Unexpected Ending

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 831, 27 November 1929, Page 13

Unexpected Ending

HAY LOSES ON A FOUL

Fight Finishes in Uproar

WITH a thud that echoed through the Town Hall, Billy Thomas’s head hit the floor in the eleventh round of the bosinit contest last evening and the referee, Mr. R. Meale, awarded him the decision on a foul, over Artie Hay. This was Hay’s first loss after 14 consecutive wins.

Th>‘ contest was marked by similarity I , t „ way through, there being little ariatton in the methods used by either va 1 However, worse bouts have seen in Auckland. Thomas was little chance of defeating the Zealand welter and middleweight champion, but he made a aur,i«fnclv good showing, although Hay ■ « leading on points when the end was * C *The ending, as in the case of nearly .. . riU is. was unsatisfactory. After a l [ l _ n | r 'h llav claimed that Thomas 1 nt down for a short right to the bu\ the referee ruled that Thomas had been pushed over. After V,iking his head on the floor, Thomas triggered to his feet, but it was ap- " 4.nt that lie was in no condition to P ?JTinue Mr. Meale made sure that Thomas was unfit, and then gave his d *Srom’the I’ress table, the blow that ~-v claimed to have struck was not :len It appeared that the champion in, intent on a knock-out, but found himself with his head in Thomas's middle. Rising swiftly he upset the Welshman, - who crashed one ot the best l* oxers that Vow Zealand has produced, but last evening he did not light like the champion he can be. V K very poor house attended the contest—probably the smallest that has attended a boxing bout for the past two years or more. THOMAS’S EYE OPENED Hay weighed in at list and Thomas at lOst 131 - Each felt with straight lefts before going into close quarters. When they broke Thomas's right eye was showing blood, but not badly. Hay wrestled his opponent off his balance. He next scored with a straight left, taking a left to the head in exchange before going in close. A In the -second round Hay forced Thomas to the ropes, but the latter fought back and then made Hay miss badlv by using neat head-work. Both mused but Hay scored the first hard blow of the match with a right to the head Thomas retaliated with a right to the head and another to the body, and Hay countered with a short right to the head. Good exchanges at short range marked session three. Thomas carried the fight to Hay, and scored with a hard left to the face. After an exchange of light lefts. Hay shot a right to the jaw and took a left hook counter. Opening the next round, Thomas placed two lefts to the face, Hay missing with his counter, but later scoring With a straight left. A right to the heart went to Thomas’s account, but he had to take a left and right to tie head. Hay was tearing in for a bodv attack at the gong. \c this stage Thomas had a lead on points, but Hay showed improvement in the fifth round. Both scored with straight lefts before Hay rushed his opponent to the ropes, and scored with two short rights to the head, followed

by a left.. Both landed with rights, and just before the gong Thomas missed with each hand. THOMAS GOES DOWN Opening the sixth round there was an exchange of lefts to the body. Then Hay wrestled THomas to the canvas and the referee warned the latter. Thomas drove his left to the solar plexus, but Hay grabbed it before he could use it again. Hay tore in, but missed with both hands, and Thomas scored with two quick left jolts. T\v° rights and a straight left went to Hay’s credit in round seven, Thomas getting in with a straight left. The referee warned the Welshman for holding when Hay appeared to be the offender. Then Thomas went down, acting as if he had received a low blow, but the referee did not allow it Jind ordered him up again. After the bout. Hay said that he could not remember punching Thomas, and did not know why he went down. The champion wrestled Thomas off his balance in the next round, but a moment later when Hay lost his balance by missing on the ropes, Thomas stepped away. In close, Thomas rewarded Hay for holding by driving two hard lefts to the body. He sent in another, but Hay made him miss with the fourth. Hay was holding again and sent Thomas to his knees by pulling on the Welshman’s neck. The ninth round was the most exciting. There were some brisk exchanges before two short rights to the jaw sent Thomas down for five. He was up, only to be sent down twice more for a count of eight each time, but, despite Hay’s onslaught, was fighting back at the gong. Hay was all out for a knock-out in the next term, but Thomas saw it out without biting the resin. Round eleven saw the end. Hay sent in a short right to the head, Thomas replying with a right to the body and another to the jaw. Then Hay rtished in and Thomas finished up with his head and shoulders on the mat. The crowd hooted and booed and after the decision had been given :hese signs of disfavour mingled with cheers. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES A. Spragg, Bst 131 b, beat T. Collins, !)st lib.—The first round was even. Then Spragg fought for the body and although Collins fought back well, the former’s aggressiveness gave him a lead and the decision. F. Lindesay, lOst lib, beat A. Blewden, lOst 31b.—Lindesay was too experienced for Blewden, who, however, made a spirited showing in the last round. Lindesay had a good margin in’ hand. C. Smith, 9st 3flb, drew with C. Manson, 9st l*lb. But a novice. Smith fought well, although he must be counted as a trifle luckj* to get a draw, as Manson had the better of the exchanges. It was a rousing contest and both received an ovation at the end. C. Hill, Bst 6ilb, beat J. McLachlan, Bst 21b. —The first two rounds were tame, but the pair livened up in the next two and made a fair fight.