A sport film of the boxing match betwen “Pete” Sarron (United States) and Tommy Donovan (Waitara, New Zealand) at Western Park, New Plymouth on Saturday March 15, 1930 in front of 9,000 spectators.
1st Bout New Plymouth March 15, 1930
In front of a crowd conservatively estimated at 6,000 Sarron & Donovan fought their first bout of the New Zealand series.
Referee, Dick Meale said “Sarron appeared well on top of Donovan in the New Plymouth fight. He was punching hard and fast from all angles and really stealing Donovan’s thunder. But he had a right swing which he persisted in wrapping round the back of Donovan's neck.........I gave Sarron about four warnings but in the 7th round he seemed to go berserk & finally floored Donovan with a succession of illegal blows and I immediately crowned Tommy winner on a foul”. “Some reports of the fight stated that Sarron was disqualified for ‘Rabbit Killers’ but this was not so..... A ‘Rabbit Killer’ is a sharp downward chop on the back of the neck with the edge of the glove; Sarron was swinging & hooking his punches deliberately round the back of the neck as the two stood in close”
Information source: “Kiwis with gloves on” by Brian Francis O’Brien