THE SQUARED RING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 80, 16 January 1936, Page 7

THE SQUARED RING

MAURICE STRICKLAND. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPION (By "Referee.") A deal has appeared in English newspapers about the arrival in London of the New Zealand heavy-weight boxing champion Maurice Strickland, but little is known of him in the Auckland Province. The following sketch of his career was given recently in a Tlawera journal:— In Maurice Strickland, New Zealand has the ideal cut of a world's champion. Born 22 years ago in Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, he is 6ft Hin. weighs 13.3, a chest of 44in, a neck of 17in, a reach of 74£in and to cap these beautiful measurements he has the best pair of arms (for a boxer) I have ever seen. He comes from the right stock, too. Many old sports will remembered his dad, W. J. Strickland (Barlow), who some 30 years ago was the amateur champion of New Zealand over 220 and 440 yards, a very good three-quarter, in fact, a good all-rounder. Unfortunately, Morrie and his three brothers have known "Barlow" only as a sick man. * Strickland's Career. The boys have stuck together, stuck to their parents and kept the home fires burning. Morrie's brothers could all "scrap," and even now Morrie has a great respect for his brother Les. Well, so much for the family record. Now let us look over Maurice Strickland's record. He has been boxing for about five years.' In 1932 he won the amateur middle-weight championship of Wellington. In 1032 he won both the light-heavy and the heavy-weight championships of Wellington and the heavy-weight championship of New Zealand.

After a time he turned professional and went to Sydney, where he had seven fights, winning them all—six by .the k.o. Since coming back to New Zealand, he has had eleven fights, of which he has won nine, six by the k.o. and lost two on points.

His fight with Ambrose Palmer in Invercargill will never be forgotten by those who were privileged to see it. Palmer throughout the ten founds was most respectful. Had he known it, he could not hay.e lost, for Strickland had not a million to one chance of beating him on points (owing to .Palmer's experience) and as he had hurt his good right hand a few days before the fight he had no show of winning by the k.o.

However, everyone in that bumper house was thoroughly satisfied, judging by the splendid ovation they gave both men as they left the ring. His next fight was with Ray Nicol for the New Zealand heavy-weight championship, which he won in twelve rounds by the k.o.

This Defeat of Foord. After the main event at the Wembley boxing on October 8, several people tried to find young Maurice Strickland from New Zealand, to shake him by the hand (states a writer in "The Daily Mail")- They searched for him in vain. Instead of exhibiting himself proudly alter his workmanlike defeat of Ben F oord—who, after all, is no duffer at the fight game—Strickland hid himself away in the furthermost part of the hall. . , , There he sat with his wile, delighted, but a trifle scared by success. ' He is a retiring young man, disarmingly modest. He was rather overawed at fighting in such a big arena before many thousands', and on his own admission, felt a bit nervous in the ring —though only at first.