A LUCKY WIN.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1923, Page 4

A LUCKY WIN.

McTKU'E-SIK! FI OH i. DURIAN, March ID .Mike .McTigue, the new light-heavy boxing champion ol the world, must he considered a somewhat fortunate man. He gained tile decision ovet Rattling Siki here to-night, but I am nut altogether sure in my mind that he de-eived it. Hi- tactics, in view of his experience and his lengthy record, were poor. The cuilv round ill which he loreed the pace wa- the last. This, indeed, wahie only fighting round, for in the other nineteen lie wa- on the deien sive. It is true he scored Irequenlß uith his left, hut the-e punches were only light Dicks which irritated more than hurt*. 1 have never seen a man ol reputation retreat with greater consistency. It was obvious in the early rounds that AlcTigilo had made up himind to puvde Siki. lie undoubtedly succeeded, lor when he wa- not turned half-loft to hi- opponent lie was shoving him hi- lack. Siki wa- completely !,aDic'd, hut it ha- to he recorded that he jiiini-lted the Irishman heavily. In the eleventh round Sik : iii Dieted a na-ty cine-inch cm over Ab--Tigue’s left eye, and although tie bleeding wa- -lopped, McTigue was bad I \ bothered by the injury to the end. Me’i'lG UK’S ERROR. Hi- Style was entirely new even to old observers. Rent well over to his light. he el-o adopted a cunoiiercitteli. lie boxed with -kill and generalship. but hi- Dghling, which wa--unpo-cd to ho bis strong point, was rarely in evidence. Indeed lie did not u-e Id- light hand more than a dozen i i UK -. ilis greatest error was in not going for the eoloun d man'- -tomaeh. I niti-l have been palpable to him that Siki did not kite body blows, lor Siki Dinched every time he was hit in the mid-seeliou, hut .McTigue did not lake advantage ol this obvious eirc-iiim-tunce. To me he wa- rather di-appoinliiig. He always threatened to do big tiling-, hut he never fulfilled I lie promise, lie IT.tight a ruiniiug-aw ay light for ID round-, hut if he had changed his indlDViviit tactics after tiie tenth round it i- possible that he would have knocK-

i-il Siki out. AleTigm- was much 100 cai ei'iil, mimh ton rest i .-lined, ami b -

did n.A even attempt in exchange punches with his opponent. A- ii nappened. the scheme paid, hut against a i leverer man than Siki he would hive been well beaten. It is very doumi'iil whether AleTigm- would beat Roland Todd (Todd is ready to meet him);. Liu it is of course possible that hi. wmil'l a-l ior different tactics again t a white man. There- was really nothing aggressive about AlcTigue. and his inti< li-tallu-d-nf right-hand punch was not on view even In-fore his hand was <l. imaged.

The fight as a spectacle was a big disappointment. It had no thrills, there were no knock-downs, and there were moments when it actually borc-d. But if AlcTigue was less clever than was anticipated fsikl was even poorer. 11 is knowledge of boxing science ill I not do credit to an untrained .schoolboy. lie was merely an unr-uUivnie.-l lighter. lli> wild swings have a luibi! of connecting, lull any man fleet of fool and with a knowledge of guarding himself should heat him with ease. His sole asset is a wonderful method of covering up when he is attacked, lie is certainly difficult to hit, hut apart from that he does not nearly deserve the renown he has gained.

lie did not have the luck to catch AlcTigue as he did C'arpentier; but for all that, I am not certain that he deserved to he beaten. The fight was well handled by Jack Smith, the referee, hut his decision, although extremely popular, was the subject of much debate. Siki was the aggressor throughout. He landed some tremendous blows, but lie was neither as nimble on his feet nor as clever a boxer as McTigue. Siki was often irritated, blit there was never a time when lie even looked like treating his opponent in the same savage way as he treated C'arpentier. He weighed a stone heavier than AlcTigue, but his lack of boxing mentality wa.s proved In- his complete failure to fatnom AlcTigue’s style. For finite fifteen rounds he fought as angry men do in a street "scrap”—• without method and without brains. AVhon C'arpentier meets him again ho should win in less than ten rounds, for Si ki cannot help leaving himself open. That was MeTiguo’s chief mistake. that he did not take advantage of his main- opportunities. BOMBS. If the fight was disappointing, the scenes were such as f have never encountered in my experience. Getting into the hall was a task in itself, but the first announcement made was that no one would he permitted to leave the building until 11.30. The noise of bombs going off was distinctly heard as the contests wore in progress, and it was probably the fear of injury that was responsible for tlie hall being only half full. The arrangements, however,

were perfect, and the scene of enthusiasm. when AlcTigtte was declared the victor were more extraordinary than any I ever witnessed. One of his seconds fainted and his father dashed into the ring, kissed him, and then hoisted him on to his shoulders, while the building rocked with noise. Siki took the defeat very well, but in much the same numbled way as in his conquest of C'arpentier. CARPEN TIER’S VIEW.

Carpcntior was present and'was not impressed with Siki’s showing, although I understand he thought Siki Intel won. Reckett was also introduced to the audience.

One of the biggest receptions of the night was given to ATr Tom Wooster (The Daily -Mail sports cartoonist), who was compelled to take the rei.g by repeated calls. While it is practically certain that Mc-Tigtie's next opponent will he Todd, it i- also hi- intention to challenge lleekett and C’arpentier. He wdl have to light better than lie did i n this occasion and show mot; devil tc defeat either.