TROWERN WINS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1012, 1 July 1930, Page 16

TROWERN WINS

CLOSE DECISION OVER RICHARDS SIMILARITY IN ROUNDS Reg. Trowern, in his first fight in his home town for a long time, outpointed Billy Richards, of Australia, over 15 rounds at the Town Hall last evening. The fight was very close and Trowern only just got home. As a fight, it was a* disappointing exhibition. Trowern took the offensive throughout, Richards showing plenty of cleverness in defence, but he appeared to be waiting for a chance that never came—an opportunity of landing one finishing blow with his right. On three or four occasions he connected, but Trowern was. moving away when it landed and no damage was done. Neither man was hurt once during the bout. Before the opening of the bout die Australian and New Zealand Empire Games teams, who were the guests of the Northern Boxing Association, were introduced. Jack Paul issued a challenge to the winner. Mr. N. McLean controlled the amateur bouts and Mr. R. Meale the professional contest. Trowern weighed in at lOst silb and Richards at lOst 71b. Trowern started in a hurry, but the effort was shortlived and each round was practically a repetition of the previous one, although over the last five rounds the contest was very interesting. . After a bout in close in the opening term both missed with lefts and then both connected with lefts, the round being very quiet toward the end. In the second, third and fourth the pair did a good deal of moving about without accomplishing much, except at close quarters, where they tangled themselves into positions that would have delighted the heart of a wrestler. In the next round Trowern still forced the pace, while Richards met him coming in and rallies at close quarters resulted. The pair livened up considerably in the sixth session and mixed it well in close. Trowern then drove the Aussie to a corner and shaved his head with a hard left hook. Richards let go his first hard blow of the fight when he retaliated by shooting a weighty right to the side of Trowern’s head. TROWERN’S SLIGHT LEAD The seventh and eighth rounds were even, honours up to this stage being slightly in Trowern’s favour. The ninth was much faster, although fought for the most part at close range. Blows were exchanged with more vim, Richards getting in two nice rights to the head, Trowern replying with left hooks to the face and one left, very low, to the body. After exchanging lefts in the tenth they went in close and stayed there for most of the round. Richards scored nicely with a right swing to the head. In the next the Aucklander landed with two lefts to the stomach and both scored with rights to the head, Trowern finishing the round with a light left to the face. The best round of the fight was the twelfth. Richards landed a left to the face and after some good exchanges at close quarters sent in lefts to body and head, Trowern replying with a right swing and jumping in with lefts to the head. The “devil’s round” was quieter, both exchanging rights. Richards appeared to be after a knockout in the fourteenth session. Both scored with straight lefts and after a bout at close range both missed with swings. Richards got home a right to the jaw and both scored practically simultaneously with rights to the ribs. The pace was on in the last round, Trowern being forced to a corner after landing a left to the body, to land to the head and to take two rights to the head in exchange. The verdict was popular. THE AMATEURS W. Hogg, Sst 1021 b, beat C. Hill, 9st 221 b a quiet first round Hogg used his long reach to poke lefts and rights to the head, Hill scoring with hard rights to the head and body. Hill forced the pace in the last round, but Hogg’s cleaner hitting gave him the decision. L. Bailey, Bst lljlb, beat A. Spragg, 9st 2£lb. in a real good fight. Spragg had the better of the exchanges but nevertheless the decision went to Bailey. By a vote of sympathy between Messrs. Gillett and Bush, judges, and McLean, referee, D. Gordon, 9st B£lb, was given a draw with J. Brentnall, 9st 6£lb. It must have been a sympathy decision, for Brentnall was far and away ahead on points. He had Gordon groggy in the last two rounds and although Gordon fought back gamely he was not in the picture. In the first two rounds Gordon sailed in like a windmill, but he scarcely scored a point, as his gloves were wide open. A draw was a ridiculous decision. R. Purdie, 9st, beat H. Johns, 9st 42.1b.—After an even first round Johns made a lot of noise with ineffective swings, Purdie’s best blows being two rights to the head. In the third Purdie made Johns miss badly, though the latter used his feet well and was quick to recover. Johns’s only scoring blows were two left jabs. In the last round Purdie sent Johns down for seven with a left swing and then forced him to the ropes. If Johns was as good at hitting as he is on his feet he would take a power of beating.