ROPED ARENA

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11132, 15 February 1930, Page 5

ROPED ARENA

BOXING TOURNEY AT OPERA HOUSE. , BUMPER AND CRITICAL CROWD MORGAN—TROWERN FIGHT. NEITHER SPECTACULAR NOR THRILLING. UNSATISFACTORY ENDING. The Gisborne Boxing Association had every reason lo bo satisfied with the extent of the patronage, accorded the tourney hold in the Opera House last night, only a few ring-side seats being vacant, and the receipts amounting to £335. Opening the tourney, the Patron, Mr. *W. Lissant Clayton, expressed the Association’s gratification at the, very substantial support extended by the public. It was pleasing to note, lie added, that boxing was once again in the boom in this 'district. LIGHT-HEAVIES IN ACTION. The proceedings opened with a light-heavyweight contest in which R. Buckingham (Te Karaka) list. 91b. and W. Steele (Waipaoa) list. 91b. were the principals it was the latter’s first appearance in the- ring. There was not much between the pair in the first round.. Buckingham proved very open to the body but Steele failed to take advantago of this defect in guarding. Steele also was inclined to swing wildly, being palpably nervous. In the second round, Buckingham was the more aggressive, but Steele stood up well to his onslaughts. There was a lot of clinching in this session and Buckingham was inclined to hold. Steele now got in some good straight blows to head and body. The third session opened with a determined duel in which Steele got the better of the exchanges, especially with a straight left. Later, Buckingham came to light with several swings. Both appeared very tired, particularly Buckingham. Clinching and wild, swinging marked the final round, in which Buckingham did slightly the hotter. The decision went to Buckingham, although a section of the spectators disagreed. GORY WELTER; CONTEST , A pair of welter-weights— A. L. Thornton and C. Suvall, both 10.2, next took the ring. All through the first round the pair fouglit without a single let-up. Thornton was much the stronger, hut his timing was poor compared with, Suvall’s. Soon, Thornton was bleeding heavily, but he maintained a series of hard rushes, Suvall being down once. In llie second session, Thornton was more successful with his attack, Suvall being much exhausted but game to the coro. Again, at tlio outset of the filial round, Thornton went in strongly, and half-way through, tho referee stopped the contest in his favor.

BRIGHT LIGHTWEIGHT encounter, A lightweight contest between R. Gregory (Whatututu), and Jack MeKay (Gisborne) both 9st. 91b., was then staged. This contest opened brightly and breezily and there were frequent clashes. Gregory having the hotter of numerous fast exchanges. In tho second session, the fighting was somewhat slower. McKay had to be warned several times for holding. Much in-fighting marked the third round. In the open fighting which followed Gregory was the more successful. McKay went in strongly in the final round, but met several good smart blows to the face. The decision went to Gregory. On leaving the ring. McKay, was given an ovation. A BRIEF DISPUTE A contest between R. Junes (Waipaoa) Bst. 10b. and W. Allan (Gisborne), Bst. 7lb. di'd not last half a minute. Jones went in with left and right and Allan could not defend smartly enough for him. with the result, that he was soon in sore trouble although he was not sent down. Under the impression that Allan was no match for Jones, the referee, after Allan had been heavily struck, stopped the fight in Jones’ favor, much to the apparent disgust of a large section of the spectators, who kept up their protest until the next bout was under way. FEATHERWEIGHTS PLEASE Some pleasing boxing was witnessed in the. contest between A. Waugh 8.6 and W. Richardson 8.4. Both at the ioutset traded exchanges in live tv fashion, Waugh being the aggressor. The second session was much slower, Richardson opening up to better advantage. In the third round, Waugh, quietened Richardson somewhat with several hard lefts to the body. The victor was Waugh. MATCH FAILS TO LAST ONE ROUND The next encounter between C. Isaheth and R. Dixon, 9.9, opened promisingly, hut did not last ’a lull round. Both engaged in a, stirring trial of strength, exchanging punches incessantly. Isaheth was notably the cooler. and the more successful. After getting in a light blow to tho jaw. lie landed a {heavy one to the body, and Dixon went down, taking tho full count.

“PRO” FIGHT TED MORGAN AND REG. TROWERN' FOUL CLAIMED BY TROWERN DISALLOWED RE-EiNTERS RING AFTER MEDICAL EXAMINATION MORGAN THEN CLAIMS THE FIGHT AND REFUSES TO GO ON REFEREE DECLARES TROWERN WINNER The in the “star” event were Ted Morgan, of Wellington, 10st. “lb. and Reg Ti-owern, of Auckland, 10st. 31b, Pat Connors, Costello, and Livingstone were behind Morgan, and Trowern had in his angle W. Wills, S. Thomson and P. Martin. Morgan seemed on the fine side and was slightly taller. Trowern appeared to he under rather than fully-trained. A wire from Grime intimated that he challenged the winner. Mr T. Smale was tlio referee, and Messrs Fritz Holland and Aislabie the judges. The first round found Morgan taking things 'rather easily. His rights were mere pokes and" when he tried to get in a left hook Trowern fended with monotonous regularity with his raised, bent right. Trowern was watching Morgan’s feet very closely, and Morgan, on his part, was, most of the time, standing off. When Morgan would lead Trowern would often slip the blow. Trowern got in several rights to the body—some on the low side. Trowern was also the more aggressive. It was Trowern’s round. At the opening of the second round,' there was some patchy infighting. Trowern tried a long right swing bgt, Morgan ducke.d anpl Troyrern lost liis 'balance. Morgan continued to feel with his right and then in w(puld go his left to . be blocked Trowern’s right to the body was (again effective. Further tame leads by Morgan followed. It was an even round. (Morgan did not have any towelling .at the interval. The third round opened with Morgan' feeling with -his right, but' lie could no I. get his loft through. In

