BOXING TITLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 731, 2 August 1929, Page 14

BOXING TITLES

Amateur Championships Reviewed SOME LIVELY BOUTS The Auckland amateur boxing championships have been decided for another year, and taken all through the tournament was satisfactory, both from the boxing standard point of view and from that of the Xorthern Boxing Association. The standard is much better than that of last year, especially in the middle-class divisions. Last year the welter-weight and middle-weight sections were very poor, but this year the competitors in these divisions were of better boxing class. In the other weights the contests were good. Big crowds attended on both nights of the tournament. Frank Pearcey, who has held the flyweight title for two years, was again successful in winning the division, but he found stiffer opposition than he had

before experienced. In his first fight Reid ran him very close. With more experience Reid will become a hard proposition for any at the weight. Bruno was another boy who, when he has learned more about the game, should do well. He gave the champion a hard fight in the final. Purdie, who carried off South Auckland honours, was successful in annexing the bantam-weight title. He was the outstanding competitor in the division. At no time did he look like suffering defeat, although Keenan gave him a j good tussle in the final. Keenan will do better when he learns to time his blows accurately and avoid the bad habit of crouching low over the canvas. Xobody of outstanding merit was seen in the feather-weight class, although several good battles were witnessed. There was hardly a dull bout I in the preliminaries or in the semi- J finals, all the boys making good showings. In the. final, Johns, who won the title, and Manson gave a good exhibition which was marred by open glove hitting on Johns’s part. The Craig Cup for the most scientific boxer was awarded to Johns. The light-weights were o, solid lot. The veteran, Conmee, made a. great fight against AVeavers in the preliminaries, but had to bow to Lindesay in the semi-final. Martin went near to defeating Craig in the other semi-final. The final between Lindesay and Craig was a poor bout and quite out of keeping with the fights in the earlier stages.

Some excellent bouts were seen in

the welter-weight „ division. Bennett was one of the outstanding performers. He boxed nicely against Thompson and Cleverley, the last-named giving him a hard time. The final between McKnight and Bennett was very even. McKnight fought better than he lias done before, except for the fight he put up against Fulcher in the final of the Xew Zealand light-weight championships last year. He avoided much of the “flashiness,” which has marred many of his displays in the past, and during the past year he has cultivated a right-hand punch which he used to good effect. The boxing public has become used to poor displays among the middle-weights, but this year's crop was much above the usual class. Science was conspicuous by its absence, but every one of the competitors packed a knockout punch. The semi-final between Shorter and O’Brien and the final between Xealc and O’Brien were thrilling bouts which had the crowd on its feet the whole time. Shorter made a mistake in slugging with O’Brien instead of boxing him, and the bout developed into a question of who could stand the most punishment First one and then the other was rocking, but O’Brien’s right hand did its work and Shorter was out on his feet when the referee intervened. Even so. Shorter appeared reluctant to let the bout finish. A GREAT BATTLE In tlio final O'Brien nearly lost to Xeale, who surprised even those who knew him by his wonderful courage. Xeale is only a boy, but he took punishment without flinching, and kept after O’Brien, who won the closest and hardest fight of the tournament. O’Brien is to be commended on his showing. It is stated that he was making his first appearance in the boxing ring, and doing so without tuition. O'Brien, who hails from Kaikohe, went to Harry May, formerly well-known in the New Zealand ring, a few days before the tournament, and asked for tuition. May pointed out that it was impossible to teach him in a day or two and advised him to “give it a go.” O’Brien had no knowledge of boxing other than what he had read in books, but he entered and was successful. If the above facts are correct, O’Brien should make a great performer when he gets tuition. He has one thing that the public loves—“sock appeal.” Percy McCarthney had a much harder task in winning the light-heavy-weight and heavy-weight titles this year. In the former division lie had little to spare against Gilford, iind in the heavy-weights Hogg and Lindesay ran him close. Lindesay has the makings of a good performer. He did not fight so well against MoCarthney as in his previous bouts, but | . Was Probably overawed at oi-pos-ing the champion. He need not have I been, for McCarthney has fought much I better than he did on Tuesday, i McCarthney has now won the I heavy-weight title four years in succession, and the light-heavy-weight lin the last two years—a great record Oi. consistent performances.