BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 113, 28 September 1912, Page 7

BOXING.

MURPHY BEATS OLSEN. FIFTEEX-ROUXD CONTEST FOR £SO PURSE. Auckland, September 25. A crowd of 2000 people witnessed the boxing match at the Town Hall to-night between D,. Murphy, of Wellington, and G. Olson,, of Auckland, in a fifteen-round contest for a purse of £SO. ■'. Murphy, and Olsen entered the ring at even weights, and each man appeared to be a picture of physical development. Fourteen rounds were fought, and the contest was marked by a very fine spirit on both sides, as incidents in the third and fourth rounds indicate.

In the early stages of the fight, which was for the welter-weight championship of New .Zealand. Olsen did most of the leading. Tt at once became apparent, however, that Murphy, was both a boxer and a fighter. Early in the second round Olsen forced the Wellington man into hi™ corner right on to the ropes, but Murphy had a smother which was so effectual that, he escaped from his position scathless. While Olsen was leading all the time for his opponent's head. Murphy boxed for every available portion of the Auc Inlander's anatomy, and his body blows were particularly effective. In the third round he reached with his left for Olscn's ribs. The punch was low—lower than the rules allow—but as the men separated from the clinch which followed. Olsen held out his glove in token of realisation that it was unintentional, and they shook hands before boxing on. Within ten seconds Murphy had proved that he could judge the exact spot to better purpose, and ho landed a stinging blow which made the red show through the flesh in the region of the ribs. Olsen retaliated with punches on the neck and face, and it ended an even round.

Anxious to make the fighting, the Aucklander was not displaying as much judgment as his opponent, who reduced wasted effort to a minimum. Olsen at times almost swung himself *>ff his feet by the force of his attack, and on one such occasion came perilously near an uppereut. which, had it reached its destination, would have put him into dreamland. He made good, however, by connection with Murphy's eye. In the fifth and sixth rounds science began to tell. Olsen was fighting eleanly"and well, and was ever desirous of attacking, but the soundness of Murphy's defence made much of bis work futile. He continually led for his opponent's head, only to' receive punishment when Murphy retaliated with left and right to the body.

Time anil again the Wellington man found the same rod spot on Olson's ribs, and with the utmost accuracy lie kept on pounding away at the same vulnerable point, varying it only by following up with a right to the stomach. In the clinches Murphy also had the better of it. and occasionally worked a clever trick by disengaging his rigid arm. swinging round as on a pivot, while Olson was still holding his left, and landing a punch or two with the free hand. In the latter stages 'Murphy also made considerable use o) both hands by saddcnlv bringing them from a smother attitude and swinging the 1.-ft to the ribs and the right to the stomach. j Olson fought gamely, but made a mistake on concentrating attention almost sohdv upon Murphy's hend. Ho occasionally gut home with blows that hurl, notablv in the seventh round, when he made contact with Murphy's eye, and in the ninth, when he rattled his man with a jolt under the" jaw; but Murphy consistently handed out punishment, and in the fourteenth round, after battering away at an ever-growing red blotch on Olson's left side, suddenly brought his left to the body with a blow which sent him reeling into the ropes. Olson endeavored to clinch and then staggered about the vim.', hi!! birr wildly. Mnrpbv forebore to follow ]\p his advantage, and made no attempt to administer further punishment. Olson's seconds then throw in the towel.