BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3824, 28 July 1928, Page 2

BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

CHALLENGER HOPELESSLY BEATEN.

FIGHT STOPPED BY REFEREE,

Tom Heeney, the challenger for the world’s boxing championship, was badly beaten at New York yesterday by the holder of the title, Gene Tnnney, the referee stopping the fight in the eleventh round. The Now Zealander fought pluckily throughout, but was badly knocked about, and would undoubtedly have been knocked out if the bout had not been stopped when it was. The fight is described as the greatest of Tunnev's career.

A description of the fight was broadcasted yesterday afternoon.

The contest took place at the Yankee Stadium, New York, before an attendance of 40,000 people. Heeney was the first to enter the ring, wearing a Maori mat, the strangest garment ever worn in the ring by a prize-fighter. Tunliey walked through the crowd with head bowed, but speaking to those he recognised. He entered the ring wearing a blue robe trimmed with red, with a marine insignia on the back. Tunney had a four-inch advantage over Heeney in reach. Their heights are: Heeney, sft. lOJin; Tunney, Oft. 0-iin.

ROUND BY ROUND,

Following is a description from the end of the first round as received by the Wellington station by Morse code and re-broadcasted.

First round. —This was a good round.

Second round. —A good fight, full of interest. Tunney is slowing. Heeney lands a blow which slows him up. At this stage it was announced that the fight was a very good one and better than the stand had expected. Third round. —Tunney nearly dropped from a hard right to the face. Tunney now landed a hard right to the head. Heeney, with a left to the body, shakes the champion up.

Fourth round. —Heeney drops a hard right to the face, which staggers Tunney somewhat. Tunney now lands a hard left. Heeney is not so good on the in-fighting. Heeney is the aggressor, and, with a hard right lands Tunney against the ropes. Heeney is going- very strong at the close of the round.

Fifth round. —Tunney lands three hard lefts to Heeney’s face, and the latter shoots a' hard right opposite the heart, which shakes Tunney up. The. latter narrowly misses two lefthanders. Heeney is down, but is up again quickly and lands a hard left to Tunney’s shoulders at the end of the round. Sixth round. —The contestants exchange hard rights and lefts which do not always find their mark. Heeney is putting up a great fight. They exchange hard rights and lefts and are missing badly. Heeney is after his opponent. Heeney is a hard man. Tunney lands a right to the heart. So far the fight is Tunney’s on points. Round seven. —They sparred for an opening-. Tunney landed a right to the body and then two lefts to the head. The champion dug his right glove deep into Heeney’s body. Heeney landed a sharp left to the head. Tlnney jarred Tom with a left to the face. Tunney had the better of an exchange at close quarters. Heeney landed a left to the body. They clinched. Tunney put a right to the body and then, in a furious exchange, Heeney landed two blows to Tunney’s one, forcing the latter to retreat. Tunney put a left to the face. The crowd cheered as Heeney landed a hard left to the face. They were sparring- at the bell. Heeney’s round.

Round eight.—Tunney met Heeney with a right to the body, as the challenger bored in. Heeney was blinking with his left eye and backing from the champion. Heeney wiped his eye with his glove, but was hnable to clear it. He was unable to see out of the eye. This was the first time Heeney backed away, which was obviously owing to restricted vision. Tunney jarred Tom with a two-fisted attack to the face. The champion then landed a left jab to the face. Heeney, despite his damaged eye, stood toe to toe, exchanging punches. Tunney drove both fists to the head and had Heeney groggy at the bell. Tunney’s round. Round nine.—Tunney landed two fists to the body and then a onetwo punch to the head, followed by a straight left to the face. Heeney still bled from the nose. Tunney sent Heeney back on his heels with both hands to the body. They exchanged punches to the head at long range. Tunney opened a deep gash over Heeney’s left eye, and blood poured down Tom’s face. Heeney’s face was covered with blood, but he refused to stop boring in. Tunney jarred the challenger with a left and right to the head. Heeney sent over a terrific right as they came out of a clinch. Tunney then scored with a straight left. The champion then sent both fists to the body. Tunney’s round. Round ten. —Tunney put a right to the body. They clinched. Tunney scored with two rights to the head and three rights to the face. Heeney’s face was now a gory mess and his left eye almost closed. Tom put a hard left to the body. The challenger was spitting blood, but never took backward steps. Tunney landed three left jabs to the body and Heeney landed a left to the chin and a right to the jaw. Heeney rested his head on the champion’s shoulder, and landed lightly to the body. Tunney drove

a hard right to the stomach, and then a series of hard lefts and rights to the head. Heeney was now taking a had battering, but refused to give in. Tunney floored Heeney with a right to the jaw at the hell. The ehallengev’s seconds picked him up and half carried him to the corner. The seconds worked over him to bring him to. Tunney’s round. Round eleven.—Heeney came out groggy. Tunney staggered him with left and rights to the head. Heeney was in a bad way, and almost ready rfo topple over. Tunney fought cautiously, driving both fists to the head and with a left almost floored Heeney. With a left to the jaw he knocked Tom’s mouth-piece out. Tunney put everything he had behind his punches. Heeney, fighting blindly, landed a hard right to the jaw. Tunney staggered Heeney with lefts and right to the head, and then, with Heeney absolutely groggy, the referee stopped the bout and Tunney retained the title.