BOXING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 102, 4 May 1929, Page 23

BOXING

By 'Aeneas"

HIS NAME MADE LECKIE IN AUSTRALIA CONTEST WITH WILSON Johnny Leckie, the featherweight champion of New Zealand, has as firmly established himself with the Melbourne fancy as he did in Sydney, and in either city now he should be a wonderful draw card whenever he is matched (writes "The Post's" Dunedin correspondent). In a letter to a member of the "Evening Star" staff, "Rue" Cooke, formerly of Canterbury, who was a member of the 1903 All Blacks, and who was also one of New Zealand's leading boxing referees, states that the fight between Leekie and Clande Wilson was an exceptionally good one, and should have drawn a long way better house, but, as fights- in Melbourne had been so poor of late, the public had become "fed up." The bout would mean a revolution in boxing in Melbourne. The ox-New Zealander proceeds: It was a ding-dong go from start to finish, Leekie winning practically every round. Tho twelfth was a beauty, absolutely toe to toe, and it showed Leckie up in a great light. His attacking was wonderful, and lie never left his man. Mr. pook feels positive, and his opinion must carry considerable weight in view of his long experience in the game, that Johnny Leckie will have a great future, and the public have taken to him. Death of English Promoter. The death is announced of Mr. Harry Jacobs, London's leading promoter. His connection with sport (says "Sporting Life") began at the old Wonderland in Whitechapel, and under his regime there some of the greatest boxers of their day were discovered and developed. One can truly say that almost every boxer of any note boxed at the old Wonderland, which, by the way, was burned down on 13th August, 1911—the date of the death of Tom Thomas, the British middleweight champion and the first holder ol! the Lonsdalo Belt for tho weight. Thomas was enly one of the many champions who boxed for Mr. Jacobs. Tommy Burns, world's heavyweight title holder, Gunner Moir, Harry Ware, Pat O'lvecfe, Jim Sullivan, Young Joseph, Harry Reeve, Digger Stanley, Pedlar I'almer, Johnny Sunmiers, Matt Wells, Curly Walker, Ben Jordan, George Dixon, Owen Morgan, Jim Kenrick, Ben Taylor, Cockney Cohen, Slounch Dixon, Jack Goldswaiu, Andrew Tokell, Peter Brown, Frank Craig, Tiger Smith, Sam Russell, Tommy Ireland, Ted Ware, Seaman Hayes, Young Ahearnc, Sid Burns—one could go on adding to the list of famous boxers who were seen frequently at Wonderland in the ok 1 days. It is stating only a bare fact to say that British boxiug was at its greatest strength in every weight class during Mr. Jacobs's tenure of Wonderland, and that its decline began with the destruction of the famous hall. He made boxing at tho Albert Hall an institution, and it will be the determination of those of his family who will carry on there in his name to do so on exactly the samo lines.

Phil Scott on the Stage. Phil Scott, tho well-known British heavyweight, has taken to the stage. Ho is appearing in au American farce, "Is Zat So?" in England. In the farco there is a. fight in which Scott is knocked out. It haa been unkindly said that ho should be able to play that part well. Napier Association. Tho Napier Boxing Association's bal-ance-sheet showed a profit of 13s 7d on last season. The takings during the season at contests amounted to £o'4U 10s 7d. Subscriptions brought in £298 4s •1(1, and £3 12s was obtained from tho hire of tho sen ting accommodation. Expenses at contests totalled £559 9s sd, tho tax on members £32 0s Sd, general expenses £37 12s 3d, and secretary's hororarium £25. Ten professional, bouta wero staged and ISO amateur contests. A member of tho Management Committee, Mr. J. Harris, stressed the necessity for encouraging amateur sport in the district, and during the coining season it was hoped that tho association would do all it could to promote interest amongst the amateurs. He also referred to the large number of contests that had been provided for the public, pointing out that Auckland with twelve was tho only other association iv New Zealand to stage moro professional bouts than Napier. Prom a financial point of viow, it was the most successful yoar for quito a period, and although tho profit was small, it was very much better than a. loss. From losses ranging from £20 to £100 per annum to a profit, however, small, was something accomplished. The executive took an optimistic view of the future, and considered that tho worst period had already been passed, and that tho associations all over New Zealand had a much brighter futuro before them.

