BOXING.

NZ Truth, Issue 117, 14 September 1907, Page 3

BOXING.

■ - ■» Australasian Championships.

The Australasian amateur boxing contests were commenced at the Opera House on Tuesday, and were concluded on the following Wednesday evening. On Tuesday night, quite contrary to. expectations, th© house was not a packed one, though everyone present viewed the various he^ats with the eyes of enthusiasts. On this occasion, the fights were fought m a 20ft. rinc, a decided improvement on the smallsized arena to which Wellington had been accustomed. An innovation, new to the colony, was the appointment of two judges, whose aye or nay was to decide the contests, the referee's vote being requisitioned where the judges disagreed. Dr. Napier McLean was referee, and the two judges were Messrs F. W. B. Greville and H. M. Rosenberg. The contests on Tuesday evening cannot by any means be voted anything out of the common. For amateurs, various of the contestants displayed an utter lack of science, and fouled freely. Of the seven contests decided,, three were all over m less than a round, fouls while m clinch being the cause. Of the visiting pugs, it can be said that they showed no wonderful amount of versatility, though the exhibition given by E. Lusher, who triumphed basket. Ben Tracy against him stamp him the -pick of the basket. Ben Tracy against him. 1 looked small potatoes, and the local lad was thoroughly outclassed, i though m the second round he looked a winner. Of the visitors, it must also be remarked that the New South Welshmen gave better showing than' did the Queenslanders, the wearers of the maroon gave no great promise, excepting Cantwell, i who, m his bout with Parker, was disqualified for fouling. The various events were :— HEAVY-WEIGHTS, C. Hill (N.S.W.) list 9ifl*, met'J. Lloyd (Christchurch) I2st. From the sounding of Ihe gong it looked as if a stiff battle was to be put up. The Canterbury man has a powerful left hand and used it effectively. Neither showed cleverness m footwork, and Hill evinced a desire to get m and mix it. Several scrambles ensued, and as matters were warming up, Lloyd held on rather to 0 long and was disqualified. BANTAM-WEIGHTS. The referee's decision m the previous bout, though perfectly correct, did not meet with universal approval from the audience, who soon found cause for more uproarious conduct, and to express the desire to "chuck His referee out" ovSr the decision m the D. Cantwell (Queensland), Bst l-ilbs. and J. Parker (Canterbury), Bst lib contest. A more evenlv-ma-tohed /pair it was impossible to

