to land his right, but Fitzgerald either slipped this punch or blocked it and the Dominion champion hardly landed a clean punch during the round. There was a fair amount of close work, in the third round. They cut lb6se.;fSr a;moment and Fitzgerald proved. the rfaster "and cleaner hitter. ' The Australian was delivering his punches with more judgment and precision. Franklin, on the "other hand, was finding it difficult- to penetrate his opponent's defence, and a couple of his blows were low but harmless. .The fourth round was fairly quiet Vsttniiir the-; last .'minute. Both were sparring .for .an opening, but neither was" landing a,-;glean punch. Then, they traded blows with Fitzgerald on the ropes, and Franklinsibnnected with a couple of rights, but the i|pistralian was back'-hioying from then. Against Franklin's persistent attack, FiJigerald replied with, snappy straight lefts which repeatedly got home before the New Zealander Vright. Franklin was making the mistake of throwing punches without direction or discrimina-

tion. He lacked the" body^-balancel ofthe Australian. In the fifth round Fitzgerald Was again Euperior as a point scorer. Franklin continued to bore in, but met with little success. There vras little variation in his tactics, and his smother was not invulnerable against the Australian's straight punching. Fitzgerald landed three or four stinging blows back moving into a neutral corner, and Franklin swung a hard punch which landed low. Fitzgerald dropped to the canvas .in agony. The referee Hesitated and then lifted Fitzgerald's glove as a signal.' that he had won on a foul. The judges were Messrs. P. W. Woods and C. O'Leary. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES. The results o£ the amateur preliminaries were as follows:— C. Harris (Bst 41b) defeated M. Tanner (Bst 6lb) in a hard-hitting bout in which punches were traded briskly. Harris was the heavier puncher and connected more often than his opponent, but there was not a great deal between them. A real comedy turn was provided by A. Perrett (lOst) and-F. De Silva (lOst 2lb). Practically every time they got within reach of each other they fell into a clinch, and very few really effective blows were struck. * Perrett received the verdict. . Boxing of much better quality was provided by C. O'Halloran (lOst 41b), the former Petone Rugby half-back, and -J. Plank (lOst 81b). "O'Halloran scored well with lightning-like jabs with his left, but Plank got some solid blows past the other boy's guard. The decision in Plank's favour was unfavourably received. J. Kelly (9st 61b) defeated ,R. Hale (9st alb). Hale evidently went out with the idea of knocking his opponent out, but though Kelly went down in the second round he Was still on his feet at the finish. He chased Hale;all the way in the last round, and earned ia popular decision.