SATISFIED THE CROWD

NZ Truth, Issue 1212, 21 February 1929, Page 12

SATISFIED THE CROWD

Glasson's Success Was Received With Enthusiasm

When Charlie Glasson was signalled a better man than Johnnie Leckie at Wanganui the crowd whooped with joy. It (was a most pro-Glasson house and the verdict was tremendously popular.

VERY few were found who were game enough to quibble over the ! decision, but "N.Z. Truth" would ihave been quite prepared to have allowed a draw. The division of rounds was even, but whereas Leckie won his m the early stages, Glasson was on top over the concluding part. Those late finishing runs are apt at times to obliterate . the memory of earlier reverses, and that is the way it looked to "Truth" last week. Prior to the fight it was thought by everybody that Leckie was the best of good things. ' Glasson, m his short preparation m Wanganui, was not displaying any form, and m addition he was reported to be terribly homesick. Perhaps Charlie was homesick, but if he did not show form m the gym. it was either a case of a remarkable improvement on the night, or he was] imitating the fox, __^

and laying low. From what could be gathered after all was over, it was the ingenuity 'of Glasson that tripped the mob. At nine stone, Glasson was a pound lighter than Leckie. The visitor looked anything but the part, his sallowness suggesting that he was not altogether happy. If he did feel that way, it was not long before he was finding his balance. Leckie, by adopting killing tactics, showed his hand very early, and Glasson did not take long to wake up to what was m the air.

A right-hander to the chin was the punch he had to avoid, and he found that a roll of the head allowed the glove to shoot past over his shoulder.

Gaining confidence, though he was ■ losing the points, Glasson commenced to open out. Those -who figured him out as slow must have' got a shock when he let loose his left hook. She fairly hummed. Half-way through Leckie appeared to •be slowly but surely wearing his man down, but he was just as surely slowing himself down with missed punches

as he was slowing Glasson with blows that landed. By the tenth it was easy to see that it was Leckie who was tiring the quicker, and now his direction finding apparatus was altogether out of gear. His attack had never altered, while on the other hand, Glasson, finding he could make that right hand miss, started to poke out a straight left that landed plenty too often for Johnnie. In close. Glasson was also doing better, though at times he was inclined to slap. Then the final three found Glasson firing better than the Southern Cross, and, with straight lefts, left hooks and one beautiful right cross to the jaw, he had Leckie swinging. The crowd rode Glasson and Glasson responded to the music. He staged a grandstand finish and got the decision. It was a grand entertainment for the crowd. Leckie forced it the first third, the second third was fought evenly, and then, to 'top it off, Glasson took up the

leader's role m the final. The referee had little to do, but he could quite well have made Glasson take his pace back at the break. Also a clean breakaway on a mutual break would have been better than the third man's order to fight when both hands were free. Leckie suffered time and again on the mutual break. He dropped his | hands to step back, as is the custom m New Zealand, only to find a left hook hung on his jaw. Then at times, when offending when ordered to' break, Glasson would extend his gloves m apology. This was rubbing it in — "Sorry, old chap, but that must have shaken you." A return, fop a maximum purse, was offered to Giasson by the Manawatu Association, but he would have none of it. He straight away caught the boat home. j He showed good judgment, for he arrives back m Sydney the conqueror of Leckie. That will put him into the money.

Grandstand Finish