Wrestling bodies disagree on bout

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 18

Wrestling bodies disagree on bout

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND

The Christchurch Jaycees have made plans to stage a heavy-weight wrestling bout between John da Silva and Frank Lipanovich. But a disagreement between the South Pacific Wrestling Association, for which Lipanovich has been wrestling for eight years and Da Silva’s own Central Wrestling Association, means that the bout is unlikely to take place.

( The fight was originally set (down for Canterbury Court, (Christchurch, some time in November, December, or the New Year. The Christchurch Jaycees had accepted a sports magazine offer to donate a New Zealand professional heavyweight wrestling belt. The president of the South Pacific Wrestling Association (Mr E. Pinches) said that his association would be unlikely to release Lipanovich for the fight because he was fully committed not only to the ST.W.A. but also to the (American promoters in Australia. I He said that although he! I would like to help the* (Jaycees, his organisation had lan agreement with the pro-; moters in Australia that theyj (have first call on Lipanovich! and he must stick by it. i

t Mr Pinches also said that the S.P.W.A. had an agreement with , the American promoters not to arrange fights for any of Cen--1 tral’s wrestlers. “We have pub- * licly stated that we have no connection with the Central Wrestling Association under its 5 present administration.” This . has been the case for two years. r "TITLE BUSINESS” Earlier. Da Silva said: “This New Zealand title business —the story is worn out, the different 1 associations prefer to have dif- . ferent champions. “I have agreed to the Christ- > church Jaycees offer of a bout t between Lipanovich and myself * to decide who is the real cham- ' pion, provided all profits go 7 to the Intellectually Handicapped * Children. 4 “As far as I am concerned ' the title is ridiculous unless - everyone recognises only one champion.” he said. “I feel the | title should be on an open chal- - i lenge basis for anyone who j wishes to wrestle the champion lifor it. “At present the two independent promoters, South Pacific rand Central, have their own 'champions. Bruno Bekkar and! ‘ Lipanovich have recently fought i for the title of New Zealand! I champion, and I have just fought! for it against someone else. 1 “People are saying ‘who is the real champion?’ Each association is frightened that the other’ will make all the profit, and itis ridiculous for a country as small as this to have two separate champions.” In reply to the last statement, Mr Pinches said he did not feel! that this present situation decreased profit. “The public l I don’t care who is the. champion as long as they put on a good i show,” he said.