Santos to bid again for old crown

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33451, 5 February 1974, Page 14

Santos to bid again for old crown

<A Z. Press As.soc taftoti * AUCKLAND. M. Santos, the boxer forced to give away his Commonwealth title because of an eye injury seven years ago. will try to regain it in Auckland this month.

tos returned to boxing and is now in his fourth year. All of it has been in Australia and the Pacific Islands and.i (the fight against Hayles will'; [be his first in New Zealand I since his title fight. [< A spokesman for the South I Pacific Boxing Association/1 Mr L. Russell, said yester- i cay that Santos had' been < passed by New Zealand doc- ’ tors for the fight. Santos, who is now 31, [j [since his resumption, has lost; 1 [only two fights and only one in the last two years, a points

Santos will fight the |Commonwealth light- ’ ; weight champion, P. [ Hayles, of Jamaica, over J 'l5 three-minute rounds I at Stanley Street on s February 25. Santos won this title in ' 1966 when he beat B Grant, ' of Jamaica. But in 1967 he I retited when an eye injury i suffered in the title fight caused the New Zealand Box- ( ing Council to cancel his, licence. | ( After a two-year gap San- i

Hoss to the Australian. H [Thompson. At present he is ranked [number five in the world 'among light-weights, higher than he was when he was [champion and is ranked number one as a challenger for the Commonwealth title b\ the British Boxing Board of Control, which sanctioned |this bout. Within the last jear he has knocked out the Australian light-weight champion. J I White. HOLD ON TITLE Hayles, aged 29. is ranked number eight in the world He has held his title for the last four years, with mans of his bouts being staged m New York. Twice before he has been scheduled to fight Santos in Australia, but the bouts have been cancelled; the last time because Hayles cut his lip while sparring.