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The Nelson Photo News

 

20

This is Rackley Country

The 1972 National Boxing Championships, staged in Nelson, will best be remembered for the collection of titles gathered by the Rackley family. Leading the successful foray into the intermediate and senior championships was Olympian Jeff, who claimed the welterweight title and the Jamieson Belt, for the most scientific boxer, for the second year in succession, and it is the third time he has won the Jamieson Belt. Les won the middleweight crown and Dean was successful in his bids for two intermediate championships, the welterweight and light-middleweight. Dean was also awarded the Phil Green cup for the most scientific intermediate. The Rackley boys' father and trainer, Les, featured by being awarded the Joe Thwaits Memorial trophy for the trainer of the most scientific boxer. Nelson had a win in the administration sphere when local sports personality Syd Guppy was elected National president. This was the first time Nelson has hosted the championships.

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Jeff Rackley scores with a straight left in the welterweight final against Ronnie Jackson (Taranaki). Rackley won on a unanimous points decision

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A long left from Les Rackley sneaks under Jim Barnes' guard, during their middleweight final. Rackley beat the Canterbury boxer on a majority points verdict

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And here are the Nelson boxing personalities of the year. From left: Syd Guppy (National president), Les Rackley (middleweight champ.), Les Rackley (father and trainer of the three brothers). Dean Rackley (claimed two intermediate titles and the most scientific award) and Jeff Rackley (welterweight champion and the Jamieson Belt for the most scientific boxer)

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A furious barrage of body punches by Dean Rackley (left) had Jim Stephens in early trouble during their light-middleweight final. The bout was stopped, in Rackley's favour, in the first round

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Double title-winner in the heavy and light-heavy divisions, Bill Byrne (right) slams a two-fisted attack into the game Aucklander, Kittey Ah Lam, in their heavyweight final. Byrne, of Wellington, beat Tulua Amua (Canterbury) in the light-heavy final

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Masterton's W. Karaitiana slams a powerful left into Robert Warren's face in their intermediate bantamweight final. Karaitiana beat the Westport boy on points, in an exciting contest

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One of the most deadly body punches at the championships won Jeff Rackley his semi-final welterweight bout against H. Bullmore (Canterbury). Bullmore was unable to continue after the savage rip which felled him

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G. Mackie and R. Gardiner come to grips in their featherweight final. Mackie, of Timaru, beat the Hawkes Bay boxer on points

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In a previous photo, Robert Warren was on the receiving end against W. Karaitiana. Here, Warren hands out some punishment

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One of the most courageous and successful revivals seen at the championships was in a welterweight semi-final between Ronnie Jackson (Taranaki) and Joe Keresi (Auckland). Here, Jackson, his face bespattered from a nose bleed, slams into Keresi to win on a knock-out

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Aucklander Darryl Hammond lines up Tony Picard's midriff. Hammond won this lightweight final, against the titleholder from Waikato, on point

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And here, Hammond reels onto the ropes under a Picard onslaught

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David Jackson (Taranaki) belts Otago's Warren Henderson with a hard right, on his way to winning the intermediate lightweight title

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Robert Gray (Wellington) bears in on T. Collier (Gisborne) in an intermediate light welterweight semi-final. Gray went on to win the final