A Credit to the Dominion. The slump in the fight game in Melbourne will evidently take some removing, und while Johnnie Lcckie will do more than his share in lifting the snort from the doldrums, his light with Claude Wilson did not net him anything like the amount ho is worth. According to a letter received in Duncdin from I.eckic's camp, Johnny's share of the house in his fight with Wilson was only .too. "Both boys are a credit to the J-'onumon," writes Wic manager of the Sydney Stadium, Mr. Griffiths, to the secretary of the Otago Boxing Association in reference to Johnny Leckie and iomuiy Griffiths. He thought Griffiths must have been well below his best form when ho met M'Alister, and as for Leckie, he considers him a great draw card, being tho type that pleases the crowd, win or lose. Mr. Grifliths is not one of those who subscribes to tho view that Grime is a "has boon " and ho also states that Leckio will bo kept busy with importations at present in Australia or arriving. Griffiths beats Jackson. In Melbourne Tommy Griffiths outpointed "Cocoa" Jackson, featherweight champion of Australia. According to the "Melbourne Age," both commenced cautiously, and relied on their lefts. In the second round the New Zcalander got in good work with straight lefts, followed by right crosses but Jackson gained points or the infighting by pummelling his aggressor's ribs. During the boxing at close quarters in the next session Griffiths's eye was opened. The bout was being marred by excessive clinching, neither showing much initiative. In the eighth round Grif - fiths live led up, and had Ja-ikson on t?e retreat, utilising both hands to advantage, and connecting to tho head. Tl;e <.hampion s timing was veuy bad, tl.e New Zealander making the most of this by landing right hooks. Jackson tried hard in the concluding rounds to make up his deficit, but Griffiths increased his lead, and won a points victory by a fair margin. The winner forced the fighting throughout, and gained the advantage by his more definite blows. Ho also showed more initiative than his opponent. Purdy's Good Win. According to Jack' Read, an ex-Aus-tralian lightweight champion, Charlie Purdie won eloveu rounds out of £f teen against the Ameri-1

can, Bobby La Salle. The New Zealander weighed lOst 31b and ILa Salic lOst lOilb. Despite the fact j that the New Zealander was bis superior at all angles of the boxing game, however, "Bad Boy Bobby 31 made a big hit with the fair-sized crowd by forcing- the fight in face of punishment, and more cheers were accorded him, after the final bell, than Purdy heard when he was crowned, -continues Bead. Plenty had been heard about the <fbad boy's" clowning in Californian rings, and, to prove that be is no mean showman, La Salle, dressed very neatly, gracefully jumped over the top rope as a means of entering the ring. La Sallo was not so tretivo when the contest commenced, and Purdy went after him with snappy lefts to the face Purdy connected with a weighty rig].t lead to the chin, too, but this only made the American's mouth open wide in what seemed to be a sincere grin. Two more of these rights to the same spot had the same effect before round one ended, and the New Zealander was doing so woll that a short-cut win did not look unlikely. Purdy landed a great left to the body, then hit the importation with every punch at his command in the second, but La Salle kept sailing in, and eventually connected with one of the many double-barrei.ed swings that wore coming from all angles of the compass. Plenty of pugnacity marked Purdy's work in the next few rounds, and his straight punches lanled before La Salle's swings eouid get around to their destination. A long right swing caught Purdy behind the ear in round five, and shot the receiver halfway through the ropes. Ir. sportsmanlike fashion, La Salle stood back until Purdy regained the ring, but the New Zealander tore into him while bis hands were still down, and was hooted tor landing two solid swings to the head. These made La Salle bore in harder than ever, and it was surprising how so many of his wild swings went astray, when he landed them to hit something. La Salle walked into plenty of straight lefts as the sixth started but he eventually landed a long right behind the ear, and another to the angle of the jaw earned him enough points to win his first round in the fight La Salle made no attempt to block anything, except with Ma face, in theseventh, and Purdy 's continuous attack enabled him to land all the punches until La Salle bowled over a long rieht to the chin. This shook Purdy perceptibly and, by fighting with hurricane speed, La Salle made the next r-uud a draw. A weighty right uppercut, added to many double barrelled swings won luoi the ninth. La Salle now seemcq to have cut out his clowning, and he fought fiercely in round ten. Purdv hit with his deliveries, while the visitor missed, however, and another round ' went to New Zealand's credit X,a Salle was luckier in the 11th, and. although Purdy still puzzled him by weaving up an d down in unorthodox iashioji, he connected often enoueh with right or left swings to win thlt, as well as the next round. Considering the punishment ho had assimilated in the earlier encounters, La Salle's spurt m sessions 11 and 12 was sensational, and the crowd was with him when a right to the head, iminediatelv after the boll made it seem that the devil's round was going his way. He chased Purdy right across the ring, but straight lefts, which were given added power by his crowding in to meet them mado La Salle's swings travel bo slowly that not one of them connected solidly. Still apparently making no attempt to miss anything, La Sallo forced in the fourteenth. One of his swings went closu to the clock, over rin*centre, but he eventually got to close quarters, and flailed away with both hands m a lively rally just before the round's end. Purdy retrcatd around the ring and a right to the head sat him on the- middle strand of the ropes, m round fifteeen, but Bobby could not keep his faco off those straight lefts so many of which landed that thoy evened up La Sallo 'a scoro for the su-mgs with which he had connected. 1 lie decision for Purdy was well received—it was tho only one possible, but the loser was accorded a heartier ovation as I.c left tho ring than tho winner. A Match for O'Brien. After a lot of negotiations tho Otago Boxing Association has at last fixed upon its first light for the new season, Artie Hay's opponent being Roy O'Brien, a new arrival from Australia. The fight will take place on 18th May. O'Brien has performed well in New South Wales country centres.