CRYSTAL PALACE .sx Some " Just Possibles " and Pettifer .sx Mr. J. T. Hulls clearly knows what the public wants .sx He has a positive genius for , promoting competitions which will attract the public and which will arouse general interest .sx There was an attendance variously estimated at from 5,000 to 6,000 at the Palace on Monday night , when we were introduced to eighteen hefty young fellows with pugilistic ambitions , and if there was not a Phil Scott among them for which one or two ex-pressed gratitude - as there was 8 years ago , there was some encouraging material :sx The eight men now left in the competition proper each presented certain possibilities , and we have a notion that some of these will reward further examination in the not distant future .sx One , Fred Rowland , from Exeter , looks big enough for anything , and favour-ably impressed some of the critics , but we had a fancy that either Chris Goulding , from Barnsley , or Billy Alleck , from Notting Hill , will prove to be the most resounding future " noise .sx " Neither of these two may win the competition itself .sx Competitions are both prolonged and stiff tests .sx Each of the pair , however , has a distinct aptitude for the game , and each carries a " dig .sx " if they have yet to learn how to make the best possible use of this .sx Pettifer's Progress .sx 1n addition to the heavy-weight novices and this is a genuine novices' competition the spectators had Jack Pettifer to inspect .sx This young giant has had a singularly good " press , " but there were several " doubting Thomases " who , when the ex-dishwasher was first introduced as a potential British Camera , could find nothing save his size to recommend him .sx Pettifer , however , is developing , really developing .sx He has been led cautiously , and there is no intention to rush him .sx He has still ever so much to learn , but he is learning , and while his victories so far and he has won every time .sx may not seem to have been specially impressive , since his opponents have not been men of any special note , the fact remains that he has stopped them all , while it can be claimed further that on each occasion he has improved on his previous displays .sx On Monday at the Palace a bulky Belgian had .sx been picked as a trial horse , and it was interesting .sx to note that Pettifer has a boxing brain of .sx sorts to control his physical assets .sx The Belgian .sx may not know much about the boxing game , and .sx could certainly have dispensed with several lumps .sx of the flesh he carried around his waist-line , but .sx he proved to be quite fast on his feet , very strong .sx and a rather awkward customer when allowed to .sx get in close .sx Pettifer speedily noted this last- .sx mentioned fact , and was wise enough to get away .sx to long range after one or two samples of the .sx Belgian's mixture ; and after that it was only a .sx question as to how long the bulky foreigner would .sx be able to last .sx A Boxing Lesson .sx Pettifer was the taller and longer-reached , but was little heavier than Gerard Ghesquiere , of whom , we confess , we had never previously heard .sx Still , he was the biggest opponent , George McDonald's " hope " has so far had to face , and he showed quite early that he wasn't a mere " dud " by any means .sx Pettifer made quite good use of his Ieft from the start , but when he tried to apply a finishing stroke with the right , he went astray , and the Belgian was able to get in close , where he made his presence felt .sx One or two experiences of this , as well as definite proof that Ghesquiere did not propose to lie down or to accent an early quietus was sufficient for Pettifer :sx The young giant has some real hexing ability , and , keeping away from .sx his very bulky opponent , he proceeded to serve out a .sx boxing lesson .sx A Good Left .sx There might , perhaps , have been more sting behind Jack's left , but he does know how to shoot this out straight , and it is to be expected that he will shortly discover how to place his full weight behind it .sx When he does , it will be most unpleasant for anyone who happens to get into its way .sx Ghesquiere took quite a number of lefts , and showed us that he is both game and tough .sx So game that we were beginning to wonder whether , despite a very badly damaged eye , the Belgian might not be still on his feet at the end of the ten rds .sx The end , however , came after 8 rds .sx , when Ghesquiere signified that he had had .sx enough .sx His-damaged eye alone would have been a sufficient .sx excuse for his retirement , but there could be no doubt that Ghesquiere was just about " sold out .sx " He was certainly very tired , and it was indeed .sx surprising that his wind had held out for so long , when one looked at all that flesh .sx The Novices .sx PRELIMINARY SERIES .sx Alfred Robinson ( Manchester ) , a man who scaled 12st .sx 10lb .sx , made short work of Bob Rowley ( Vauxhall ) ( ) .sx who was k.o , in the 1st rd .sx Billy Alleck ( Notting Hill ) ( 12st .sx 41b .sx ) beat Dan Harris ( Camberwell ) ( 13st .sx 7lb .sx ) ; Alleck showed promise against a bigger man .sx Fred Rowland ( Exeter ) ( 14st .sx 6lb .sx ) had a big ad-vantage in weight over Jim Roper ( Birmingham ) ( 12st .sx 31b .sx ) , but was more than a trifle worried in the 1st rd .sx , as the Brum led smartly several times , and ducking and dodging , succeeded in evading the bigger man's counters .sx Rowland , however , got well into his stride in the 2nd rd .sx , and Roper was .sx sent down heavily to take counts of " 6 " and " 9 .sx ". The Brum came up gallantly for the 3rd .sx in which he was floored for " 9" " by a lovely straight left to the mouth .sx Yet he carried on till the final gong .sx and should develop into something useful .sx Row land shaped well , hut is rather on the slow side .sx Bert Lott ( Regent's Park ) ( 12st .sx 10lb .sx ) beat Billy Kaye ( Holborn ) on points .sx The rest had byes .sx Competition Proper .sx FIRST SERIES .sx Jeff Wilson ( Windsor ( 14st .sx 2lb .sx ) has engaged in