Rugby 1, boxing 2

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33814, 10 April 1975, Page 24

Rugby 1, boxing 2

(N Z Press Association ) < WELLINGTON. The fighting days of New Zealand’s top amateur boxer, Ron Jackson, may be over. The winner of six national!' titles, Jackson, has found! that boxing and a promising! Rugby career do not mix. “I found you can’t play/ Rugby and box,” the 1974 Commonwealth Games repre- ; sentative said yesterday. ‘‘l thought I was fit enough to!'

box through playing Rugby,; but I was wrong. “By not training properly 1 for boxing I found I didn’t ( have much left in the third round of my fights.” 1 Jackson had only two bouts ' in Wellington last season, ( and had a narrow- win and a loss against lesser-ranked opponents. j “1 realised then that 1 would have to concentrate on ' one sport or the other,” he 1 said. ; 1 Although he is still un-p decided as to his sporting!.

;future, Jackson is again play-j iing Rugby and has turned! down a trip to Fiji this month! with a team of Wellingtonboxers, including his younger! brother. David, also a national! champion. The prospect of being able! to represent New Zealand in the Montreal Olympic Games] next year is still' alluring, ] however. “I’ love to have a go at] getting to Montreal and be-! cause of that I might come] back into boxing next year,”! Jackson added.