HOKITIKA BOXING ASSOCIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1920, Page 4

HOKITIKA BOXING ASSOCIATION.

On Saturday night the Princess Theatre was well filled to witness two interesting bouts of boxing announced to take place. The proceedings commenced promply at the announced hour of starting, 7.30 p.m., and the final round of the second event was concluded in time to enable northern and southern vi si left's to return by the trains fbr north and south. The arrangements, made for the gathering were complete, and there was not the slightest hitch to mar the success of the gathering, while the bouts were, fought with, the best of rrood feeling. Mr AV. O’Brien of Kokatahi was referee - for both.contests and his decisions were on popular lines. The particulars were as follows: ... SHAAV V. ROONEY. . This was an amateur heavy weight bout between R. Rooney of Otirn (challenger), 11.10; and H. Shaw of Paparoa, (holder) 12.0; six rounds of two minutes.' , ,

Round I—Rooney opened out with three successive lefts to the head,' Shaw failing to step either. .ShaW failed to find his opponent with a vicious left and then Rooney got home with both right and left to the face, Sl.aw trying to save himself with, a smother. Rooney again atneked and Shaw lost points by failing to stand up to his opponent, who had by far the best of the opening round ; which ended in a clinch as the gong went.

Round 2-- Rooney opened out with his left, Shaw being driven to the ropes. A heavy right to the ribs by Rooney got borne solidly. Shaw hit hack, and a smart exchange followed with honors even. A’'hard swing by Shaw missed and then Shaw got a hard left to tho jaw, followed by a right. Both men were palpably out of condition and were standing off for wind. The concluding feature of the round was a smart left poke, by Shaw that landed squarely on Rooney’s face. Round 3.—Shaw opened by leading smartly to the head, Rooney saving by a clinch. This was a poor round both men going into a clinch to give them time tb blow, sparring for wind most of the round.

Round 4.—Rooney again got home with his left to the body, a vicious right swing just missing its place. Shaw clinched for time and then on breaking off, he got a good left to the face. Rooney replied with a fine left hut Shaw dodged a right swing that came immediately. This was another poor round, there being far too much clinching. Round s.—Rooney opened with a left, a clinch following. The men separated only to go together again. Then Rooney smartly let his left fly, Shaw getting his right to the face immediately. Shaw showing to advantage got home smartly on several occasions, a right to Rooney and a heavy left to I*■ face by Shaw closing the round which was easily in Shaw’s favour. Round 6.—The opening of the last round saw Shaw get bis right to work smartly, a clinch following. Neither ! man seemed to have too much in to I spare, then wind being very troublesome. Rooney made a heavy right swing that just missed, a left to the chin following. Shaw tried forcing tactics but he failed to get homo hard and j Rooney clinched to save himself. The i round closed; with the men standing off: j each other, a somewhat tame finish. I Decision.—The referee announced a i draw, a decision that, met with geneial

approval, Shaw having failed to more than wipe oft’ the points lie lost in the two opening rounds. j

COOK v. O’DEA. This was a fifteen round contest between Peter Cook of Christchurch/ 10.3 J (light weight champion of New Zealand), and Sailor O’Dea of Hokitika, 10.9 (welter weight champion of Tasmania), for n purse. Round I.—The men sparred up to each other carefully, Sailor leading off lightly to the face. Cook replied but the Sailor ducked. A fine right to the face followed and Cook then swung in his right but misßed. A left to Cook was followed by a right from the Sailor, a elose exchange following, the Sailor scoring a good right to the head. Round 2.—The men were giving a good exhibition of sparring, but the weight was not in the blows. Cook got his left to the face and followed it with a right and left, but O’Dea -with a left to the face stopped Cook twice in succession. A clinch followed and then following a good exchange the ' gong went for an even round. Round 3. 1 This was a quiet one, a good opening by Cook being replied to with two blows to the face by Sailor, the men going into a clinch, the latter was cautioned for hitting when ordered to break. Cook led smartly to the chin, and repeated this as the round ended. Round 4.—Sailor drove his right home but Cook dashed in, the Sailor ducking cleverly, a clinch resulting. Cook had the best of some in-fighting and pushed the Sailor back to the ropes. O’Dea replied with a left hook and then Cook got home twice with a left swing to the face. A clinch followed and some in fighting was in progress when the bell went.

Round s.—Cook successfully led, and smart exchanges followed. Then Cook made a heavy swing that was ducked. O’Dea then missed with a vicious upper cut, Cook getting one to the face, and tried a right swing that the Sailor cleverly ducked from. A rush in by Cook took the Sailor to the ropes as the round ended.

Round 6.—A livelier round followed, Cook missing a heavy swing and then Sailor got a left to the body. A smart exchange followed and then O’Dea got his right heavily on Cook’s left eye, but failed to follow up the advantage. Several clinches followed and then after an exchange Cook rushed his opponent to the corner, to a clinch, and then a savage left by Cook missed. O’Dea had easily tho best of this round. Round 7. —A lively exchange followed the opening of tho round, Cook forcing tho paco a. left and right getting home. An exchange when together followed, Cook getting one to the face. Cook’s glovo becoming undone, a moment’s delay took place. Then both got homo in loft blows to the face, Sailor ducking another one, and a smart rally closed ■the round. Round B.—This was a poor «nind. boing marred by dmching, noth" men sparring for time. O’Dea got a nice right to tho neck and Cook re-

plied witha right swing that missed, and then got a heavy right to the body. Round 9.—Another poor round. Cook had the best of an early clinch, and an exchange. that followed, his lead generally getting home. A good mix did not give either much, advantage while constant clinching slowed down the round.

Round 10.—Cook used forcing tactics and his in fighting was clever. Cook had easily the best of the round. During a rally the Sailor slipped and came to the floor. Cook stood off till his opponent .had regained his feet, the audience marking approval with a round of applause, a recognition that was given to O’Dea ifor similar action in an earlier round. Rund 11.—Cook’s lead missed and a left to the face was stopped, the men going in to a clinch. A good exchange saw Cook get his right home on tho face and then the Sailor got a right swing to the face, and followed it with one t othe body. A good smother by Cook saved punishment, and then he got two lefts home in succession. - Round 12—The round opened with a fair exchange, slightly in Cook’s favour and then the men went into clinches on many occasions the round being slow and tame.

Round 13.—Cook attacked, but was stopped with a left, and then the Sailor had an opening but missed his right swing. Cook’s in fighting gained a decided advantgae, a left book getting home solidly. Round 14-.—Cook, whose condition was easily the best of the two bad the best of the round, leading with success on several occasions. A heavy right was ducked, the Sailor evading punishment successfully by this means, forced the attack but was stopped by a ‘ straight left. Cook continued to advantage his position. Round 15 and last.—The Sailor forced the opeiiing stages, hut Cook stopped him with a left. The men mixed it, the Sailor missing with a light swing. Then the referee gave Cook a warning for using his elbow. Cook went to the body witli a left. A smart set-to followed, even bitting resulting, the final blow being scored by Cook to the body as the gong sounded the finish. Decision.—The referee declared Cook tho winner, the announcement being followed by cheers. Both men were complimented on the excellent exhibition given, .» Between the two bouts Mr F. McGregor (Chairman of the Association), thanked the assemblage for their attend anee and extended a welcome to Mr F .O’Neill, just back from liis trip to Australia.’ expressing the pleasure felt at having him present that evening, and the hope of seeing him in the ring on some early occasion.