BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1926, Page 25

BOXING.

RINGSIDE GOSSIP. "A.«tounrling" is a word that adequately describes the nature of Referee Pick Mcalo's decision in the Chambers--I'urdy contest at the Town Hall on Monday night. T'.iat decision has been the sole topic of conversation wherever fight followers congregated during the week. Many claim that it was a manifest injustice to Pr.rdy. One must confess that it is difficult to arrive at the referee's reasons for awarding the lone end of the purse to Chambers. Hundreds of patrons were of opinion that Purdv won every round, save two, despite the fact that Chambers made a thoroughly meritorious showing. The visitor pleased the crowd. Ho worked hard, and had the local boy extended at times, but he was never his master. It has been said become that Chambers displayed cleaner work and scored more frequently in the in-fighting, but a close watch from the ringside failed to reveal this. Nor is it true that Purdy i-ontented himself with making the visitor miss. Purdy it was ■who repeatediy leaped to the attack. connecting with a lightning left and frequently planting a telling right near the solar plexu?. To many it appeared that nothing short of a knock-out would have made it possible for Chambers to get the nod. Those who favoured the Australian prior to the start of the bout had their confidence shaken early, and as the fight neared its end it was generally accepted that the decision would be either a win for the Aucklander or a draw. Hence there were few more prised than Chambers and his seconds when the verdict was signalised. People who don't follow boxing are prone to imagine that Charlie Purdy is the idol of Auckland fight "fans." That euch is not the case is common knowledge to the fraternity of the squared ring. Indeed, this clever Auckland boy ia always assured of a much warmer reception when performing away from his home town than he is on taking the ring in the Town Hall. More than that, the very large majority of patrons who invariably favour his opponent, no matter ■who he be, appear to be overjoyed when Purdy comes by some misfortune. Should

his glove come unfastened there is an immediate roar of derision. It is apparently imagined by some that he is stalling for time. There is no demonstration ■when Ms opponent's glove-string is found to be dangling. Do the referee ■warn the opponent, the anti-Purdy faction must needs hoot the official. A •warning for Purdy provokes applause! They say it is much the same on the other side of the Tasman, where the •very appearance of Billy Grime is responsible for a great deal of bad feeling. And, strange as it may seem, those ■who dislike Purdy can advance no reason for their prejudice, except, perhaps, that he i≤ "too eie\er and "lias won too many fights." When one has this in mind, it is not difficult to understand why so many in the crowd should roar approval when Purdy's opponent was so unexpectedly given the decision. Pressed for his opinion of the decision, Purdy said he did not like to disagree •with the verdict of a referee, which was final and binding. "But," he said, "I think I won easily. I have won many contests, and I know how I felt at the end of those contests. All I say is this —if I did not beat Les Murray at Wellington, and if I did not beat Billy Chambers, then I can never feel certain of having beaten even a ten-year-old boy, unless I actually make him take the full count.' . However, it will avail nothing to deplore the unfortunate decision of Mr. Meale. Better things had been hoped of him. It is distinctly pleasing to note the new policy of the Northern Boxing Association, under which the committee has power to appoint a referee before each contest. T'-;s is a step in the right direction. It means that the association is not bound to any one official. Purdy has a big programme ahead. On May 24 Tie will meet Salvino Jamito at Wellington. June 14 will find him keeping tryst with the new welter champion, '• Artie " Hay, at Auckland. RingEiders will be disappointed that the title will not be in dispute. At Hastings, on June 24, Purdy will meet Reg. Trowern for the seventh time. Each of these contests will be for a purse of £200. Leo Wax, who failed to make a good impression when he fought Harry Casey at the Town Hall a few weeks ago, is reported to have left for TJ.S.A. Eddie Ross, who claims to be flyweight champion of Western Australia, is in Auckland, hoping that some association will match him. A particularly bright little chap, weighing something under eight stone, Ross has been performing in the ring since six years of age, when ha was on tour with a vaudeville company. Later, he toured the Australian shows, performing in a tent, and for a while, was associated with Eddie Butcher. He has had ten contests, with a purse involved, in Western Australia, eight of which he claims to have won by the knock-out route, and one on points. He was successful at a tournament in Adelaide in 1922. By the short route, he won the flyweight title of "Western Australia in 1923, when he sent C. Jones to the mat at Kellinburrin. In the same year, he successfully defended his title against all comers *t "the Perth Royal Show. He also fagckgd gut a. 10st boy, Dave Jonee.

Ross is hopeful of meeting Fidel la Barba, flyweight champion of the world, when the distinguished citizen of pugdom arrives in New Zealand. Fred Batchelor's Customs Street gymnasium is Ross' headquarters. Mention was made in this column only last week of the publicity stunt 3of George Modrich, lately of Auckland, since his arrival in U.S.A. At the week-end came new s by cable that Modrich had met his Waterloo in an engagement with Tony Fuente, of Arizona. The American knocked Modrich in the fifth of a scheduled ten-round bout, and the Aucklander was sent to hospital, with two broken ribs. Fuente is not listed among the best of Uncle Sam's fighting men, but he was apparently too tall an order for the ambitious Modrich.