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The Nelson Photo News

 

33

Successful Boxing Season

Five national titles were won by Nelson boxers this year and they all came from Les Rackley's stable, which is a fitting reward for the tremendous amount of work put in by Les and his boys. A glimpse of the skill of one of these boxers, Les jnr, was given in the final tournament of the season at Richmond. We say "a glimpse" because the bout lasted barely a minute. Les, younger and lighter than his opponent Steve Rabbitt, the national intermediate light middleweight champ, had the Clyde boxer defenceless after flooring him for a count of eight. The bout was stopped.

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Les Rackley poses with his four title-winning boxers, three of whom are his sons. Jeff won the senior welter title and, for the second time, won the Jameson Belt for the most scientific boxer; Les claimed the intermediate welter title; Dean added the junior light welter crown to the family collection, and Brent Bright won both the junior and senior light flyweight titles. Les snr won the Joe Thwaite Shield for training the Jameson Belt winner

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Gwynn Harrison scores with a smart left against Len Reiri, Masterton, in their bout in the final tournament. Reiri, the national junior flyweight champ, won the fight convincingly

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And here Reiri, right, lands a hard right to Harrison, Nelson. Their bout was stopped in the second round

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Les Rackley stands over his fallen opponent, Steve Rabbitt, after landing a powerful, well-timed counter punch