BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 21

BOXING.

RINGSIDE GOSSIP. "Shorty" Woodward who recently left Napier for Sydney, fell out of favour with Lady X/UCk on his arrival, being bitten on the arm by a poisonous ; spider. After four weeks in blanket- j land he is reported to be doing light j work again. j Nutty Fairhall, an Aussie light- I weight, who was recently making things hum in the Commonwealth, is in New Zealand looking for fights. Louis Firpo, the sensational heavyweight from the Argentine, is the boxer of the moment since his defeat of Brennan, who was looked upon as one of the most formidable contenders for the world's title. Of the high-bred Castilian type, his square jaw, bold dark eyes, set in a pale face, crowned with curly black hair, and a giant-like body contribute to his sti iking appearance. He weighs 21551b. Business people of Buenos Aires have named collars, ties, socks and cocktails after Firpo. He* is the rage. Now that he lias beaten Brennan lie will certainly get a chance with Dempsey, for he has completely gripped tie public imagination. Talking of Firpo, an Interesting paragraph was published in a San Francisco paper recently, when the Associated Press forwarded a message to the effect that Bill Brennan, of Chicago, heavyweight pugilist, long known as a trial horse for lighters aspiring to a. bout with champion Jack Dempsey, was "through with the ring game"." The announcement was made hy Joseph J. Jacob, Brennan's solicitor, when he was being interviewed about a summons against the Mail and Express Company, publishers of the New York "Evening Mail," filed on behalf of Brcunan. Jacobs said Brennan was suing the "Evening Mail" for publication of an article charging he "laid down" in his recent bout with Louis Angel Firpo. xVrthur Chambers, once lightweight champion of the world and hero of the longest battle with bare knuckles in the history of the squared circle, died on April 9 at a Philadelphia Hospital. Seventy-five years of uge, the veteran was etrieken with paralysis 6evcral weeks before his death. Chambers was widely known to followers of the professional boxing ring. When the late Marquis of Queensbury decided to formulate rules calculated to elevate the sport he consulted Chambers, and their joint efforts resulted in the regulations under which boxing contests are now held. Chambers won "the lightweight title from Johnny Clark, who recently died at Atlantic City, in 136 rounds, the longest bout ever staged. The fight took place in 1879 in Canada, nnd was under tho old London rules, when a knoek-<lown counted as a round. Ponderous Jess Willard, ex-world's champion, has again come into the limelight by his defeat of Floyd Johnson, the much-vaunted tighter, who claims M> victories, 38 of which were per medium of the knock-out. The bulky champion, weghiug 17 stone 101b, which ia, 101b heavier than lie was on the occasion of liis fight with Dempsey, that lost him the title in July, 1019, must have rocked Johnson pretty hard, but if the projected fight with Dempsey eventuates, the cables will probably tell a different story. Willard is approaching the age when the mantle of retirement should be close drawn about his massive shoulders, for the records show him to be 39, although 'he stoutly declares that he is only 3G. Tho State law prevents men over tho age of 38 from boxing in Xew York. v Of Fred Hansen's recent victory at Napier, over Paul Hannah, that severe critic "Uppercut," of the "Napier Daily ; Telegraph," states: "There is no doubt i that when it came to actual lighting Hansen was his master all the way, I but where pure boxing was concerned well the Aucklander was given a boxing lesson. Had Hannah boxed all the way ho must have piled up a lot of points, but he made the mistake of lighting when he was not in a condition to go ten solid rounds." The result of the light between Clarrie Blackburn (Green Lane) and Paul Domsky (Queensland) can only be taken as an indication that the local lad is as good as the average run of New Zealand light-weights. Demsky is no "dub"' when he is fully extended*, nnd the fact that the winner was to meet champion Los Murray ("invercargill) would ensure fast going over the fifteen rounds. The contest was one of the best seen in the Capital City for some years. Lot us hope that Clarrie will yet have an opportunity of trying conclusions with the southerner, despite the iaot that the "Southland Times" scribe would prefer a Murray-Demsky clash. Writing tills week, Jlughie Dwyer has a good deal to say concerning his defeat l>y Collins. The letter, as under, will no doubt prove interesting reading: "Well. I have boon knocked out at last, but I have my own self to blame, i' threw fight in tho air in the 18th round. I tiad been giving Collins such a boxing lesson and a hiding that I became carcass and forgot that I was in a fight, just the same as Carpenticr did. I started at .'! to 1 on. and in the IOtH round I was loading 10 io 1 on in the Vttinpr. so you can just think for yoursplf how 1 was loading, and I was as *resli as a dai.-y. It is just one of those dinars which only happens for the 'beat, »iid it will do mc a world of good. It will make mc take a little more interest in the fights in the. future. You will no doubt he surprised to learn that I don't intend to fight again in this country. 1 am leaving for a world tour about the *i)d of June, first stop Xew York. lam going after the world's lightweight "••own, and, of course, Us. d. From America I intend to go to France, Ireland. England, and Xew Zealand, then home. That ie my intention just now."

r» 1.. M-Gregor Douglas McGregor, the genial prfinident of the Carlton Bowling Club is know n throughout the Dominion as a fine sportsmanlike bowler, and possesses the best qualities of a Scotchman. Endowed with great tact and "" aa/l nillMT a shrewd brain his assistance to the club as a business man is invaluable.