BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 301, 22 December 1923, Page 8 (Supplement)

BOXING.

RINGSIDE GOSSIP. Every Aucklander interested in the sport learned with the utmost satisfaction that the City Council had rescinded its resolution regarding the ban on boxing in the Town Hall. The action taken by the City Fathers should conI stitute a grave warning to all who attend ; future contests. There is a certain section of the crowd at local boxing gatherings which delight* in makin; an |unnecessary noise—a section whic';i is Iby no means a help to the sport. T':c;e .individuals, w.ho pay very little for their seats, are convinced in their own minds jthat they keep boxin_ alive, anl that they are entitled to behave as V.'ey ;please, by reason of this. Nothing is jmore fallacious. Indeed, if tbe c noisemongers were excluded from all future gatherings, boxing would occupy a higher position in the regard of many | good people who are a little too prope to l.judge the merits of the sport by its least creditable side. At the "same time, it may reasonably be hoped that the N.B.A. can be relied upon to keep future assemblies in order, ti prevent smoking, and to impose such condition •• as will ensure the safeguarding of publiu property. The "fans" have the matter in their own hands, since they must realise that a repetition of what occurred on the occasion of the VolaireSmith fight will result in the mnrrin. of their own amusement, perhaps permanently, as the City Council could not be expected to view any further mis demeanours with the same leniency as ■lias been displayed in this instance. The date for the next Auckland contest has been peneille I as January 28. It is probable that Les Murray, lightweight champion of New Zealand, anl the . American-AustraJian-Hebrew, llarrv Stone. will le the contestants in the big bout. This should be a great draw. It is announced that Stone and E'J-ene Volaire will probably meet at Wellington some time in January, although nothiii- is definite as vet. "This is the best part of t!ie boxing frame," remarked big Jim O'Sullivan, exheavyweight champion of New Zealand, as he stood under the shower the otiier morning with the water sprayins over the rippling muscles of his broad back. O'Sullivan had just finished his 36 minutes of training at the Victoria Street gymnasium which has been his j headquarters since the Customs Street i saloon changed hands some months ago. i'T'm putting on weight—ooch—go about 13st 101b now (splash splash) and feel better than I've ever done before," he continued between gurgles, and then submitted himself to the skilled minstrq.tions of Charlie Dwyer, who rubbed in cool-looking oil with much gusto. Big Jim appears to be as fit as he feels, and if the Dominion heavy-weight title does not change hands again at Palmerston North on Boxing Nig!;t there I will be many disappointel "fans," both in the capital of the Manawatu and elsewhere. Big Joe Plamus, who has • improved under the tutelage of Jack I Howard, has been O'Sullivan's chief 6parIring partner, and the ex-champion has not spared him, _o that their frequent spar.nng bouts have been willing to a degree. Few boxers in New Zealand train | intensively with the same ease as does lO'Sulljvan, who works hard and conscientiously, jet seldom tires. He can sustain a big strain with ease. It will be remembered that he was still fre-li at the end of his gruelling fiaht with Tom Heeney at the Town Hall in September. Few who know him well doubt that he will again deprive Heenev of his crown on Wednesday night, since Big Jim has improved his powerful left, and has increased wonderfully in abilit • by reason of nearly four months of hard and continuous training. Clarrie Blackburn and Larry Lasher, Aucklanders both, meet at Taumarunui j to-night. Five fights, one draw, four j losses is Blackburn's New Zealand record. Although Lasher will take all I that Blackburn can give him and return lit tellingly, there is reason to believe I that the last-named will be able to dot | the "i" in win after to-night's battle, j Commenting on Les. Murray's recent j victory at Wellington, the "Post's" welljknown critic, "Milo," says: "When the 'popular little French lightweight, | Eugene Volaire. was disqualified by Mr. 'Earl Stewart for hitting Murray below ithe waistline, the audience was so taken by surprise that for some seconds it could not appreciate what had actually happened. From the point of view of the boxers, the public, and, in fact, everyone concerned, the whole incident was most regrettable, primarily because it marred what had been an interesting and cleanly-fought battle between two of the best men that have ever taken the ring in Wellington. Murray, at 9st 10_lb, was two pounds lighter than Volaire. and up till the twelfth round, when the referee intervened, the lightweight champion was leading on points. Throughout the bout the New Zealander had shown a decided tendency to leap off both feet to avoid the punches of his opponent, and it was while executing this ever-dangerous manoeuvre that he stopped a right swing below the belt. Had he not lifted his body upwards it is almost a certainty that the blow, though perhaps hurting him, qtiite as much as actually was the case, would ! have been perfectly legitimate. In view of this it seems a harsh judgment that ! the Frenchman should be disqualified I for a foul to which Murray contributed ! almost 50 per cent." Harry May. who deprived Jock flra|ham of his welterweight crown at Invericargill last week, has taken up residence iin Southland, we are informed, and docs 'not expect to return to Auckland for quite a time. j Jock Graham has decided that, since he has lost his crown, he will take it easy for six months. While training for his fight with Harry May he injured his right hand during the course of a sparring bout with Larry Lasher, and his hand was very sore during the contest. Graham says he had to use his left, and let his right come into action at infrequent intervals. 1 n these circumstances it was impossible to win. although he cut May pretty badly with his left. The hand is still swollen, but Graham anticipates that in six months' time he will be able to "come back" successfully. At the recent Pukekohe tournament XV. Elliott heat the flyweight l'ostle.waite. Milne was previously given the J verdict for this victory in error.