In Seventh Round

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 528, 4 December 1928, Page 11

In Seventh Round

Mclnnes Knocks Out Harms

Disappointing Boxing Bout CLAIMING that he hacl been hit low, Billy Harms, of South Africa, took the full count in the seventh round of the boxing match with Tommy Mclnnes, of Scotland, at the Town Hall last evening.

The end came very suddenly. Harms twice slipped on the canvas, and then the pair went into Mclnnes’s corner t;„ clinch. Almost immediately Harms went down and acted as if he had been badly fouled, but the punch was not seen from the Press table. Without taking any notice of the seeming foul the referee, Mr. Dick Meale, carried on with the count up to 10, when he called the doctor, who ordered Harms to his dressing room. The large crowd waited until the doctor came back and spoke to the referee, who raised Mclnnes’s arm, making it clear that the claim of foul had been disallowed. It had been expected that this bout would be one of the best staged in Auckland, and a crowd which nearly filled the hall departed disappointed. The first two rounds were tame, but the contest livened up considerably in the third and continued to be interesting until the sudden ending, but, nevertheless, it could not be called thrilling. Mclnnes had all the better of the fighting, and after the first two rounds it appeared that he would win in a short time. However, Harms rallied, and hopes for a good bout were raised for a while, only to gradually fade until the contestended so unsatisfactorily, the most disappointing contest since McKnight met Hay. BEHIND ON POINTS Not even the most enthusiastic admirers of Harms could contend that he looked lii>% winning, for he did not win a round, and was a long way behind on points. Before the beginning of the contest Jim Broadfoot,, the Auckland middleweight, issued a challenge to the winner or to any other middle-weight in New Zealand. John Kilonis and Pat McCarthy, the two heavy-weight wrestlers, who are to meet in the Town HalL next Monday, were also introduced. ~ , Assisting the referee, Mr. Meale, in the professional contest, were Mr. Frank Burns and Mr. George Bush as judges. Mr. Burns refereed the amateur bouts. HARMS KNOCKED DOWN Botli men entered the ring looking very tit, and the weights were announced as Mclnnes list l£lb and Harms list. The bout opened with the men showing caution. They went in close, and both were guilty of holding. Harms sent in a ieft hook to the body, Mclnnes replying with a similar blow tQ the head. A moment later the Scot placed both hands to the head, Harms replying in turn. In the second round each scored with a left, but a right cross from AlcInnes sent Harms down for nine. The Scot pumped both hands to the body and Harms sent in two left hooks to tlie ribs. Mclnnes scored witli a left hook to the jaw and another right cross sent Harms down for nine. The South African was not hurt by either of the knock-down blows, but used the count to full advantage. Mclnnes cleverly guarded blows to the head and body in the third term, but Harms landed with, a right swing which sent Mclnnes across the ring. Immediately afterwards Harms was acting as if he had received a lowblow' which was not seen from the Press table. McINNES MORE EFFECTIVE The Springbok improved in the four til round, and sent in liis left to head and body, but Mclnnes was putting inthe more effective work. Harms s eve was fast closing, and he was bleeding from nose and lips. The forced the light, and leaping in with both hands going had Harms covering up as the gong sounded. Frequent clinches marred the round. The bout was held up in the fifth term while the referee gave a few instructions to the men regarding hold„g Mclnnes dodged left and right swings, and both scored to the body with short blows. The next round was fought in close most of the time, Mci£nes plying his left to the body. Harms Sored wUh a nice right swing to the he Harms twice slipped on the canvas in the seventh round, and o*i the

second occasion Mclnnes helped him to his feet. They went in close in Mclnnes’s corner, and Harms dropped to the floor doubled up. He was counted out, but claimed a four. After he had been examined it was decided that a foul blow had not been delivered, and Mclnnes was awarded the decision. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES G. Leslie, 9st 71b, beat A. Karim, 9st 51b. —The first round was scrambling, and Leslie was warned for hitting in the break-away. Karim improved in the second and evened the score, Leslie again being warned. The end of the third round saw the score about even but, although Karim made him miss frequently in the final term, Leslie did sufficient to gain the decision. The crowd gave it a mixed reception. R. Purd-ie, Bst 31b, beat C. Poole, 7st 101b.—The boys made it willing in the first round without doing any damage, but Purdie showed his superiority in the next three rounds, the referee stopping the bout after Poole had been knocked through the ropes in the final. T. Mullins, list 51b, beat A. Gifford, list lOilb. —The bout was €iuiet in the first round, but both boxers livened up in the second and third. Gifford forced the fight in the final round, and Mullins was just willing, the decision in an even bout going to Mullins. E. O’Brien, lOst 131 b, beat C. Brown, list 21b. —O’Brien’s weaving style had Brown puzzled, but he made good attempts and landed a hard jolt to the jaw in the second round. The third and fourth rounds were contested all the way, O’Brien doing the better work and receiving the decision.