Kendall Moves Up PROBLEM SOLVED

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31385, 2 June 1967, Page 11

Kendall Moves Up PROBLEM SOLVED

IBs Out Boxing ReporurJ The New Zealand amateur featherweight boxing champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, B. Kendall, will this year box as a lightweight.

Kendall, who eould still comfortably make the feather - weight limit (Bst 131 b Hoc), has solved an awkward position for his trainer, Mr W. Darrell, by deciding to move up a division. His clubmate, R. Carstairs, the national bantam-weight champion, has grown so much and put on so much weight, that be must now fight as a feather-weight /

If Kendal! did not move into the light-weight divirion, he and Carstairs would be fighting in the same class—and become opponents under the same trainer. BEST PROSPECT Kendall, improved tremendously by his visit to Jamaica, is New Zealand's best prospect for an Olympic medal In the boxing at Mexico. He will be extremely hard to beat in the light-weight division, at provincial and national level. He was to have fought B. Cumming, of Westport, in a catch-weight contest at Nelson Creek on Saturday night, but has been dedared unfit because of a strained ligament ' Cumming, a Buller miner and a hard-hitting boxer, has given Kendall some stiff fights. However, Kendall, at Qhristchurch and Rotorua last year, proved definitely superior. Mr Darrell Is now training three good prospects for national titles. H. Bullmore, a solid, dean-hitting boxer, has noved up to the light welterweight division. It will be no surprise if he three boxers are matched .gainst the Australian team o box in New Zealand next month. Mr Darrell’s biggest problem is to find opponents for them to meet before the Australians’ visit, and before the provincial and national championships. The New Zealand amateur light-weight champion, P. Domney, of Wellington, has retired. Domney, aged 20, who also represented New Zetiand at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, said that his retirement was definite. He is engaged to be married and said that be could not concentrate fully on ids boxing training.