BOXING CONTEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume VII, Issue 262, 26 April 1889, Page 2

BOXING CONTEST.

♦ The boxing contest between W Smith (of Sydney) and Harry Laing (of Wanganui), for the championship of New Zealand, £50 a-side, and champion belt, took place on< Wednesday before a large nomber of spectators on the racecourse. Both men entered the ring looking very fit, Smith being attended by Ooates, and Laing by Watson and Nioholson On stripping, Smith proved of more powerful build than was expected. Laing was, of course, favourite with local bickers. The first round showed some nice fighting, both men going carefully. In the second round Smith showed j good mettle, and fought pluckily, though he bad a cut under the left eye. In the third rou .dthe punish, rnent was very severe and both me a ( wm! eurtfolly to work, It wu uoa

apparent that Smith was in gootf condition, and that he could take punishment well. In the fourth round, while both men seemed done up, it was evident that Laing was waiting a chance to get his wind. The fifth round really left m tiers much as the/ were,- both men fight ing well and nialring' a g od contest of it. In the sixth found" ike men seemed as fresh as ever, thottgh both hit wildly at times. Smith's favourite blows were on the ribs, and these he p anted in gr-at nnmber, but without much effect, so far as could be seen. In the seventh round the men both seemed in a bad way, but Laing got in some good neck blows, whi.e Smith stuck to the body in the main. In the eighth round there was not a few who considered the light weight had a very good show of winning, as Lying's blows were not taking effect. The ninth round was not more terrific than it's predecessor?, but, though good blows were exchanged, there was no sign of either being beaten. The tenth round was much the same in character, Smith working very pluokily, and really forcing the fighting, while Laing did not seem to be

done up, though hi blows were not very strong. The eleventh round called for no other remark than that the combatants were both able to fight strongly, and Smith showed plenty of pluck. The twelvth round was not remarkable for more than hard hitting on both sides. Smith coming up to time well and strong, In the thirteenth Ironnd !ie was apparently as well able to bit out as at first. This, however, was destined to be tbe last round, as Sergeant Manning stepped into the ring and arrested both men for liehaving in a public place in a manner calculated to provoke a breaoh of tbe peace, The crowd jeered the police and cheered Smith for his plucky fighting. It is Impossible to say in whose favour the match would have ended, as neither of the men were done up, though possibly Laing, from ,his fresh condition, had the best of it. Tbe fight lasted 49 minutes. The combatants were taken to tbe police station and charged with a breach of the Police Offences Act, and will be brought up before tbe magistrate tv-morrow and bound over to keep the peace. Inspector Pardy informs the Chronical Jthat he stopped the fight because it became a brutal affair, and each man was trying to inflict as much bodily hare as possible on bis adver sary. Smith is covered with scars on the neck, and has one eye closed, Tiie police will apply tomorrow to have both men bound over to keep the peace, as. the conditions of the fight aro tbat, in the event of the police interfering, the nia'ch aball be fought to a finish within 48 hours. Inspector Pardy states tbat he considers the context to nave bt en a prise-fight pure and simple.— Press As* sociation.