BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1922, Page 3

BOXING.

TOURNAMENT AT NEW PLYMOUTH. WHITAKER DEFEATS GLEESON. FIGHT LASTS FIFTEEN ROUNDS. Despite the heavy rain last night, a large crowd of boxing enthusiasts showed their appreciation of the efforts of the Taranaki Boxing Association to provide a good exhibition of boxing, and the seating capacity of the Coronation Hall was well taxed. The star attraction was the heavyweight jJrofessional contest between Les Gleeson, of Australia, ana Cyril Whitaker, of Wellington, which went the full fifteen rounds, and in addition five interesting special amateur bouts were staged, as well as an exhibition bout. The various officials carried out their duties in a thoroughly satisfactory manner, while Mr. Tim Tracey, of Wellington, refereed. Bls decisions were prompt, and met with unanimous approval, while his control of the professional Lout tended to add grea.tly to its interest. During an interval in the proceedings, Mr. E. Jackson (official announcer) presented Mr. T. Thompson, as trainer of the two young boys, Allan Turner and Roy Bremuhl, with two miniature silver cups for these juvenile boxers. At the last tournament these two boys gave an exhibition bout, and at the conclusion a shower of coins descended on the ring. With this money (totalling £2 12s), which could not. be given to the hoys, as it would have endangered their status as amateurs, the association bought the (Tups. WHITAKER V. GLEESON. There was very liitle difference in tne weights as Whitaker and Gleeson stepped into the ring, the former weighing out at 12st. 31b.. with Gleeson 21b. heavier. Both men looked fit and appeared in good condition at the end of the fight.. MTiitaker showed that he had greatly Improved since he last boxed at New Plymouth, and at no time did he appear in danger. Gleeson’s dreaded knock-out blow, which he tried on several occasions, was not sufficiently fast to catch his man. Whitaker’s agility in clearing himself from a nasty corner exciting admiration. Whitaker scored unainly with his left. The early rounds were not characterised by any special features. The fourth round went well, the chief features being a connection by Gleeson with his left to Whitaker’s jaw. which was replied to with a right to the side of tlve head. Whitaker was keeping the fighting close, and was not leaving himself open for a knock-out. Gleeson tried his right in the fifth and sixth rounds, but failed to land with any force. In the ninth round Whitaker again managed to score repeatedly with his left. Gleeson was contenting himself with body blows, and in the tenth round he pretended to leave himself open, tempting Whitaker to come in, and then swinging a hard right at his jaw, which, however, was taken on the glove.

The eleventh round was responsible for some sharp exchanges of blows, Gleeson going for the body and Whitaker for the jaw with his left. It was a faster round than the preceding ones. Gleeson tried a knock out with his right, which was dodged. Gleeson tried several times for a knock-out in the fourteenth round, a hefty right swing missing on one occasion. He also tried his left. The last round was swift, but Whitaker had the advantage and kept his lead, the decision in his favour beliig greeted with great applause. THE AMATEUR BOUTS. z Bantam-weight. Walker (High School) 6.12, met Fields (New Plymouth) 6.2 In the opening bout of the evening, and they provided an interesting go. In the third round Fields appeared to be tiring, and he let out one or two wild blows, which Walker easily dodged. In the fourth round clinching was rather prevalent, for which each boy was more or less to blaune. Fields, despite his fatigue, kept on and gained the verdict amidst applause. Light-weight. (Gold medal presented anonymously.) Fletcher (Inglewood) 10.0, after putting Coates (Omata) 9.2 down for the count of seven, knocked him out in the second round. Feather-weight. (Association’s gold medal.) Parker (Wellington) 9.0, was too experienced | for Cudby (Waitara) 9.8, and likewise dlsI posed of hts man in the second round, after having put him down in the first. The left to the jaw was his main weapon of offence. Fly-weight. (Mr. W. Graham’s gold medal.) Owing to the splendid fight Barlow (6.1) and Fields (5.7) had put up at the High School tournament, the association matched them for three two-minute rounds. Fields was much smaller than his opponent, but what he lacked in size he made up in enthusiasm. The shortness of his reach nullified the effqct of a lot of his blows, and this enabled Barlow to score repeatedly. After Fields had dashed in to strike his guard was sufficiently open to enable the bigger boy to connect. Heavy-weight. (M?. Flanagan's gold medal.) In the first round between Mills (Riverlea) 12.2, and Tuku (Okato) 12.0, Mills scored repeatedly with his left leads, on one occasion sending In a hefty right as a follower. Although Tuku came at it well at the beginning of the second round he could notTast, ana re- i tired after Mills had sent in a succession of his lefts. Exhibition Bout. Waite (Urenui) 11.10, met Duggan (Hawera) 11.6, in an exhibition bout of three two-min-ute rounds. Both men gave an interesting exhibition of fast, open boxing, and there was very little between them.