BOXING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3443, 24 March 1920, Page 5

BOXING.

HEAV.Y—WEIGrH'P CHAMPIONSHIP. TRACEY D.IJFEA'I‘S LLOYD. The boXillg contest under the auspices of the Northern Boxing Associa tion, for the Australasian heavyweight championship and a, purse of £3OO, between A. Lloyd, the ‘Austral. i-an‘ champion, and J, Tracey, holder of the New Zealand title, attra.cted a very large gathering. to the Town Hall, Auckland, on Saturday evening. Both men entered the ring in fine condition, Lloyd’s Weight being given as 12st 41b, and Ta-acey’s 12st 91b, and after a fast and frequently exciting contest, Tracey was adjudged the Winner on points. There was little to choose rbetween the boxers, who battled at an exceptionally fast pace for heavy-weights, and only men in superb condition could have stood the test. The only round in which there was any noticeable slowing up on the part of the boxers: was the last, and even in that a dramatic finish might have been witnessed had either 0-f them connected cleanly with the right to the point. Mr F. Burns was referee, and his verdict was well received by the spectators.

The first round opened briskly,-both men using good straight leftsi There was little to choose in the in-fighting, but l.loyd’s blows were .rather the heavier. Early in the second round Lloyd landed right and left to the face in good style and later swung a venomousi left: !tha't just missbd iflhe point. Tracey got home well with a straiglit left, and just as the round concluded narrowly missed connecting with a solid right uppercut. Tracey got -home some good punches in the third session, connecting several times to the neck and head with a good right, and plying his left to some effect. Lloyd did rather better in close work. There was a great deal of in-fighting in the .fourth round, "Lloyd doing the better work, but Tracey did well with his left at long range. The fifth round was evenly contested, both men using the left in good style, ‘Lloyd just missing witha sol-id hook. Tracey kept his leftgoing at Lloyd’s face most of the six‘throuncl, and. the latter played for the‘ body’ with left and right, but Tracey piled‘ up the greater number of points. The seventh round was fast and-exciting. Tracey continued to use his left to advantage in the early part, and Lloyd, stepping in close, let go right. and left. to the head., Tracey accepted the challenge, and a fast reply followed, the boxers. standing toe to toe and exchanging punches. It was an exciting round. The eighth round was slower than the previous ‘one. a good deal of close work being done, in wliich Lloyd operated to advantage. In the ninth Tracey scored left and right to the face, and Lloyd landed some good body punches. He also made Tracey rniss frequently. Right. and left. to the [head by Lloyd towards the close of the round. were good punches. The tenth was fairly even, _but Tracey landed a fine right to the neck and had rather the better of the exchanges. There was little variation in the work in the last five rounds. When Lloyd fought for his oppollent’s body he scored well, but Tracey kept notching points with his left. varying the straight. blow with an occasional hook. He made the mistake of leading with his right on several occasions, and almost paid the penalty, __l‘.loyd gett-in_g home with :1 stiff punch on '.l‘raee|\-"s unprotected jaw. The latter was careful thereafter to rely on his left. and nlaint,-ain-ed the ad\'anl“:tge .. long range work. Both men were showing the effects of the fast ptwe in the last round. and t'requently elinelzed, but nothing exciting occurred until the gong sounded.