Boxing.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 273, 23 September 1905, Page 11

Boxing.

One's eye searched m vain for a lady a hat m the crammed Opeia House on Wednesday night, when Australian fighter Hock Keys donned' the eightounoe gloves to meet Tracey, a local boxer, who knows the use of Natuies weapons pretty well. It was a niteewround "go," and when the men came into the rmg it was seen that Keys is a good-I'ooking man, with a narrow but dteep chest, light in the leg*, brown in the skin, and with flesh as smooth as satin, and a look of absolute fitness all over him. He wears an elastic bandage over one knee, but that leg gave Mm no trouble. • • • The smiling Tracy loves the game and he seemed to be tuaaned to the last ounce. He shows extraordinary development of the abdominal muscles— & great protection iv body and the more punching he gets the better .does he seem to like it. Tracy throughout fought all over. He put weight into Ms work, and probably used, hamself with less regard for the length oi the fight than his clever opponent. JNot until the third round did the real serious business commence, and throughout the contest, up to the eleventh round, the punishment was not severe. • • * Keys is ia thoughtful boxer, and spars in an open, easy, graceful manner. He saved Mmself for the final rounds, and he demonstrated aM the time his great knowledge of "points." Key* staimds steadily, and met the harder-working "Tim" like a stonewall. It was anybody's fight as far as "knock-out probabilities went until the thirteenth round, when both retired to their corners at the sound of the gong WJitb lots of "go" m them. • • * When time was called for the last round, both answered eagerly, but it was easily seen that Tracy, who had shown a splendid spirit throughout, was slightly distressed. Keys, on the other hand, perked up, and, wath a perfect little crop of left-handers, altenoatiaig with the right-arm slash he so well knows the "use of. hei left the result m no doubt whatever. When the fight was finishing, Keys was lit to fight another fifteen rounds, and Tracy, with a bit of a rest, could have "taken om" another senous affair. The fight was conducted in the very best temper, although the umpire warned Keys once about hatting below the belt — the result, m our opinion, of a pure accident. It was a magnificently contested match, and one hardly knew which most to <idmajie. It was a fine exhibition of scientific boxing, and no one grudged the award of the battle to Keys. Both men enhanced their reputations as fair, clean, sports, and the seetMng audience cheered 1 to the echo. • • * A very interesting amateur "go" was that between the 9st 81b Watkins and the 9st 71b Bodley. Watkins loves fightiaig, but he was not nn condition, fights low, and his height is thrown away. Also his long "reach." Bodlej is a very showy fighter, and a beautifully symmetrical man. More, active on his feet, and quicker all over, he made no race of it with his cheerful rival. This was' a quick, merry "go." •r * ■* The Gosling-Thomas "go" was spectacularly one of the most interesting, for Thomas lashed vigorously, and it was anybody's contest up to the third and last round. Gosling has a clean, easy way of sparring, watches the feet the whole time, and used 1 a dangerous"chop" that in the end brought Mm victory. Thomas went down heavily and quite unexpectedly at the third round, and. stayed down. It was a fine exhibition on the part of both boys. • • • The B. Tracy v. H. Beynolds affair was an easy victory for dark-haired Tracy ; he showed alertness and intelligence throughout. The light-haaired youngster is no match for Ms opponent. The crowd at the' Opera House was " the most orderly possible, the umpire gave satisfaction, and the conduct of the whole affair was creditable to all concerned.