BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 25

BOXING.

RINGSIDE GOSSIP. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. "Wager": (1) Purdy has only met Mike Flynn on one occasion, and then at the Auckland Town Hall. Never at Hamilton. (2) With regard to the colour question, the New Orleans negro heavyweight, Harry Wills, has been challenging Jack Dempsey for tho past three years. It was recently stated that Wills despaired of ever meeting Dempsey, owing to his consistent evasion. Those who hold that Charlie Purdy will never get far in the game till he develops a punch worthy of the name were not surprised at the cabled news that the 10-year-old Aucklander had done no better than to fight a draw over 20 rounds with Jimmy Allen, at the Sydney Stadium, on Saturday night. Reading between the lines in the brief cable message, it seems that Allen wns by no means a hard opponent, and by reason of tho fact that the Sydney crowd counted both opponents out, it would appear that the fight was" not sufficiently thrilling to satisfy the critical Australians. Evidently Pirrdy would have performed to better advantage had he been matched against a more brilliant man, but even then it is doubtful if he would have provided the kind of contest that is so dear to the Australian ring follower's heart. Cleverness alone does not meet with much appreciation. The truth of that assertion was shown by tho fact that Hughie Dwyer was not considered an attractive fighter, and he could hit considerably harder than Purdy. However, Purdy has been matched again, and to-night, at Brisbane, he is to meet another Australian opponent, if a cable received earlier in the week be true. The result of this second engagement will be awaited with more than ordinary interest. On Monday and Tuesday evenings, next week, the Auckland provincial amateur championships will be contested in the Town Hall. Numerically tho entries are not as largo as those received last year, though a satisfactory number of .amateurs is expected from country centres. With a view to raising the standard of boxing in the province, the president of the Northern Boxing Association (Mr. E. A. Craig) has presented a trophy, valued at lOgns, for the most scientific boxer at the championships. Auckland supporters are keen followers of good amateur bouts, and tho Town Hall will probably be well filled at each session.