GREAT BOXING MATCH. Amateur Championship of Australia. R. H. SANDALL V. G. SEALE. Sydney, December 7.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 326, 19 December 1888, Page 6

GREAT BOXING MATCH. Amateur Championship of Australia. R. H. SANDALL Y. G. SEALE. S ydney, December 7.

For some weeks past unusual interest had been evinced in a contest that was fixed for Saturday last, December Ist, at Foleys Athletic Hall, when Mr (I. Scale, the amateur champion of Australia, was matched in an eight-round battle against Mr R. H. Sandall, a well-known Aucklander, who has since his rebidence in Sydney gained distinction for hie? prowess ab an exponent of fclie art of self-defence. Indeed, it may be .said without fear of contradiction that no contest had evoked so much enthusiasm or such a great amount of genuine interest as this light did. Both men were brought to the ring in the pink of condition by their respecthe traineis, and in this respect the Now Zealander was, if anybnt.ig, the be.sfc trained. He was the picture uf health, with the flesh and muscles in that acme of condition that a liisb-class course of work produces when well directed and carried out upon proper lines ; while his opponent's splendid muscular form and finely-knitted frame was the theme of admiration among his many supporters who filled the hall ; but it was apparent that when contrasted \\ ith the Aucklander that Sealo was just a trifle fore, and thi3 was borne out as the buttle progressed. The match, as said before, was tor the Amateur Championship ot Aucbialia and a trophy valued at 60 guine.-'t, piesented by Mr L. Foley. Notwithstanding the fact that 20s and 10s wa- charged tor ' admission, the hall was packed, and it is estimated that the house was worth £400 odd. Scale was attended by Messrs L. Foley and T. Kelly, while >Sanda 1 was looked after by Professors Carrollo and McCarthy. It may be here mentioned that Mr Carrollo has had charge of Sandall up I the liver tor the past five week?, where he has attended most assiduously to 1 him, and it may be said that it was training alone that enabled Sandall to make such a splendid match as he did, and which but for the tactics resented to by Scale in the last round, would undoubtedly have made him the champion of Australia, instead of Scale retaining the honour. The betting at the commencement of the mat"h was a shade of odds in favour of the New South Welchman, and well might it be so, considering his great reputation, and that he had not long ago morally defeated Burke, the lii^h American, besides a number of other Australian professionals. Mr Rochester was chosen to fill the responsible position of leferee, and Me»s>vs Fhin, Thompson and McCauley were time-keepers for Scale and Sandall respectively. On the men entering the ropes they were accorded a big reception. As might be ex pected, the local man received the greatest amount of applause, but the "New Zealander came in for his share as ell. After the orthodox hand -shaking the ball opened, both men waiting a bit to see "how the land lay," and to get some idea, if possible, of each other's tactics*. Sandall led ofi in the attack with his li^hb hand, as> usual, and Scale xesponded with Mich effect that many thought the tight was over in the first round. as the Aucklnnder seemed to be dazed, and lost himself with a terrific lefthander that Scale landed him, and but for ?ome uncertainty as to whether time had nob been called the match would un doubbedly have been over, as each man, instead of continuing, pought his "corner." In the second round the New Zealander came up completely refreshed and quite as lib as a daisy. He again led off and tried to force the pace, following up any advantage he could get wich his swinging right handed. The splendid., science of Scale enabled him to be more than a match for the onslaught of his opponent, but in one encounter their heads came together and Scale iccehed a nasty blow on his temple, which celled so much as to almost prevent the use of one of his eyesat all. It was a good thing for the cornstalker that time was up soon after, or matters would > have gone extremely hard for him and his. party. When the men, faced the music for the third round, Scale was wonderfully re- 1 covered, and fought with all his accustomed , vigour *nd science. Sandall pursued his-! old tactics of forcing the pace, nob caring for the punishment he leceived, as the New' South Wales man allowed no opportunity to be mis ed to let him have it. Scale dodged many a swinging right J bander that his opponent dealt him by ducking, etc. The fourth and fifth rounds were not of much interest, except, to say that it svas apparent now that, bar accidents, the New Zealander was not goinc: to lose, and would, if given fair play, pull off the match. In the sixth round Sandall resorted to rushing, and in this respect he is said to have shown bad form, as at times he resorted to tactics that should have brought the referee to him for breaches of the rules. To e»idea\our to bullock his opponent on to the roped and by mere strength force his man down, waf> not sportsmanlike or fair. In the seventh round there was a lot of close work, in which neither man could be said to have any material advantage. When the contestants stood up for the final bout the excitement was raised to concert pitch, and each man's supporters could not resist applauding and urging their man on to the fray. But the light was all in Sandall's favour, as Scale was clean done, and kept dropping to the giound,and only getting up at the point of the ten seconds expiring. If he had not done this he could no; have gained the verdict of a draw that the referee gave Theie can be no question about it that but for this Sandall should have been awarded the match, as on the form displayed he was unquestionably Scale's superior. It is said that the New Zealander could nob have won in Foley s Hall, 'as the party behind him would not have allowed their favourite to be defeated. There can.be no gainsaying the fact, however, that it was the most bridiant conbesb that has ever been seen in An^tralia,