MORALS OF BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 103, 4 May 1925, Page 3

MORALS OF BOXING.

MAKING YOUTHS BETTER MEN.! CLEAN LIVING AND SELF CONTROL. GROW IN":"; POP! I.ARITV. De.-I>';ti- the criticisms levelled at it by prejudiced people who do not understand or appreciate the sport, boxing is undoubtedly "rowing- in popular favour in Xew Zealand, and is fast coming to lie recognised as one of the Dominion's principal sports, with the result that a strong moral inlluence for pood is being e\ercised rm the youth of tho country. Tli« fact that Xew Zealand vent a boxer to the Olympic Games lust year went, to j prove that boxing was not looked upon' a- a spun for degenerates. Vet there an-1 | hundreds of pc . de—oxclud-ng dear old ! Indies, who would bo liorrilied at llic Light of ii lieulthv youngsier s-l rii.(.i-rl | | for action -who 'delight, t,, eomlenm boxing and all a—ocintm. wilh il. They j luso the word "brutality"' very freely, | land apparently reirnrd bovine, much as | they would the gladiatorial contest-- of! pagan Rome. That ii could be. and i=- I v liL means of exorcise fur a ( lirUl iun i [gentleman they would mil -.'rant, for one j moment yet an Anglican Naval chaplain once held* the lightweight championship ) of the Brilish Navy. \'ery often llioso, I who condemn the-sport have formed their rush judgment solely on the bearing ami behaviour of the parasite, the hanger-on, wlio is almost invariably to lie found wherever boxing is taught, except, of course, in 'in- secondary school-, where there are no loafers. The hanger-on lias brought tli-credit on the sport for many years. Nine limes out of ten he is physically unlit, and temperamentally indisposed to lake an active part, in the sport which he professes to follow. In direct, contrast with this stamp of youth is tin clean living lad that figures in the ring. Herein is an aspect of the sport that should considerably modify tlie existing prejudice. Above All For Fitness. The Xew Zealnnder - like all colonials —has a natural love for coming mil on top. It is his nature In strive to excel and in boxing he finds a sport where the best man must win, all tilings being I equal. Rewards! there are few for the I amateur in this country. Scores of lamateurs iv Auckland nnd elsewhere have spent much lime and long boor-; in have never won v championship initial, while I'ie trophy presented to winners at tournaments j- of such a uoiiiiuui value that ii may be conceded at once thai, there can lie no suggestion thai n New Zealand boy ever take- up-boxing as a means to wealth, oiib-ss lie has Comparatively few. in point of fact. Ik mi- profossinmi!-. tin- grcal majority game lor the game'- -like. And among this great majority, who enjoy :i spoil untarnished by sclli-h love of gain, tinto be found sterling fellows wb,. willingly tread the rugged path of discipline and -elf denial, puss through <he -htulowy valley of hard work and patience, and climb alone the sleeps of endurance ore they emerge on tip- sitnli; peak to perform before a critical and not always, overkind public. Necessity of Clean Life. From tin- start I lie boxer lias a paramount lesson to learn liiat lie nui-.-t be clean, morally and physically. Half measures spell defeat. The cigarette must go; alcohol in any form is aiialLotim; Ihe boxer's life must be well ordered, witli regular hours ami sullicient sleep, and a strictly regulated scheme of exercise, apart from sparring. It will avail the boxer little or nothing in act the hypocrite, po-ing as a clean-living boy before his fellows and indulging himself in private, for the ring proves a man to ihe utmost, and no base metal will pass. The one passport to success is clean living and hard work, and so it follows that the community where boxing in popular is leavened with young men who. in suppressing the devices and desires of their own hearts, strive to make themselves physically lit. lo the uplifting ~t th- general tone of life and conduct. This is a phase of boxing which some people positively refuse to sec in their ignorant bigotry. Self-defence und the mastery of the art are but a secondary mot ive with a great many New Xouluiulor- who take up J boxing. They have but one goal in 1 prospect physical litness. This class of amateur is never seen, stive by bis friends, for lie dees not care to appear in public, but linds bis reward in Ihe improvement of bis body and mind. Fur ihe mind does improve as the body becomes stronger and more perfectly developed, lv ihe ring, eye, brain, and hands' hum work together, with tlie utmost alertness. It is the sluggard Who goes in tbe canvas. And the sluggard is the man who is unfit. Tlie iie.ielit ! received from the clean, wholesome trainling for the ring must prove beneficial in | after life Boxing a- a spurt and j exercise has no eipinl and needs no npologv. It KUli'or" from tbe past. Mo/i useil to light in v crude way. ju-t u--1 they did other thing crudely: but the sport lias changed with each general out. lt has grown from the murderous -» iliet of the en est us up through tbe "lire knuckled days to the 'oiculilio cnjc-l of brains and skill of the prc-ciit da\. Tweutv years ago boxing "as almost unknown except in Urili-h countries .in.l tin- Initcd States of America I o-dm i, is popular in v n, ;;", cv " I ';'; I | i ;'"'- 1 1 /:;.;;;;; slovakilr"':^^-"^' l f: "'"'"'- corners of the world.