HEENEY CONFIDENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 157, 14 April 1928, Page 5

HEENEY CONFIDENT

HIS COMING BOUTS. WILL NOT DISGRACE DOMINION. VALUE OF RUGBY TRAINING. (United Press Association —Copyright). LONDON, April 12. “ I feel certain that I will not disgrace New Zealand,” said Tom Heeney , summing up his prospects of his match with Gene Tunney for the heavyweight boxing championship. Heeney pays a tribute to Tunney s sportsmanship in selecting a foreigner from the three aspirants for the world s title match. He says that Tunney is a 100 per cent, better fighter than the American newspapers think. Heeney’s manager (Mr Bernard Mortimer) is still making efforts to arrange for the match to be held in London, but holds out no prospect of success, owing to the shortage of money and consequent doubts as to whether the match, if held 1 here,, would do more than pay. . . “Tunney’s £160,000 is leaving little for Heeney,” Mr Mortimer said. “Heeney was not appreciated when he left England,, where his indifferent form was due to poor health. The main thing Heeney learned in America was the value of constant training or the strictest kind.” He added: “It has been my life-long ambition to manage a British contestant for the, world’s heavy-weight title. American newspapers recognise Heeney is big, strong and courageous, but do not realise what Rugby football has done for his speed in footwork. It Delaney and Sharkey held on in England the same as they did when fightiiicr against Heeney m America, they would be disqualified 20 times. Heeney looks still more a footballer than a pugilist. He is unscarred, his face showing no trace of his heavy years of fighting.” Heeney and Mr Mortimer sail for America on Wednesday. Heeney came by air from Paris. He fell asleep and passed through three thunderstorms, but did not awaken till reaching Croydon. —Australian Press Association.