WORLD TITLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 111, 13 May 1938, Page 9

WORLD TITLE.

BOXER'S AIM.

STRICKLAND RETURNS.

HOLIDAY IN DOMINION.

PRAISE FOR N.Z. AMATEURS

Listed unobtrusively in the Monterey'e passenger liet as "Mr. H. Strickland," Maurice Strickland, New Zealand's ace professional heavy-weight boxer, nearly landed to-day in Auckland unobserved. He was not trying to escape publicity, however—the "Maurice" is hfe second name. He will leave this evening for Wellington, and in a fortnight's time will return to the United States. He expeote to have a match for the •world heavy-weight title in about a year's time. "I will be away about two years longer," he said, "boxing about Detroit. Jack Kearns, who used to manage Jaok Denipeey, has now an interest in my contract, and I expect to have a match with Eoecoe Tolee eoon after I return. I will probably get a chance at the ■world title in about a year's time, after I have had a number of fights about Detroit and built up." Fifth in World. Since Strickland left New Zealand under the managership of Mr. "Billy" Crawford three yeare ago, he has established himself as one of the outstanding Jieavy-weighte of the world, and it is interesting that a few months ago Hype Igoe, the leading Kew York boxing critic, listed him in fifth position in ■world grading, below Louie, Schmeling, Baer and Farr. Strickland was brought into prominence laet year when he obtained a verdict, on a foul, over Gunar Baerlund, the Finnish heavy-weight. He expects to climb further up the grade in a return match with Baerlund, which he hopes will be arranged soon after his return. He is sure that he can beat him. He ihopee also to have a return match with Antiro Godoy, the Sbuth American, whom he fought to a draw in the New York Hippodrome. Prominent critics {rave him the verdict in his last match, and ae Godoy recently knocked out Baer, he ie hopeful that this will clear the way for a championship match.

That meeting with Godoy, by the way, he lists as the hardest battle he hae had so far.

"What a punch that man has," he said. "However, I got a draw with him, and I was credited with a win by a number of the critics. There was a lot of betting on the match, and they were betting 8 to 1 that he would stop me. As sometimes happens in those cases, you have got a pretty hard job to win. They will try all eorte of things to equare. off. Apart from that sort of thing, the Americans are very failthough, and they give you a great -hand." "Title Won't Leave U.S." The heavy-weight championship would never leave America, he said, not because an outsider -would not be allowed to win it, but because he would be foolish to take it outside when he could make a fortune with it in the States.

Another hard battle in which Strickland had been unlucky not to get the decision on points was against Nathan Mann, whom the betting men were backing 6 to 1 to beat him.

Speaking of the way voting boxers were coached and shepherded in* the United States if they showed prospects of reaching the top ranks, Strickland paid a tribute to New Zealand amateurs.

"I would like to spend about six months here, looking round the boys and taking back one or two of them to the States... From what I know of the New Zealand amateurs I can eay that they ere as good as anything I have eeen anywhere. They are as fast and they have more stamina, generally speaking, than the American amateurs."

He urged that 15-round fights, in which Xew Zealand amateurs often took part, were too much for the boys and "burned them out." They were fighting too much on their hearts. American amateurs whom he had seen were tired after six round*, but they fought very fast tattles. Fifteen-round matches were a mistake. He had not fought more than a 12-round fight since he went overseas. On this visit Strickland is accompanied by his wife and email son, Jackie.