BASHAM'S LONG FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1920, Page 4

BASHAM'S LONG FLIGHT

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION BEATIfiN

(By Berkeley.)

•’ LONDON, April 13. Johnny Basham, the welter weight olmnipion of Great Britain, won his 20rounds Empire contsot with Fred Kay, of Australia, at the National Sporting Club last night. Basham gained the decision somewhat easily on points, but it took him several rounds before he Understood. tlie style of his opponent, who stands right foot foremost, and is very quick on his feet as well as tall for his weight. Kay, who is welter and middle weight champion of his own country, is not a wonder, but is game and rcsdlute, and for a round or two looked like making a light of it. After that Basham’s speed and artifice quickly put the issue beyond

doubt, and when the last round was finished at three minutes past twelve there could be no possible shadow of doubt as to who had won.

Basham, when they were weighed in the afternoon, scaled lOst 71b to the other’s lOst 3Jlb. Kay was nearly a head the tailor, but he is very lathy. Basham found. Kay’s style so puzzling that after a minute’s boxing he too tried fighting right foot foremost.' He soon reverted to his old method, however,

and, making free with the right, he was within an ace of getting home on the jaw several times in the last minute of the first round.

Basham still found things very awkward in the second. The Australian was not only very quick on his feet hut lie was also very capable in keeping his head out of trouble.

KAY j CHASB'S BASHAM. At the opening of the third Kay got home some pretty shots with his right and chased Basham round the ring in a way that seemed to suggest that he had fathomed the Englishman’s defence. He was soon disillusioned, however. Basham set up a great attack in which he punished his man severely with both hands jindeed, he had him almost tottering as the bell went. Basham was now well in the lead and the odds increased from 7 to 4 to u to 2 on him. ,

There was nothing very cbnspicuous about the fourth and fifth. Whenever Kay made a lead he was generally countered smartly and forcibly. Where Basham was weak was in liis judgment of distance with the right, which he swung freely but to little good purpose. Kay showed more aggressiveness in the sixth and he scored nicely on the body several times."

Basham still allowed the other to make, the pace in the seventh; indeed, the Englishman boxed as if he were already convinced that bis opponent ’could not hurt him. Of course Basham’s left was not so effective as it usually is against a man with an orthodox stance, but, nevertheless, he brought it across the other’s shoulder very prettily and effectively during the eighth. By this time the contest liad become somewhat tame, Basham having evidently made up his mind to box himself‘into a thorough acquaintance with the other’s method. BASHAM’S CLEVER. FINISH. Kay continued to display fine lootwork. Occasionally he took a chance and got home a prod or two with either hand, but Basham was always scoring at least three hits to his one. The ninth and the tenth saw no change. Both men were quite fresh and their speed had not greatly diminished, but neither had much of a punch. It was now Basham’s contest, bar accidents, and although neither man had lost his form, there was a sameness about the proceedings which so bored some of the spectators that they took their departure. Basham had now sqlved all tlie.problems the other had set him, and he scored almost at will. Kay was game and willing, but his skill was not remarkable. His cliief assets were his right-foot stance and his quickness of feet.