FEATHERWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

Shannon News, 29 October 1926, Page 2

FEATHERWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

HOLDER WINS ON FOUL. BLENHEIM, Last Night. Lin Robinson 9.0 (Gisborne), holder, defeated Dick Vercoe 8.13} challenger, in a 15round bout for the professional featherweight boxing championship of New Zealand, and a purse of one hundred guineas. , Vercoe seemed slow in the first rounds, but kept dodging round the ring, the champion meanwhile steadily mounting up points, especially when at close quarters. Robinson won practically every round, hitting cleanly and showing sound defence. In the third round, both men tripped and fell. There was not much incident till _ the eighth, which was'willing, the men exchanging blow for blow. There vas some

wild hitting, but Robmson continued to score right and left swings. Vercoe then livened up, and the tenth and eleventh saw the fastest exchanges of the contest. The champion scored more freely, both in the in and out fighting, but apparently swung oft his balance in a clinch, and went to the mat for four.

Vercoe was aggressive in the twelfth, and commenced to swing his left to the head and body, and seeking an opening for a knock-out. The champion was now slowing down, and Vercoe clinched in a corner. When the referee ordered a, break, the challenger struck a blow which landed on Robinson's arm. The referee ordered the men to their corners, and disqualified Vercoe, and awarded the fight to Robinson.

Vercoe,*' seen afterwards, said he didn't hear the referee order the break, and the blow was struck in over-eagerness.