Famechon Unhappy In Spar With Amateur

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31988, 15 May 1969, Page 15

Famechon Unhappy In Spar With Amateur

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) LONDON. The world feather-weight champion, Johnny Famechon, of Australia, made heavy weather of a sparring session against an amateur in London yesterday.

Later, his trainer, A. Palmer, admitted that there was a danger that Famechon could be “trained off.”

'Til have to keep a careful eye on him,” said Palmer. Famechon next Tuesday will meet the British junior light - weight champion, Johnny Anderson, a noted heavy puncher, but a fighter who lacks Famechon’s finesse.

The man Famechon sparred with today was a light-weight, M. Oates, who weighs 9st. 81b,

almost half a stone more than the champion. As early as last Friday, Palmer was worried about keeping an “edge” on Famechon. He said at the weekend: “I wish this fight was early this week.” Anderson, British boxing’s “bad boy,” has personally sold tickets worth £2OOO for the fight. Anderson, reputedly one of the hardest punching fighters in British boxing, has a strong following in north and east London.

He usually fights with a strong army of supporters, although on more than one occasion he has been booed from the ring for alleged “rough-house” tactics. His record gives some evidence of his fighting temperament-.

In his 41-year professional career Anderson has had 33 fights for only seven losses—four of these by disqualification. On each occasion Anderson was accused of low punching.

Three of his 26 wins have been inside the distance. He won the British junior light-weight title in February last year by stopping Jimmy Revie, the British feather - weight champion, another of English boxing’s rising stars. But Anderson probably gave his best performance in April last year when he lost a very close and controver-

sial decision to the then feather - weight champion, Howard Winstone. Anderson finished the stronger of the two fighters in the closing stages of the 10-round non-title bout, after having knocked Winstone down early in the fight.