some in-fighting, Troworn was tho mole energetic. /Again his blows were incliiied to lie low. Morgan got in several lefts in heated exchanges. Another even round. Morgan looked more business-like in Round 4, stepping about a lot brisker. Trowern ducked a right and the following left was short. At close quarters, Morgan did good work with both hands, especially the left, Trowern tried with a. right to the jaw from which Morgan withdrew just in. time. Morgan’s round. At the opening of tho fifth 'session Morgan rushed in, Troworn falling m to a clinch. Troworn missed with »a right after the break and, losing his balance, also brought down Morgan. Morgan’s 'dreaded left could not get through although lie was now hitting harder and faster. In two bouts of infighting Morgan used both hands effectively. The honors were his. More lively the battle became with the operiing of the sixth round. Again and ( again Morgan failed with Jiis left hook. Trowern nearly reached Morgan’s jaw and later rushed Morgan to his corner. When the paii were separated, Trowern again rushed Morgan and sent him through the ropes into a sitting position with a right to the chest. Morgan now begsjn to (attack harder with short arm blows iand Trowern went down momentarily. A wild swing by Trowern went astray. This was the best round so far and was fairly even. The 1 seventh round saw Morgan much jmore-aggressive and he got in. several light leads. It was, however, useless _ for Morgan to try and score with his left hook. Trowern ( t-hen rushed Morgan to the .ropes twice, but no harm resulted) Morgan’s lead was (again successful on several occasions. Morgan won this round. .Trowern fought more Jowly in the (Sight session. Twice in succession Morgan gob him with his lead. Then., it again- landed. .A further lead was followed by an uppercut which missed. Morgan was leading consistently. A wild light by Trowern went astray. Morgan won the round. Tho ninth round opened with hard in-fighting and then hard open exchanges. Trowern got in a right to the head, and three clean short rights to the body in some in-fight-ing. Morgan fought desperately to get through Trowern’s defence with bis left at close quarters and the pair came into collision. Trowern doubled up and was claiming a foul when the /gong went. In this round Trowern lmd done the cleaner hitting. The situation that then arose was one that may never be seen again for a. long time. Nobody seemed to knew how Trowern could have been hurt. Some thought it was Morgan’s head that had struck him; others that it was his hip. Trowcrn’s friends hold it was Morgan’s arm. As the referee dicl not see any foul blow ho could not adjudicate and, therefore.' he asked the doctors to examine Ti over r- The position became more complicated when the doctors, for decency’s sake, ordered Trowern out of tho Ting for examination. A minute or two jiassed. Meantime, Morgan was sitting in his chair and his trainer was becoming more and-more restless. j

Then the doctors came hack and took their seats. The referee went across to them as did the president and several members of the committee. Their report was that Trowern may have been fouled; they could not say as to that. All they could say was that bo was fit to go’ back into the ring. Connors bad something to say to Dr. Collins who engaged Connors in discussion as lie fo'lowed him back corner wards. Dr. Collins, however, was induced to return and take bis seat. Meantime, Trowern bad not put in an appearance again and the president (Mr Aislabie) went to fetch him and after some further delay Trowern again took his seat in the ring. It was now found that Morgan aas claiming the fight on the ground that he had not fouled Trowern and that Trowern had left the ring and had not returned in a reasonable t’me. The referee then announced, amid uproar, that Trowern was the winner, because Morgan bad refused to resume the fight. Santo words between Morgan and the referee followed in tho middle of the ring and then .Morgan .went, to his corner. As the ring rapidly filled with fans. Morgan and Trowern were to be seen clasping hands. It is understood that Morgan is lodging a protest against the decision. The incident was unusual in that the alleged foul occurred just at the close of a round, also in that Trowern was not down for a count. Even if he had been 'down, the gong would have prevented any count being made It was. however, not unusual in that Trowern was .medically examined away from the ring. Now that the fair sex patronise boxing this has become a recognised customCertainly Trowern was away from the 'ing an unreasonable period. This, it >s stated, was partly due to the fact that the medicoes had to clear the room into which Trowern was invited to go for the examination. Such an unsatisfactory ending to- the contest might have been avoided if steps had been taken to have got Trowern back into the ring at the same time as the doctors returned. Then Morgan would 'have had no ground fot complaint. Not having seen the alleged foul blow, tho referee , could not give Morgan the fight on tho ground that no foul blow was struck. There may to-day be evidence that Trowern was. in fact, Afouled. The referee 1 had, in the circumstances, to accept the doctors’ decision that Trowern was fit to resume. It is only fair to Morgan to say that nobody would dream of suggesting that, if Trowern were fouled, the fouling was /other than purely accidental. It was most unfortunate that Trowern was permitted to he absent from the ring so long. The referee apparently overlooked insisting that Trowern should ■ return with the examining doctors if he wore fit to resume. If this had hcen done, Morgan could not have felt he had .'any cause for complaint. As matters went, Morgan would have displayed better sportsmanship if ho had jagreed to the fight being resumed. He should not have expected to receive # the aiva rd because of something which bis opnonent was allowed to do, even il it involved some irregularity.