FIERCE FIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1920, Page 1

FIERCE FIGHT

BECKETT STILL CHAMPION. IiONDON, March 6. After what will bo remembered ns one of the fiercest fights seen in a 'London boxing ring for many, a day, .joe Beckett, England's boxing champion, last, night at the Albert Hall heat Dick smith, wlio lias the distinction of winning a belt for the light heavy-weight,championship of this country. Thus Beckett retains a championship which was at stake last night. .

During the whole progress of this light, which went as far as the fifth round, there was never any doubt about the intensions of the fighters. 'Hie exchanges were always fast and furious. Both men took a rare pummelling of the top rank order. It was lift'hard all the time, and, as it happened, Smith got the hardest. • A contest of fierce blows that hurt.

There was venom in the eyes of both men as they-framed up. It remained there to the end. Beckett at once sailed in with a perfect tattoo of blows, and oven as early 'as that some people by their cries anticipated Beckett’s victory. Smith, who had Goddard in his corner, soon changed this optimism with some very telling work dose in, and the round finished quite equally. The second round saw some off the best of Smith. He came right into in’s man from the hell and landed/.what ’poked like a. perfect left on the'/jaw. Beckett tottered iust for a second, but before anything more serious happened be rushed af Smith and the round ended in a perfect conflict of blows. The excitement hv this time was intense as the men clashed again, there was again no stint, no hesitancy about tjfeir efforts. It was top speed al] five time. Smith landed with his left, musing Beckett to waver again, but once more the perfectly fit Beckett retaliated in a way winch loft no doubt about his amazing stamina. Smith with liis loft w.as finding Beckett’s face with almost methodical precision/ but the champion failed to reveal an v worry at this, and lie wont sailing in beneath Smith’s guard to land the “double” on Smith’s body. Beckett never left Smith and the same can bo said of Smith. ' SMITH HALLS.

The first real indication of what was going to happen came early in the fourth round. Beckett, now right at tile top of liis form and thoroughly roused, got Smith against the ropes. Smith crouched and covered his face with his gloves just for a second or so. As he jumped to get away from this position ami uncovered, Beckett got homo a wicked right jab to the face and Smith fell. He was up again as “8” was ' called, hut it was more Beckett’s round than any other had been..

Just over a minute of fighting, still real hard-battling stuff, sufficed in the last round which finished the contest. To the amazement of the crowd Smith came on as if nothing had happened before and a wonderful right rocked Beckett’s head. The champion just shook himself, .so to speak and as he did so ho rushed Smith to the ropes. Then Beckett landed with a right on the cheek-bone which spun Smith round and lie went,down. He was not “out,” and followed the call of the referee, but he was still on one knee when the fatal “10” was given and Beckett declared the winner. • ■- So ended a fight in which neither man left each other for a second. All the way through heavy pujnishment was dealt out, and no doubt Beckett will agree that it was one of the hardest fights of his career. In the contest between Tibby Watson (Australia) and Benny McNeill (Bristol) the fighting was also of a very high order. In the 9th round Watson was hit with a hard right to the jaw, and McNeill, following this up with other blows to the face, put his man down for the finish.