Return Fight: Wellington Assn. Has Two Voices

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31327, 25 March 1967, Page 15

Return Fight: Wellington Assn. Has Two Voices

(By Our Boxing Reporter) The outburst by Mr C. A. Head, the Wellington Boxing Association’s match-maker, against the Canterbury Boxing Association over the return bout between Manoel Santos and Bunny Grant for the Empire light-weight title, does little to enhance the public image of the Wellington association or boxing. The W.B.A. speaks with two voices. The association’s chairman, Mr B. F. O’Brien, questioned after the C.B.A. had announced that it was bidding to hold the return bout in Christchurch, said: The W.BA. would stage the bout; Purses had not been decided; Although the return bout was to take place within three months this need not be adhered to.

Two days later, in his outburst against the C.B.A. for an “attempt to entice Mr Grimmer and Santos out of an existing arrangement,” Mr Head said: The C.B.A. had offered Mr Grimmer £250 net above the purse Wellington had offered;

The return bout would take place in either Wellington or Auckland, but not in Canterbury; The date and venue of the return bout had not been fixed. It is clear that the two spokesmen of the Wellington Boxing Association do not agree.

Mr Head’s outburst probably stems from the fact that Mr Grimmer, justifiably trying to get the biggest purse possible for Santos, had informed Mr Head of the offer made by the C.B.A. Professionals are in boxing for money. The boxing associations are out to make as much profit as possible, to be spent on promoting amateur boxing. The C.B.A. made a businesslike bid to get the return bout to make a profit for boxing in Canterbury. Mr Head’s complaint against the C.B.A. is petty. Furthermore, his statement that the bout would not be held in Canterbury “wherever it is held,” completely ignores the New Zealand Boxing Council, which must give final approval for any bout and the conditions agreed on. If the fight is held in Auckland, the judges will not be members of the promoting association’s executive. The Auckland association, unlike the Wellington association, does not use members of its management committee as judges.