BROWN COMES HOME.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 142, 18 June 1929, Page 14

BROWN COMES HOME.

HAMILTON BOXER MAKES GOOD. SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN- TRIP. TWENTY-FIVE VICTORIES. A New Zealand boxer who went to America and made good is Bert Brown. Of thirty lights he lost only four, while one was drawn. Brown arrived from Vancouver yesterday afternoon on a three months' holiday visit to his people in Hamilton. Twenty-five years of age, Brown has come through his many ring battles unsearred. A slight flattening of the nose suggests that that organ stopped at least one good punch, but as a matter of fact it is the result of a kick from a horse, an accident that happened many years before Brown turned his attention to the glove game. As modest as they mako them, Brown is a most pleasing fellow to talk to. Brown made his first ring appearance in an exhibition bout at Hamilton in 192U, but it was not until the following year that he put his real heart into the game. In 19 - i4 he turned professional, and in the same year won the New Zealand professional feather-weight title by beating George Curran. Brown defended his title several times before leaving for America, in June, 1925, his last Auckland appearance being against Cyril McCarthy, whom he dropped in seven rounds, and his last New Zealand tight against Lin Robinson, whom he beat at Wairoa. When he arrived on the other side of the Atlantic, Brown wisely decided that deeds were better than words, and lost no time in proving his metal. His first three or four fights were only preliminary affairs, but after that he was able to get main bouts, r-hiefly of ten rounds. As above stated, Brown won 23 of his ring engagements, lost four times and drew once. His record shows five victories by the short route. Brown fought in both Canada and the United States, most of his engagements being in eastern j towns, although he also had bouts in j both New York and Montreal. "Well, I don't know. I fought a lot of good men," smiled Brown, when asked who was the best man he had met. Among those he beat were Bobby Garcia, who was too good for Australian Billy Grime, and Vic Foley, the bantamweight champion of Canada, who took a win from Doc Snell. In most of his fights Brown fought at the junior lightweight limit, l-'JOlb. Brown speaks highly of the American fight fans. "The crowds are well behaved and the Americans are good sports. A fighter couldn't wish for anything better," he said. Concerning the American referees, Brown said that they made the fighters go hard from gong to gong. Although primarily in New Zealand for a well-earned holiday, Brown expects to get into at least once or twice in this country. The Manawatu Boxing Association have first call on his services, Gillespie, of Victoria, either 011 July 10 and it is likely that he will meet Norman or July 24. From New Zealand Brown 1 will return to America and Canada, with the hope of adding more scalps to his belt. It is his intention this time to do more fighting in the cities along the Atlantic seaboard.