HOROWHENUA BOXING ASSOCIATION.

Shannon News, 28 May 1926, Page 3

HOROWHENUA BOXING ASSOCIATION.

SUCCESSFUL OPENING TOURNEY. The newly-constituted Horowbmuu Boxing As&qciation staged Jits first programme Wednesday before an attdlience which, taking into consideraItion the execrahle weather, was very (good indeed. The dress circle of the Da Luxe Theatre contained quite a large number of ladies, who, as in other towns, take a very keen interest in the art of self-defence.

) The association, as Mr W. S. Park, {the President, said, just prior to the i first bout, has been formed for the purpose of encouraging scientific boxing according to the rules of the N.Z. Botxing Association, and it was a well-known fact that the better able a man .was to look alter himself, the less likely was he to adopt the role of bully. Boxing would help the youth of this district to learn to face adversity with a smile, and meet success with modesty. Ma* Park concluded by expressing pleasure in seeing that so many ladies had braved the elements, and ho hoped they would continue to grace any future tourna-' meats organised by the association. The Mayor ' (Mr T. Hobson) welcomed all the visitors, who had come from various towns in order to make the opening night a success. He congratulated ithe Association, upon its first venture, and wished it all possible success. ' Mr G. Aldridge, secretary of the N.Z. Boxing Association, said it Was a pleasure in' being permitted to part in the proceedings which were" to prove a solid foundation of the Horowhenua Boxing Association. It .was, he said, quite evident that, the district was a large one to cater for, and boxing would .enable the younger generation to become able citizens of their country. There was no better sport to foster-than that teaching the art of self-defence. He was very pleased to find that the local association had started off its career.with amateur boxing, as it was the very purpose of the ®.Z. Boxing Association to encourage amateur boxing m this country. No doubt but that in the near, future they would put on some, professional 'contests, for the purpose of educating the amateurs and helping them, to improve themj selves. He was especially pleased to see so many ladies, and he hoped I they would'iroll-up in large number? [at future ' programmes, there being J nothing to which they could take exception.

THE CONTESTS, Tapp (Bst 8|lb) v. HOskins (Bst 111 b). (Bantamweights)^ The. first encounter, was that between Tapp, a very promising local lad, and Hoskins, a Wahganui fighter with fair ability, but obsessed with a passion for holding his opponent. In the fisst round the Wan@an.ui boy used upper-cuts to very good advantage, whilst the second flutter'' showed Tapp to be the makings of a good, in-flghter, although he "is inclined to be a -trifle wild with his punches. The third round was one long succession of clinches and erratic, hitting, but in the final tussle Hoskins Used his left, and it is a good one, with excellent effect, resulting in his -being declared the winner.

Dejoux (Bst 13lb) v. R. Forward (9sf 4£lb). (Feather Weights). Dejoux, from Miranui, opened the first round with a hard .blow below the heart, following this up with a .! quick one-two-three mo'vernent on the face. Forward, also from Wanganui, appeared to* be a slogger more than a boxer, although he won his bout. The Miranui boy has a nasty habit of striking, his man with an open glove and employing chapping tactics far too much. In the second round the boxers mixed it, the third round opening with Forward decidedly on the offensive, during which the referee had occasion to warn him for pushing. In the closing round Dejoux landed some heavy body blows, but there was far too much holding. Forward won easily. Downes (10st 2lb) v. O, Forward (9st 101 b). (Light Weights.) There was some very close infighting in the first round .between Downes .Palmerston) and Forward (Wanganui), in which the former found the mark with several wellplaced short jabs, and in the second round he displayed a very rapid leftrighWert action that somewhat disconcerted his opponent, but who, nevertheless, "connected" with several dangerous right swings to the •body. In the following round Downes shot home, a vicious left swing which dazed his opponent, who was saved by the gong. Dowries opened, the final stretch with a hard hook to the body, to which Forward replied with a sharp under-cut, Downes was the winner. Herd (9st 7!b) v. Robertson (9st 111 b), (Light Weights.) A fusillade of wild swinging opened the .encounter between Herd (Wanganui) and Robertson (Palmerston';. the right swing of the latter man often finding its mark on Herd's face, and he easily won the first round. The second round opened with a sharp exchange of short jabs to face and body, but still there was a plentitude of swinging and the round concluded with honours in favour of the palmerstonian. although Herd wn« a more scientific boxer. In the third round Robertson r showed si cms of weakening, and in'this and the final ' there was an attenuated exhibition of holding and clinching, and it was clear that the ,Palm«nstom rr.m. was

