BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1922, Page 8

BOXING.

THE ELTHAM TOURNAMENT. DETAILS OF THE BOUTS. The success achieved by the Eltl>am a ßoxing Association at the tournament, which was staged In the Eltham Town Hall on Wednesday night, should go a long way to prove that it is a fallacy to say that boxing tournaments without a professional contest as the star attraction will not prove financially successful. The Eltham Boxing Association had matched a number of the most promising amateurs of the Wanganui, Hawera, Stratford, Eltham and New Plymouth districts, and some splendid clean bouts were given, rousing the enthusiasm of the public, who showed their appreciation of the programme submitted b>’ attending in goodly numbers, and it is safe to assert that the next tournament of a similar nature staged by the Eltham Association will draw a crowded house. The arrangements for the tournament were good, and though one or two boxers failed from various causes, and in one case without apparent cause, to fulfil their engagements, other men were substituted, and filled the breach very well. The officials of the Association deserve to be congratulated on the success achieved. Mr. H. Forsyth, as president and official announcer, is the right man in the right place, while Mr. B. G. Taylor, the secretary, had attended to every detail. Mr. Frank Burns, of Auckland, was referee, his decisions giving general satisfaction. Messrs. C. Harrison and Casey, as call stew- j ards, J. Cooper as glove steward. Shepherd j (Hawera) as timekeeper, and J. Carlson, Ben i Johnson, Bert Humphries and W. T. Sadler as official seconds, all attended well to their duties. The brief details were published yesterday, but the following fuller description of the bouts will be of interest:— FLY WEIGHTS. Teddy Stewart (Wanganui) 7.8, beat A. Collins (Stratford) 7.5, on points, after an interesting two minutea’ go. Stewart is the possessor of a straight right and left, which he used to advantage, though Collins showed science in evasion and mixed it well. ’ A good clean contest. N. Cowan (Wanganui) 7.7, beat D. Childs (Stratford) 7.9, on points, after a four two minutes’ rounds contest. Both lads stowed considerable science and gave a splendid exhibition. Cowan, who was very quick, held the advantage in the first two rounds, and though Childs showed Improvement in the ter stages, the verdict went to Cowan.

FE ATH ER - WEIGHT. T. Bell (Eltham 8.8, v. E. Duddlng (Stratford) 8.9. Four two-minute rounds. This proved a disappointment, there being too much clinching. In the third round, Duddlng, who •had previously been warned on several occasions, was disqualified for holding, and fhc bout was awarded to Bell. BANTAM. A. Humphries (Eltham) 8.10 proved too good for R. Howe (Wanganui) 8.5, whom he sent to the floor for the count with a right hook to the jaw In the third round. LIGHT-WEIGHT. T. Cleary (New Plymouth) 9.10 fought a draw with W. Gray (Wanganui) 9.9. Cleary, who took the place of W. Coates (New Plymouth) at the eleventh hour, owing to the illness of Coates, possesses a good left, which he connected with frequently, whilst Gray scored at in-fighting. Cleary had the advantage in the early rounds, but Gray made matters merry in the fourth and last round and evened up the points, the referee’s decision being a draw. Gray (Wanganui) 9.12, beat G. Sharrock (Stratford) 10.0, on points in a four two-mln-utes’ rounds contest. Gray proved much too scientific for Sharrock, who was out-pointed easily in the first three rounds, but showed up better in the fourth. WELTER WEIGHT. R. Fitzsimmons (Matapu) 11.7, beat A. Duggan (Hawera) 10.7, on points, in a bout which went the full six two-mlnutes’ rounds. This proved a very exciting contest. Duggan, realising that his chances of success against his opponent’s longer reach lay in keeping the fighting close, forced the pace and scored in the in-fighting. He also showed cleverness in evading, making Fitzsimmons miss frequently. In the early rounds he liad his heavier opponent thinking, but Fitzsimmons, in the closing rounds, gained sufficient lead to get the verdict by a narrow margin. F. Corliss (Wanganui) 10.7, v. J. Miller (Midhirst) 10.12. This proved another great go, both making the pace willing. Corliss, with a crouching smother, allowed Miller to do ,all the fighting in the first round, but in the second round mixed it more and almost had Miller gone. Miller easily had the advantage of the third and the greater part of the fourth round, sending Corliss to the mat. Just on the gong Corliss knocked Miller through the ropes.- The fifth round opened with Miller very aggressive, but later it was very even, the new man, though very tired, mixing it Well, and the referee's decision, a draw, was well received. Both fought very gamely, standing a lot of punishment. HEAVY-WEIGHT. Young (Wanganui) 12.8, beat Tuku (New Plymouth), 12.2, the referee stopping the contest in the sixth round. This proved a great contest. Both men possessed powerful punches, and scored heavily. Tuku appeared to have the advantage in the opening rounds, hut in the third and fourth rounds he left himself open, and Young scored repeatedly to the face with the left, punishing him severely. Tuku proved very game, and in the fifth round he almost had his opponent gone. In the sixth

round, however. Young again got home with lefts to the fact, sending Tuku to the boards, and a little later the referee r.topped the bout. Both the winner and Tuku received an ovation, the latter proving very popular.