THRILLING FIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1930, Page 6

THRILLING FIGHT

MORGAN OUTPOINTS FAIRHALL. REFEREE DECIDES. TRIUMPH FOR YOUTH. WELLINGTON, December 10. Virtually out on bis feet in the third and fifth rounds, Ted Morgan, of Wellington, gained the verdict, on the casting vote of the referee, at the Town Hall last evening, over Tommy Fairhall. professional welterweight champion of Australia. It Avas.a gruelling, slogging match, in which the ex-Olympic champion slammed his way to victory in the last three rounds, the Australian being in a bad way in the last two rounds. It was a triumph for youth.

Fairhall, who was the first to appear, received a warm welcome from the crowded house, and there were hearty cheers for Morgan when' he arrived, attended by Sammy Chapman and Llew Edwards. Jack Donnelly was in the Australian champion’s corner. The weights were announced as Fairhall, 9st 1241 b., and Morgan, lOst 3)lb. The Australian opened -Kip with the greatest confidence, walking straight in, and planting left and right to the head. Fairhall was confidence personified, and before the first round had closed rushed Morgan on to the ropes to score with both hands to the head. Tn the second round Fairhall made play to the body with the left, but Morgan rushed the Australian to the ropes, and scored well with the left. Just before the gong went. Fairhall landed a beautiful right which rocked Morgan. Morgan Down for Eight. In tile third round Fairhall landed three rights to the head in rapid succession and followed up with a left hook to the head. Then a beautifullytimed right caught Morgan on the side of the head and he went down for eight. On rising, the Australian went in to finish bis man, but Morgan managed to keep clinching. Fairhall rushed, and when Morgan ducked the Australian went hurtling over his recumbent form heavilv on to the mat.

Morgan made a good recovery, and sparkled up for the first time in the fourth round. He met the Australian’s attack with solid left hooks and scored twice well with these blows.

Morgan rushed the Australian to a neutral corner and plied both hands to head and body, Fairhall having to dodge nimbly to escape. Dodging out to mid-ring, Fairhall toward the close of the round hurled a succession of left and right, swings to Morgan’s head and body, and only the gong saved the local lad. Morgan Regains Confidence. N 1 ' y Morgan did well in close opening the sixth round, and scored well with the left when the pair stood off. Fairhall, however, dashed in, and landed heavily to the body. Morgan was now doing well, and some heavy work was seen in mid-ring, in which honours were fairly even. Fairhall’s right eye was showing signs of the attention it had received from Morgan’s left when they came out r or the seventh. Twice Fairhall went hurtling over Morgan’s , body, as the local man ducked, and a little later [Morgan rushed the Australian through the ropes. Morgan had now found his feet, and was hopping about on his toes, chockful of confidence.

Morgan landed two solid lefts early in the eighth round, but Fairhall replied with left and right. The Australian was the faster of the pair, both with hands and feet, but Morgan appeared to be lasting well, and improving as the battle progressed. Fairhall opened the ninth with an intensive bombardment, which so roused Morgan that he rushed the Australian through the ropes. A solid right to the nose caused [Morgan to fly red signals of distress.

Tn the tenth Fairhall heat his man to the punch, scoring left and right, and followed this up with a good long-range right to the bread. Fairhall swung a vicious right and almost spun off his feet when it missed. He repeated this performance a moment later, Morgan ducking well. Just before the gong went Fairhall rushed and belted his man across the ring with’ fusillade of right and left swings. There was a good deal of clinching in the eleventh before Morgan scored with a snappv left uppercut as Fairhall came in. Hie Australian then started to move fast, but once again the New Zealander rushed him through the ropes.

Some Somersaults. Opening the twelfth Fairhall showed surprising speed and twice darted in to slam the right to the head. Once against Fairhall somersaulted over Morgan as the latter ducked. Morgan scored a beautiful left as Fairhall crouched in attempting to dodge a rush. The “Devil’s Round” was fought to a roar of cheering, as the pair at last started fighting in real earnest. They hurled blows from every conceivable angle, and no sooner had the right come across than it was followed by the left. A fierce round saw honours about even. lii the fourteenth the Australian attempted to end thq argument by the short route, but /Morgan was boxing eooly and well and met his man halfway. A snappy right to the face went down to Morgan’s account, and he scored again with the same weapon a moment later. The round ended to thunders of applause.

There was great excitement as they came out for the last round. It was

realised that if Morgan could only hold his own, he had a chance of firmly plant-*,' ing his feet on the boxing ladder. Both ,meu went to business in earnest, but

| the speed at which the battle had been I fought had exacted its toll of stamina, and there was a good deal of clinching. The referee was kept busy separating the pair, and did his job summarily. Amid a roar of cheering from the supporters of both sides, the battle went on to a torrid close, from which the Australian champion could scarcely totter to his corner. Judges Disagree. There was a hush as the judges’ verdicts were collected. Tt was apparent that opinion was divided, and the referee had to give his casting vote, which went to Morgan. t Mr B. A. Guise was the third man in the ring, and filled the position with credit, though he was rather disinclined to permit in-fighting. Messrs G. P. Aldridge and E. Perry occupied the judges’ seats. j