BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 21

BOXING.

RINGSIDE GOSSIP. It was rather a pity that the Northern Boxing Association's special entertainment fur the men uf the Imperial Service Squadron ou Tuesday night was not made mure public, since the scats in the Town Hall were by no means fully occupied. With a view to making the evening a success, the N.B.A. voted the sum of £50 for trophies. This was a commendable action, since amateurs are too often required to perform without any reward. The Naval men thoroughly appreciated it. All the bouts were conducted under Imperial Service rules, and officers of tiie squadron assisted in the judging and refereeing. Bluejackets and Marines are run! sportsmen, as tbey proved by their applause when any of the local amateurs was given the decision over a man from the squadron. There were outbursts of enthusiasm whenever a popular boxer from the squadron entered the ring, the man's own particular mess mates invariably raising a great shout. On the whole the standard of lioxing seen at the Town Hall was well up to the standard general in Auckland, though one or two contests were tame. Three Auckland amateurs, Mac-I_aren, O'Niillivan aud Bowden were given the award over Naval men, and in each case the win was thoroughly deserved. Milne, of Eugene Donovan's school, fought very pluckily against an experienced ex-champion. .leal, of the Repulse, and fully merited the cheers which were accorded him by the sailors. They know a good boy when they see one. Taylor, who is well-known locally, made a great fight of it when matched with Boy (Ist class) Bickle. An extra round was ordered, and in this the little chap from the Hood gave a splendid account of himself. It was the 'best bout of the night. * In connection with Tuesday's entertainment, two performances are of special interest to local enthusiasts — those of MacLaren and Bowden. The first-named, who came into prominence when he was given the nod over Reg Trowern on the occasion of his first public appearance, met Harold of the Repulse, a good boxer. Needless to say, MacLaren did not win easily, but he earned every point. This young boxer, who is fulfilling all his earlier promise, is steadily improving under the tutelage of Fred Batchelor, and he certainly looks like this year's feather-weight champion. Bowden, a newcomer, boxed well for a novice and, like MacLaren, punched with great power. If he can overcome a certain cramped characteristic he should do well in the game. j. f. w. mclaren is the very promising young amateur who has been doing 60 well in recent, boxing carnivals in Auckland. His experience of the pugilistic art has been of the shortest, and what he knows has been absorbed . within the last six weeks, under the instruction of F. Batchelor, the local gym. instructor, McLaren first came into prominence by defeating the fast and clever Trowern. whose skill is known to Auckland entnusiasts. since : then he has won his other two fights, one against a local boy, and the last igainst a clever naval boy, in the Town Hall this week. Tbat he can punch hard was shown in his latest encounter, when he dropped the sailor boy in the -eeond round, and McLaren's sportman_hip wns also in evidence, when he stood off and made no attempt to finish .fl his groggy opponent as the latter staggered to his feet. McLaren is the best stamp of amateur boxer—would there were more like him. Southern wr:ters have had quite a lot to say of late regarding the decalence of boxing—or, more properly, its Uleged decadence. And, what makes it interesting to Aucklanders, is that they have dragged in, by the heels as it were", tho name of < harlie Purdy. They refer to the Olympic representative as the best exponent of the "real art of boxing" Sew Zealand has had for some years. Bravo! We are glad to hear them say so. The question is asked as to how many "fans" to-day can remember Jack Dowridge, the wonderful Queensland featherweight, whose father was one of the old Mace school. What a match Purdy and Dowridge would have made, i had tbey been contemporaries! For it. | must be remembered that, if Dowridge ! had ancestors of the battling school. Purdy can claim the same hereditary I bias towards the fight game. Auck- ! landers who have lived long in the city of the North may remember Charles Purdy. senior, grandfather of tbe young champion. Mr. Purdy is well on in'years now, but in his prime he was a lusty fellow, with a useful pair of hands, and it is said that he never received the! ivorst of it in any of the forcible argu- | nients which were a feature of the "good old days" in Auckland town. Nor reputation earned by Mr. Purdy, father of the champion, any the less creditable, ' as regards physical prowess, and though neither ever entered the ring to show I his skill. Purdy, New Zealand's "hope" for Olympic honours, must thank them for vigorous instincts and a lively interest in matters pugilistic. There have been times when Purdy's subtle artistry in defence, and adroitness in attack, . have been too much for the uncultivated tastes of the gallery "fan." and he has failed to appeal. What the galleryite .-anted was something of the slap-bang- . biff variety—in a word, "stoueh." But Purdy deals not in such tactics, though, on one occasion at least, when Billy Barnes roughed him round the ring at Napier last July, he might well have brought them into play. So it is that because Purdy is scientific rather than strong, and a will-o'-the-wisp rather than a knock out specialist, there is still many an Auckland patron who, loving the sound of glove on body as it slams home, the more often tbe more to bis liking, will call loudly for young Purdy's blood, and voice the unpatriotic hope that in the great arena at Paris, with the eyes of the world upon him, Auckland's feather champion will meet defeat. But the wise old birds, who have seen the lads in other lands, sit quietly by I md say little. J