ouit of training. The decision went to Herd. M I O'Keefe (10st) v. O'Brien (10st 2I&). I (Welters). O'Keefe (Palmerston) opened the I account with his man by driving a : straight left to the face, followed up iby O'Brien (Palmerston) with some I hefty short, jabs and hooks to the I body whilst the pair were engaged tn ' in-fighting. The first round was with O'Keefe. In the second round the other man undoubtedly? had the best of the in-fightdng, although O'Keeie's (left lead etodd him to good advan--1 tage. The pendulum, swung the other 1 way in the third round, and O'Keefe I was in the * ascendancy. The fourth round w,as a rapid succession of halfarm jabs and hooks, the majority of which found 'their billets, and resulting in O'Keefe being declared the winner. Herd (9st 71b) v. Malloy (10st 101 b). (Light v. Middleweight.) The first round was Herd's. In the second round he registered two hefty straight lefts on Malloy's face, whose footwork was inferior to that of die other boxer, who failed to land several blows that would have had telling effect. The third round closed- with Malloy delivering some brisk jabs to the body, the fourth and final round being a very uninteresting display. The decision was given in favour of Malloy. Herd got ; a well-deserved ovation for his pluck in filling a gap at short notice and boxing out of his class. He was giving away a lot of weight. ~ THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS. (Evans v. Birch. The* bantam-weight bout between Jim Evans (Horowiienua champion), who weighed out at Bst 31b; and A. Birch (Wellington) at Bst 911 b, was the most interesting match of the even., ing, and athough <a draw was declared by the referee the bout held a number of very exciting moments. Birch, in'the first set-to, 'adopted the offensive from the start, < but Evans, by clever footwork, anticipated the Wellingtonian.! j Evans ripped home a left and right in quick succession, and Birch narrowly missed the point with a sharp right just as the gong went. Honours easy. Both boxers were showing good footwork in the next round, and each found it difficult to land home. Birch connected with a sharp tap to the face, which he '.attempted to follow up, but Evans neatly side-stepped as he got into a corner and managed to register a damaging right and then a left. Evans' round. Birch, in ,the third burst, landed a beautiful right to the face and Evans fell into a clinch, both men effectively using 'their rights. Birch was very vigorous in the in-fighting, but the local v boy smothered well. At the end of this round Birch brought his right to Evans' ear. Birch's rubber. Two rights in quick succession from Evans found ttteir marks on his opponent's face. The advantage was with neither man in this round, blows being freely given and taken. Evans escaped a lot of punishment in the fifth round, but he received a hard drive in the face while the two were boxing on the ropes. Birch made a bid with a smart right -to the jaw which, neatly evaded by Evans, was retaliated by a telling right. Just as this round closed, Birch broke through Evans' guard with a straight left, and the odds Avere in favour.of the Wellingtonian. The final flutter went to the Levinite, although a stinging left frown his opponent at the beginning of the round had Evans in trouble and forced him on to the ropes, obliging him to fall into a clinch, but the balance; of the time showed him to some advantage over Birch. Tfhe referee declared it a draw. 1

Morgan (9st 131 b) v. Corliss (10st 41b). Owing to influenza, Gray, the Wan- j ganui champion, was unable to fulfil his engagement to meet Morgan, champion lightweight of New Zealand, and the former's place was taken by Corliss, another Wanganui boxer, who is to toe complimented o,u his gameness in meeting a man whom he knew could absolutely out-class him. The champion wag in fine training and Corliss scarcely landed a blow during the whole bout. the whole match being one between a perfectly flit man and ' another who was not in the same grade as a boxier. )Throiushout tie first three rounds Corliss concentrated on the body,, but Morgan continually straightened Ms man with straight lefts. The champion is a very pea-t and graceful boxer. Corliss, instead of leading with his right, relied on his left and ran right into some hard punches from 'Morgan's right glove. In the fourth round Corliss was in a very groggy condition, but he gamely carried "on, till, midway between the fifth round, the referee stopped the toout, as the Wanganui man was completely beaten. The crowd cheered him for his standing up to the champion in the way lie did, knowing full well he was up against it from the start. This concluded the programme, and the visiting boxers and their trainers repaired to the "Wisteria" tea-rooms, where they were provided with refreshments and the trophies presented, a pleasant little function being held, over which Mr T. Donovan presided. A report will appear in next issue. The way in which the tournament was conducted and the general method underlying the whole organisation was most favourably commented upon by visiting boxers and their trainers Mr Norm. Emmett, the referee, received many personal congratulations, ee the result of fits control of the ( ring. The officials concerned in the successful conducting of the prolamine were Messrs W. E.'.'Apps and C. H. .TSonlfl (time-keepers), J. Suffi-

van and .1. Scobie (seconds) L. C-ir-mlrhael (announcer), T. , Wngley (stagc-managor). W. Peters (clerk of gcalee), and J. Hall (call steward), and the secretary (Mr J. Evans).