secure- The Ba.nana.lander -has a verr long reach and wanted to serve it out hot and strong. His right is a good one and he looked a winner. However, he fou-lei^ a*d Parker got the verdict. E. Lusher (N.S.W.), Sst *ft, and Ben Tracy (Wellington), Bsfc 3lfc, were the next pair m this division.. Lusher, a fair-haired, evenly-built youth, looked a 'dwarf m comparison with Tracy. He evidently was th? star of the N.S.W. firmament, and with him, no doubt, 'went all the hopes of the -visitors. In New Zealand Ben had hitherto not known defeat. Weakened considerably, through the effort to pull the -weight, it was 'nevertheless expected that Tracy would give an excellent account of liimself. He did, tout Lusher gave him no peace. Like lighteingi on his pins., Lusher rapidly piled up points, his left jabs on the face, varied by, an occasional right, putting J Ben all at sea- In the second round the Wellington lad livened up considerably, and a -quick vimful right on the jaw almost sent Lusher out. The blue loy, however, pulled himself together wonderfully, and from jthat out Ben had no chance. It was easy to anticipate the verdict, and Lusher was announced to the audience and received with the applause the victory so well won. Indeed', seeing that Lusher had stolen into the enemy's camp to wrest victory from the Wellington hero, makes the earnestness of the applause m every way gratifying. Lusher won without a> doubt. His exhibition was clean and scientific, and his showing on Tuesday night should have earned for him the special medal for the 'best and cleanest scientific display. FEATHER-WEIGHTS, A' sterling battle was that put up by Fitzjohn (N.S.W.), Bst 3ilbs,, and W. Elliott (T-imaru), Sst 10-ifts. Theboy from across the water has a pretty style, which went to the hearts of all around the ring. Elliott is a plu'gger. if anything,, and though slow to begin, he made the pace all m the last couple of rounds. Consequently his victory was well assured. It was a pretty and spirited Contest, and though. "Fitz," a name that appealed to all, was beaten, nothing is more certain than that more shall yet be heard of him. V. Rowghsedge (Queensland), Bst llj-lbs, next tried conclusions with A. Tresize (Ashburton), Bst 13ft s. It was a most uninteresting ibout, though Tresize did his best to make it willing. In the fourth round science was scattered to the winds, a-nd by shesr roughing, the Bananalander w>as fought silly, whereupon the referee intervened and gave the palm to the lad from prohibited territory. MIDDLE-WEIGHTS.' A". 'J. Scan-lon (Queensland), 10st 12£lbs, met L. J. McD&rmott (I - nvercargill), list 3fts, m this class. It was a scries of rushes. Biff and bang went the pair, who were soon m a heap: m the middle of the ring. A foul was inevitable. McDermott fouled first., andi then there were about 500 of them; but as the Invercargdll lad fouled first, he had to suffer, and he lost on that account. Had tho pair been left unhampered by ring rules, it's hard to say what would not have happened. Neither 1- now anything of the game, and their display was amusing if nothing else. C. Hill (N.S.W.) having failed to draw the weight, he had to forfeit to L. Fletcher (Wellington.) On Wednesday evening the championship contests were continued and concluded m the Opera House, another large audience putting m an appearance. As the first item down was the final for the Bantam-weight championship between Lusher, New South Wales, and Parker, of Christchuroh, something extra special was looked forward to. Lusher had had to win his heat from Ben Tracy on the previous evening., and as Parker had g|ot the verdict m his heat from Oantwell on a foul, it was looked to the latter to give a good account oi (himself. Parker has a somewhat free style, but lacked confidence. It was a hard fought four round battle, and the Christchurch lad gave the boy from N.S.Wi a harder task than did Tracy. Nevertheless Parker was completely outpointed. Against Lusher's left he could do nothing ; though his right occasionally connected with the "blue's" dial. It was Lusher't fight easily, and the judges were unanimous m their decision. Lusher got a splendid ovation which certainly negativied the assertion that it was j ! an "All Black" house. i | . WELTER WEIGHTS, *J.. Lane (N.S.W.), lOst sAlb, next tried conclusion with A.. L. Nash (Christchurch);, lOst 51b. This battle, though it only went one round and a half, exceeded' even the most sanguinary anticipations of the gorelover. 'It was a fight. Lane did not evince any great desire to deal lightly with his opponent, as he jumped right to the centre and planted a hard right swing to Nash's face. Nash hardly expected the ontlaught, and his defence was feeble, as Lane rained m blow after blow. Nash was groggy, Lane was fierce, and the crowd was m the seventh heaven, of delight. Enthusiasm was at its highest pitch when Lane, still pursuing -boring, tactics, punched the Christchurohian, right on the chin, sending him to the floor, where he took a seven seconds spell. Up again, Nash, who recovered wonderfully was soon m on top of Lane, and a ding-dong go resulted. It was hot and the audience gave vent to its feelings m no (half-hearted manner. It was a case of a punch getting home and ending it. Both tried all they knew, and coiners sounded m the middle of a hot rally. The second round was a bobiby-dazzler. Matters ware not minced, as the pair waltzed m and served it up hot and steaming, and as a result of the sledffe-hammer blows exchanged, each carrying a knoclc-out with them* Lane went down for a spell but was up. at seven, only to he rushed by Nash who swung a right to Lane's jaw. sending him. to sleep. It was the battle of the evening, and it was no wonder, indeed, that the crowd stood up on its back legs and roared itself hoarse. LIGHT-WEIGHTS. D. Wfiite (N.S.W.), flat 13 Jib, and R. Mayze (Christchurch) stripped for this championship. Mayze had the advantage of height and reach. White is a short, stumpy individual with the energy of a steam engine, and has a powerful right upper-cut, which, m the circumstances, availed

him little. Mayze simply jabbed -Mm. with his left and gradually wore the N.S.Welshman down. At the sound of the gong at .the end of each round) White wanted to go on with it, and for this he was cordially hooted. When it was explained that he was deaf the crowd turned very sympathetic and cheered him vociferously. THE FEATHER-WEIGHT FINAL. W. Elliott (Timaru), Bst lOi-lfo, and A. Tresize OAshburton), Bst 13ilb, both New Z-ealanders, fought for the championship honors m the featherwe ght division. These two lads gavtf a clever and clean and game exhibition. Elliott, Who fights much after the style of Godfrey, of Auckland, and m the fourth round particularly he never gave Tresize a look m. Elliott was accordingly declared the -winner. Moreover, the judges decided that he had earned Mr Fletcher's special medal for the best ability m the ring. Of tikis there can be no douM, though, all the same, Lusher, of N.S.W., ought to have had a great chance m securing that coveted prize. MIDDLE-WEIGHTS . •Ay r J. Scanlon (Queensland.), 10st 12flb, and L. Fletcher (Wellington), lOst 9£lb, were the conitestaoiits m the final of ' the championship of this class. It proved interesting as far as it want. Fletcher knew nothing of the game, and if Scanlon does he was not given the opportunity of proving it. Twice Fletcher was sent to the floor and he then decided that he had had enough, and shaking hands with his red-haired opponent, strolled to his corner, Scanlon, of course, being declared winner.j