BOXING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 39, 14 February 1913, Page 3

BOXING.

HAGERTY DEFEATS MAXWELL. At Palmerston North on Wednesday night the star item was a 15-round contest for the professional light weight championship of New Zealand and a purse of £SO between J. Hagerty, Timaru, present holder, and A. Maxwell, of Hawera, tho holder of a gold medal for scientific boxing. Mr Samson, of Wellington, was referee. Tho Times’ report states: —Hagerty is a short thick-set little pugilist, of the true pugilistic stamp. He proved himself a tiger in attack from the first gong. Maxwell, six inches taller, had the advantage of three pounds, his weight being 9st 111 b and Hagerty’s 9st 81b. ' Maxwell was considerably the longer in reach, every inch of which ho used, but Hagerty had tho muscle. Twice before the pair have met —once as amateurs and once as profess'onais. They decided to fight on the clean break away.

Tho first few rounds were practically alike. Hagerty adopted the tactics that have brought him victory in the past. He kept well inside the other’s big reach or else dodged it. Often he met it—or it met him. The rounds were marked by straight blows mostly to the face by Maxwell, or rapid Heavy ng.it ana left swings, ana , ciJtv.l' m-figatmg uy Max well, who repeatedly jolted tne caller boy with lus hooks and jabs. The going was willing from the start. In the second round Hagerty was pasted considerably about the face, but did not seem to mind it.

When the two came together in the next round Hagerty strove to take advantage of' Maxwell’s still groggy condition, but the coolness and cleverness of tho latter saved him repeatedly. Towards the end of the round lie returned one or two stinging straight lefts to the face, which again drew excited cheers. In rounu twelve, Hagerty, who had been using his hpad too freely in holt£, cut Maxwell’s brow with a severe bump. Hounds thirteen and fourteen accentuated what was already assured, viz-, that Hagerty would win on points. Maxwell, however, had made a great recovery, and coming at it gamely in the fifteenth and last round, shook Hagerty up on end, and sent bis beau back repeatedly. He nsed for the knock out that would give him the victory, but the end came before the knock out,' and tho referee brought Hagerty forward as the winner. Thd verdict was undoubtedly popular.

The fight was waged in excellent spirit, and bar one or two little tilings was clean right through. Hagorty proved himself a great litlte fighter, who will be very hard to beat. Maxwell is a pretty boxer, resourceful and undoubtedly clever, with some extremely heavy blows to give away. His recovery proved him game. After round three Hagerty assumed more the aggressive', and he maintained it to the finish. Maxwell’s straight arm blows and swings to the face, however, were beginning to take painful effect, and the little champion’s left eye was closing. He kept Maxwell moving about the ropes, \vhen Maxwell came at him he stooped with gloves about his face to get in an effective upper, but Maxwell’s science was equal to it, At round eight both men were still very fit and looking for it, Maxwell if anything feeling, the strain the most. In the tenth round and next few rounds Hagerty, although his right eye was now bleed ing profusely and his left closing, mixed things roughly for Maxwell. Halfway through bout ten he brought a heavy left hook to the body and a right to the jaw- 'that sent Maxwell sagging- to his knees for three. Maxwell gamely rose and hung to the miniature Tommy Burns like a leech till ihe* recovered, the referee separating theih time find 'Again. It was a plucky recovery by Maxwell ; put him out Hagerty could not; and when at last the gong saved him the crowd who had already settled upon Maxwell as their favourite, cheered wildly and excitedly.