David Jackson likely to head Games boxing nominations

Press, 8 April 1978, Page 10

David Jackson likely to head Games boxing nominations

By

JOHN COFFEY

Although David Jackson, of Hutt Valley, does not at present reign as the national welter-weight champion, it would be a major surprise if he was not given top billing when the boxing nominations for the Edmonton Commonwealth Games are announced tomorrow. Jackson has already fashioned quite a formidable record in international company, and his victory over Fredj Chtioui (Tunisia) at Montreal was the first by a New Zealander at Olympic level for 48 years.

Two years earlier, at Canterbury Court, Jackson had eliminated the Tongan representative in his opening Commonwealth Games bout before falling victim to the eventual light wel-ter-weight runner-up, Anthony Marty, of Ghana. Now 23 years of age, Jackson has the opportunity to establish himself as New Zealand’s • leading amateur boxer when he clashes with the Australian, David Hall, during the final trials at Timaru this evening.

The unexpected defeats of two national title-hold-ers, Bill Byrne (Hutt Valley) and Paul Morgan (Canterbury), tended to overshadow Jackson’s outstanding exhibition against Roger Leonard (Timaru) on the first trials night at Lower Hutt last month. It had been . Leonard who had upset Jackson , by a majority decision, in the final of the national championship at New Plymouth in October. But if Jackson had been caught somewhat unprepared on

that occasion, he must have more than vindicated himself in the minds of the selectors (Messrs Sid Ashton, Dick Gould and Dick Dunn) in the return encounter.

Mr Ashton said earlier this week that'the panel still had a very open mind on the number of nominations which would be made. He and his fellow selectors were on the look-out for boxers with experience and strength, capable of standing up against the rugged opposition of, in particular, the Africans at Edmonton. In addition to the five contests between the Australian and New Zealand squads, seven other trials will be held between New Zealand’s most seasoned and most promising competitors. Mr Ashton said that he had been very impressed with the durability of a number of younger' contenders and hinted that there might be a surprise or two when the nominations are made public. The other four members of the New' Zealand team, Ronnie Jackson (Hutt Valley, light middle-weight), Dean Rackley (Nelson, light heavy-weight, Perry Rackley (Nelson, middle-weight), and Morgan (feather-weight), must be rated strong prospects for inclusion. But if anv suffer decisive defeats at the fists of their, Australian rivals, their ability to be competitive at Edmpnt. would be seriously questioned. On the other hand, a win would raise their stocks considerably. Perry Rackley faces the most "difficult assignment, having been pitted against Phil McEllaine, who all but won his division at the

King’s Cup tournament in Bangkok recently and will probably be Australia’s strongest gold medal hope at Edmonton.

Smilarly, Dean Rackley has no easy task against the experienced Benny Pike, but 1 the Jackson brothers’ opponents are little known in this country, other than that

they have been in training since a preliminary Austra lian squad was formed in November. The apparently firm claim that Morgan had to a place in the Games team when he was unbeaten during a short tour of the United States in January was dented when a majoi - ■ ity points decision was given against him in favour of Jeff Smith (Wellington) in the earlier trials. Many of the tactics used by Smith were questionable, and that fighter will also be in action this evening, against Robert Warren, of Westpart. But Morgan probably still holds an advantage over the other feather-weight trialists and a victory over the Australian, Gary Williams, should be sufficient to clinch a nomination. There is a touch of miniature Ali-Spinks conn frontation in the heavyweight draw which brings together Bill Byrne (Hutt Valley) and George Stankovich (Auckland). The veteran Byrne has long dominated the heavier classes in New Zealand, was a silver medallist at Christchurch in 1974, and beat the 19-year-old Stankovich in each of their first two meetings. Byrne, like Morgan, returned from his visit to the United States with an unblemished record and his selection for Edmonton seemed only a formality. But Stankovich, whose appropriate occupation is that of demolition worker, caused the shock of the first trials evening by, beating Byrne in the second round.

There were complaints from Byrne’s cornermet that the referee had halted the bout prematurely and that many of Stankovich’s punches had been taken on the gloves by the Hutt Valley heavy-weight. Whether or not the criticisms were justified should be disclosed tonight, for Byrne knows that he has only nine minutes to reestablish himself at the lop of the rankings. Another extremely interesting bout should be that between Folasi Rayno (Auckland) and Barry Slater (Canterbury) in the light welter-weight section. Rayno disposed of Peter Shaw (Waikato) within two rounds at Lower Hutt and the skilful Slater will make a most favourable impression on the selectors if he can handle the heavier Raym. Canterbury’s other trialist, Kevin Barry, should have a close encounter o* the boxing kind against Andrew Stankovich (Auckland), a brother of the heavy-weight. Both are young fighters of considerable promise, and Barry wrested a majority points triumph over Stankovich in the last national inter* mediate light middleweight final. Since then, Stankovich has bravely conceded a points result to Ronnie Jackson at Lower Hutt, and Barry lost to rred Tafua (Auckland) by a similar margin. While Jackson has the inside running for the Edmonton Games, the form of .Stankovich and Barry will he taken into account as the selectors assess the future of the sport in this country-