Feather-weight Contender

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31341, 11 April 1967, Page 23

Feather-weight Contender

The Canterbury Boxing Association has lodged notice that T. George, the New Zealand professional feather-weight champion, is a contender for the British Empire title.

The C.B.A. last week sent a letter to the British Empire championship committee in London, notifying that George was a challenger. The title is at present held by J. O’Brien, of Glasgow. A fortnight ago, O’Brien’s handlers turned down an offer from Melbourne to fight the Australian feather-weight champion, J. Famechon, for the title in Melbourne. It was reported that O’Brien did not think the purse guaranteed to him was big enough. If George beats K. Amarfio, the Ghanaian boxer from Melbourne, at Canterbury Court on Thursday evening, the president and matchmaker of the Canterbury Boxing Association (Mr E. G. Pocock) is prepared to begir negotiations for a title fight, George versus O’Brien, in Christchurch, with O’Brien’s connexions. Mr Pocock may open negotiations by telephone later this week. Mr T. Wildes, vice-presi-dent of the C.8.A., said yesterdy that he believed

O’Brien had been guaranteed £l5OO to fight Famechon in Australia. The Wellington Boxing Association guaranteed B. Grant £2OOO (tax paid) to meet M. Santos, Auckland, for the Empire light-weight title. Santos will be in George’s corner when he meets Amarfio. A Christchurch trainer, Mr K. Dawson, will also be in his comer, and another Christchurch trainer, L. Fidow, will be in Amarfio’s corner.

Both George and Amarfio will arrive in Christchurch tomorrow. George is reported to be superbly fit and trained to a peak by his manager, Mr R. Grimmer. Mr A. Palmer, Amarfio’s trainer, has reported that Amarfio is very fit and has been training hard.