a few contests , and clearly knew too much for Buddy Carter ( Acton ) ( 13st .sx 81b .sx ) , who was well beaten on points .sx Fred Cornwell ( Rotherham ) ( 12st .sx 10lb .sx ) , collier , with a real punch , k.o. Jack Lane ( Fins-bury Park ) in the 2nd rd .sx Jack Newett ( Birmingham ) ( 13st .sx 6lb .sx ) k.o. Ted I Watts ( Leicester ) ( 12st .sx 10lb .sx ) in the 1st rd .sx Newett is the tallest man in the competition standing 6ft .sx 8in .sx , and as can be imagined , very thin , but he carries a real dig in his right .sx Chris .sx Goulding ( Barnsley ) ( 13st .sx ) beat Joe Vaughan .sx ( Windsor ) ( 12st .sx 6lb .sx ) on points .sx Tommy Toner ( Newcastle ) ( 14st .sx ) a cousin of Philadelphia Jack O'Brien , stopped Jack Leggett ( Boston ) ( 12st .sx 4lb .sx ) , the referee applying the closure in the 2nd rd .sx Billy Alleck beat Alfred Robinson on points .sx Fred Rowland k.o. Bert Lott in the 1st rd .sx Lott .sx was sent flat for " 9 " by a short right to the jaw and was then knocked clean through the ropes .sx His head was hurt , but he soon pulled round .sx THE RING THURSDAY .sx Harry Fenn beats Harry Benton .sx Several months have elapsed since Harry Fenn was approved by the B.B.B. of C. as a candidate for the light-weight championship Fenn and his connections did , at that time , fancy Harry's chance , but the promoters evidently did not , and it was proved on Thursday last that Fenn is really a light-weight , and would be weak if reduced to 9st .sx lb. At something over 10st .sx , however , he is a dangerous opponent for anyone , as he proved on Thursday last , when opposed at the Blackfriars arena by the tough and generally aggressive box-lighter Harry Benton .sx Benton appeared to realise from the first gang that he was up against a better man and was concerned with his defence .sx So as Fenn did all the fighting , the issue was scarcely in doubt .sx barring accidents - which never occurred .sx Benton did put up a scurry in the final rd .sx , but it was then too late to earn hint even the vestige of a chance .sx Fifteen Rounds Contest .sx Harry Fenn ( Poplar ) beats Harry Benton .sx ( Lambeth ) on points .sx Fenn shaped aggressively at the start , and most evidently wanted Benton to open out , but the Lambeth lad wasn't having any , and setting up an almost hermetical smother , walked in with the obvious intention of .sx driving a few to the body .sx Fenn is too old a bird to be caught by chaff of this description , but he really ought to study the late Jim Driscoll's book on the subject .sx Lacking the information and instruction he could gather from this , he wasted a number of punches on Benton's head and elbows , until he was , at last , able to work a clear -route to the jaw , and with a right cross dropped the other Harry for " 7 .sx " Benton took the count , but was not distressed , and at times put up something like a real fight .sx In fact .sx there were one or two stages during the second half of the contest when he was really threatening danger .sx He was quite aggressive during the 10th , 11th and 12th rds .sx till Fenn sent home three successive rights to the head in the last-mentioned stanza , and Benton was forced to take a count of " 8 .sx " He was nearly " outed " here , but got through the rd .sx , and cheered on by his many supporters , went out to contest the closing stages in great style .sx Several hooks went home to Fenn's head in these , and Benton's supporters cheered lustily , but the East Londoner retaliated forcibly , and Benton had to duck and dolge to avoid a k.o. There could be no doubt as to the winner at the close , as Fenn had not been damaged seriously at any stage , and when Mr. Jim Kenrick named Fenn there were no dissentients .sx Twelve Rounds Contests .sx Joey Carr ( Old Ford ) stopped Harry Barber .sx ( Stepney ) in Seven Rounds .sx There was an unusual and unexpected , yet , on the whole , justified termination to this affair .sx Carr had .sx forced the exchanges from the outset , but had been rushing in regardless of style .sx He had been slamming away at a more orthodox boxer in Barber , but the latter's left leads and right crosses , although academic , had been lacking sufficiently in force to keep Carr away , and Joey was speedily on top , to keep there .sx In fact , he was travelling like an assured winner , slamming blow after blow to the ribs and stomach until , in the 7th rd .sx , he barged in so wildly as to jab Barber under the chin with the top of his head .sx He had not been specially guiltless of this offence before , but on this occasion it really did seem that Barber had cause for complaint .sx The referee climbed through the ropes , amid much excitement , and it seemed as though Carr had a suspicion that he had earned disqualification .sx He looked and dramatised protests , so he must have been quite agreeably surprised when he was told to go to his corner as a winner .sx He had certainly been the better man , but he might have been informed that he was too careless to be allowed to continue .sx Wally White ( Plumstead ) beat Joe Young .sx ( Bethnal Green ) on a Foul .sx Young was ruled out of the verdict for this contest , and despite enquiries , we have been unable to discover exactly why .sx He was certainly the more aggressive , the more forceful and the more impressive fighter of the pair .sx White was willing enough , and the early rds .sx were pure " slam .sx " Young , however , carried the punch , and White was in a very bad way by the end of the 5th rd .sx , in which he was sent .sx down for " 8 .sx " He rose , and the bell went soon afterwards .sx He seemed to let , a punch go at Young' then and there .sx The Bethnal Green man certainly did , to knock White down again , whereupon " the referee " disqualified him for striking after the gong - presumably .sx And White was the winner .sx Six Rounds .sx Contests. Young Bertie Brooks ( Stratford ) heat Nipper Morris ( St. George's ) on points aft a good scrap :sx while Young Herbert ( Peckham ) stopped George Studdy ( Walworth ) in the 3rd rd .sx