BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 22, 26 January 1924, Page 21

BOXING.

RINGSIDE GOSSIP.

tf Brian MeCleary ''ad heard the boxing critics talking about him in Phristehiirch the other niglit 'he might Save blusOied—if gentlemen of the ring ever do blush. Tile writer was chatting with several newspapermen of the Cathedral City who aro responsible to their rospeitive journals for boxing news, and conversation got round to Brian MeOeary. All the Christeimrch men averred that Hceney could never heat him on points, and that on the occasion of tlieir last meeting the big Oisbornite would never have ksyoed MoCleary ; iind it not been for the fact that, the Canterbury man had. only a few days before, left his bed after a severe attack of influenza. Of cour.-c, ;ill this is old talk, or MeCleary was ever the idol of the Christchuroh boxing public. But even now they won't adroit down there that Ileeney is a better man than McCleary. When the Auckland man had the audacity to say that, judging by his knowledge of the style of"bcth men, the scribes of Olrristchurch laughed ill scorn. Apparently, though it has been announced that MeCleary has forsaken the hempen square for ever, it may Romedny happen that a big audience will see him enter the ring. Enthusiasts are willing to wager down there tliat he would beat Heeney, or O'Snllivan, or anyone in New Zealand. This should suit Hceney, who will languish for want of a light—we nearly said purse! —unless someone better than those he lias met in New Zealand so far comes into the picture. •Spirited boxing should be -witnessed in Sydney and Melbourne this year. !?ome line boxers from overseae are promised- -Tee Burnam, one of the be.;t hantunis in tiie world, will sail for Australia from Francisco this month. He will lie accompanied by Eddie Anderson, featherweight, who i,as been lisjhtin;: in the front ranks in the U.S.A. Further. Earl France, light-weight, will arrive from America at the end of February. Then Joe Fox, featherweight champion of England, who fought Eugeuc Criqui in a desperate contest of \- rounds, will be on his way to Australia in a few weeks. Those, sporting scribes in England are nothing if not candid. Here's what they "nave to say about Frank Ooddard, who won on a foul from Jack Bloomfield in the second round of their bout for the heavyweight championship of England:—"Well, we have got our new heavyweight champion, and it is to be hoped we like him, though in less than common justiec to (ioddard we have to say that he was too bad to be true/ That is only one impression, but it typical of tiio general opinion. The Taranaki light-heavy-weight, Allan Mills, throws down the gauntlet to any amateur in the country, and would not refuse a i-banee to take the no'l over either Chris. McKau or the last mentioned's recent conqueror, McCorinick, the title-holder. Although arrangements were not definite when these notes went, to press it was anticipated that the next carnival under the aegis of the Northern Boxing Association would be held in the Town Hall on February -li, when the major attraction is to be a tifteen-round contest between Harry May, welterweight champion, formerly of Auckland, and now of Invercargill, and Larry Lasher, the tougll Australian welterweight, wiio fought a draw with flarrio Blackburn in December. The association h.as met with several difficulties in comling- to a decision, and there is a suggestion that even now the prepared programme may liavo to be altered. Jn an endeavour to provide a bill-of-farc surpassing, if anything, the excellence of the usual X.B.A. programme, the association hopes that Purdy and Troweru, jot Whangarci, will meet in a special l>out: hi \ievr of the publicity which l'urdy has been given in regard to his claims to represent New Zealand at tie Olympic (James, Auckland enthusiasts will welcome the opportunity of teeing the brilliant young feather-weight in action. Not since lie returned from I .Melbourne with his thrice-earned Australasian title lias he figured in a Town I Half contest, which should make hia reappearance the more popular- Trowcrn, I who U an impressively promising lad. should make trie champion go his hardjcol, iuid if the contest eventuates the j'faiW are assured of a steiling encounter. Armishaw, the clever Auckland j light-weight, who has been showing sum .'consistent improvement, during ti.e last !fe\v months, will be among t.ic uon jtestants in the preliminaries, i tvi Jim Jelfries is goin;; n> show ' Firpo how to whip .lack Dnmpsey. Tlint '■ means, of course, thai Jeffries needs : money. He says he is to receive i 73,000 dollars for hi< work. You can i split that several times. Kirpo would i just as soon give Up his two eyes as ! 7.">.000 dollars. If Jeffries* could absolutely guarantee to teach Firpo how to whip Ilempsey 7.">,000 dollar, would jbe little enough to pay him. But J Jeffries ean'l guarantee that. Nobody I can. not even Tommy Ryan, who showed I Jeffries how to whip Fit/.simniona. Firpo. so Billy Nolan sayß. is a slugger; 'a very, very awkward sort of slugger, i and a plain slujigt'i , cannot be taught ! cleverness. The only thing a good ! teacher could say to Firpo would be: I "(Jo in and slug as bard as yuu can.' , ;He already does that. i The crazy Siki is running wild in j New York and i= f iirnishing copy tor J the newspapers. Hut h«'s not doing boxj ing any good. Just imagine q. person j who doesn"t know much about boxers [walking alonz Fifth Areuiic or Broadway and seeing a black mnii on a corner screaming and jumping around. The person, naturally, will ask who the fellowis. Somebody will furnish the information that it's Siki, the prize-fighter. The idea will thus be planted in that person's mind, to be spread in the minds of others, that all prize fighters are that way. The public in general doesn't care much what ISiki does. If he violates the law he will be placed in gaol. But the boxers, and those connected with boxing, the persons who arc always talking about '"elevating the game." , should care—and care a lot. Siki has demonstrated in America, as he did in Europe, that he is Dot much more than a monkey, and a monkey, of course, shouldn't be running loose in a big city.