Frantic Search, Then BOXER LOSES BECAUSE HIS HANDS TOO BIG

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 20

Frantic Search, Then BOXER LOSES BECAUSE HIS HANDS TOO BIG

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) KINGSTON. The New Zealand heavy-weight, W. Kini, is assured of his second Commonwealth Games medal—because a boxing glove would not fit.

He was awarded the decision without having to throw a single punch when his opponent, the Oxford University blue and economics graduate, J. B. H. Coker, could not squeeze his oversized hands into the gloves provided by the local organising committee.

It was one of the most peculiar decisions in the history of boxing. Coker, the British universities champion, played as a winger in Dublin against the 1963-64 All Blacks. He went to the ringside and explained his predicament to officials after the bout had been postponed until the end of the night's programme while frantic efforts were made to make the gloves fit. Kini was instructed to enter the ring, dressed to fight and complete with gloves. Coker remained outside the ring. Formal Announcement The scoring cards of five judges were formally collected by the referee and then it was announced from the ring that Kini had been awarded the decision as a “walk-over," No reason for the decision was given to the spectators. Colonel R. H. Russell, president of the International Amateur Boxing Association and also president of the jury of appeal for the games in Kingston, said that because the gloves would not fit Coker's hand he could not present himself “properlydressed to fight.” Accordingly the bout had been awarded to Kini who was, “properly dressed to fight.” Coker, a member of the Sierra Leone team, who has become a firm friend of several of the New Zealanders in Kingston, was bitter about the decision when interviewed in the dressing room. “Inefficiency” He described it as “plainly ridiculous.” It had been a case of “inefficiency all the way to the last degree.” Coker,, who has been in England since he was nine | and is the Midlands amateur; heavy-weight champion, said that he had never before had any trouble getting his hands into the regulation size, glove. But. he thought it was stu-i pid to expect heavy-weights at the games to fit into the same gloves as the fly-weights. He had been preparing for; the game for the past three months and was “very disappointed” at the decision. Team's Only Hope Mr G. Richards, boxing coach in the Sierra Leone team, said that Coker had been his only hope for a gold medal. He confirmed that there had never before been any difficulty in "gloving” Coker. He said he would lodge a protest on the grounds that! the organising committee' should have provided gloves of sufficient size to fit the boxers competing at the games. Mr R. Dunn, boxing section manager in the New Zealand team, said it was “hard luck” Lon Coker, but thought it was the only decision that

could be made under the circumstances. One official had suggested to him that a special bout between the pair be arranged for Thursday night but he had been unable to agree to that. “We didn’t claim the decision. It was entirely a matter for the officials,” he said. Mr Dunn said that he could recall similar incidents in Wellington and he had read of it overseas. One instance he could remember involved the New Zealand heavy-weight professional champion, D. Mullett

Kini's immediate reaction was one of disappointment > over another delay in having ■ his first fight at Kingston. I Originally he had been scheds uled to fight last Saturday > night and this had been postponed until Monday night. There was a further delay ■ until Tuesday night and now . he had to wait another 24 I hours before climbing into the i right with an opponent in I the opposite corner. > Mr Dunn was concerned at I the training Kini had been t missing. He did not train yes- ■ terday in readiness for his fight against Coker