BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 241, 4 July 1908, Page 9

BOXING.

COMING EVENTS. July 13. —Tracy-Ross match (Auckland). July 13. —Gosling-Gault match, Opera House. July 15 and 16 —Timaru Sports Clubs' meet-

lug. August 6. —Manawatu B.C. Tourney. August 19 and 20—New Zealand championchips (Christchureh). September 2 and 3. —Otago B.C. Tourney (Dunedin). September.—Godfrey-Green match (Oneri House). ...

Now that Leckie's claims to bo considered a bona fide amateur have been upheld by tho local centre.he has been awarded the middle weight championship and finally selected to do battlo in this division, for. tho Centre at tho Nov/, Zealand Championships in Christchurch on August 19 and 20. '1 his now completes tho team, and if all tho men sel&'ed can make the trip several of the t ties should bo brought, back by the conibnaiion, il e personnel of Which is now: —Bantam, Iverr (Wellington); Shields (Manawatu); feather, Porter (13ienhcim); light, Watchorn (Mana,watu); Parry (Wellington); welter, Devitt (Wellington); middle, Leckio (Wellington), .Murphy (Wellington); heavy, M'Dowell (Manawatu). With regard to the last' selection,' that- of M'Dowell for tho heavy division there has been a good deal of dissatisfaction expressed by tho supporters of P. Hale, who, it will be remembered,: won tho heavyweight championship 'at the recent tourney. Personally, 1 clo not consider that, the form shown by any of the contestants in this clasr warrants their inclusion an tho team at all However, the friends of the provincial champion consider that their man has a grievaiico,' and are bringing pressure to bear on the powers that be with a view ,to a meeting being arranged between the men. It is not. unlikely that'their wishes will bo acceded to, and that the affair will he put on as an extra preliminary for tho Gosling-Gault contest next month if M'Dowell can make the trip down.

Tho Timaru Sports Club is trying to match Jack. Griffiths and "Gnat" Williams for a purse of £40, tho bout to constitute the'star' turn at tho club's meeting on July 15 and 16. Tho rest of. tho .bill of.faro will consist of a competition'for novices uiidor 9st. GJb., catch-as-catch-can 'wrestling, and two six-round bouts, oiio between W. Elliott and W. Watson,: and • the second between l Haggarty and a recent v arrival from tho'Old Country, named Greaves, a mail' whoso reputation as a clevei;. boxer has preceded him; At a meeting of tho Northern Boxing Association, held in Auckland on Juno 9, it was announced that final arrangements had been made : for a' professional match of 15 rounds between Tim Tracoy, of Wellington, and James Ross, of Auckland, for 'a purso of £50, the contost to tako place on July 13; also that tho commandor of H.M.S. Powerful, now stationed at Sydney, had been written;to, requesting that his ofTicors be asked to match two: members of the' Australian fleot_for a 15-roimd contest for a; purse of £25, or a six-round contest for a trophy of the value of £10,, during the week the American fleet is in Auckland. A similar letter had also been-sent to the officer commanding the'-American fleet. It was further stated that the secretary of tho'Ameri<can Fleet Reception, Comm'itteo lmd approached the Northern Boxing Association in roferenco to the association arranging a series, of boxing tournaments for tho second week (in August-,' as our American cousins were said to be very keen oil sport of this kind, ar.d that arrangements would be made to : placo on _ tho programme special events for competition amongst the visitors. Tho: difficulty, however, was to get a hall large enough to .accommodate the, audience. . The question was being carefully considered, and no doubt the best arrangements possible will bo made to overcome the difficulty.

The following items of general interest are culled, from a report of the Christchurch Sports Club's committee meeting on, Saturday last:—Correspondence was received from It. N. Gould, of Timaru, asking to be matched against any feather-weight in New Zealand, Godfrey,' of' Auckland, . for preference. In tho ovent of tho committee being unable : to arrange a match, .it was..his..intention to go to Sydney and seek engagements there. As no dates wero availabloj it was decided to inform Gould of tho position. Correspondence was received from T. Tracey, lightweight professional champion, expressing his' willingness to meot J. Griffin on October 12'. Tho secretary reported that Griffin had not yet communicated with him on the subject, This is the latest from the "Referee" about tho Burns-Squires Australian tourßill Squires has signed an agreement to fight Tommy Burns, tho world's champion, in Sydney, and also Lang, if required'. . Squires will .'sail for Australia on the Orient R.M. steamer Oruba. The Australian champion says tho fight in Paris convinces :him that, if lie is in slightly better condition, he has a' great chance of beating Burns. ' Bill Squires has cabled the Sydney Syndicate to lodgo £400 of tho sum guaranteed him with the Sydney "Referee." over tho wires from Melbourno:—"Lang is to receivo £600 to meet Burns in an 'encounter of 20 rounds, one; to win, and.if the,contest should take place in Sydney, Lang will receive £25 additional for expenses." It is understood that Squires will receivo £850 for his appearance against Bums in Australia, plus travelling expenses from England. . Burns is ' to receive £2000 to come to Australia, and in addition £1000 for each of two contests —£4500 in all, including £500 for saloon passages for two. It has not yet been definitely Bottled which match will take place in Sydney and which in Melbourne, but there will be. one content in oach city. Contracts have been signed ,by all three men. Lang says lie'is perfectly confident that lie has an even chanco against Burns. Upon hearing Lang express himself thus, Mr. M'lntosh offered to make a match there and then, between Lang and Squiros, for a purse of £500, and to bet Lang £100 that Squires would beat him. Tliis offer Lang would not accept."

Ail exchange has the following:—" Tho match botwecn Bill Laing, tho rcsidont heavyweight champion of Australia, and Sid Russell, of Sydney, to decide who will opposo Burns in his fight in Sydney, has been fixed to take place on tho afternoon of Wednesday, July 15, on the Sydney Sports Ground. A ring will bo erected in the centre of the ground, and arrangements made so.that tho struggle will bo seen from every part 1 of the ground. Botli men are training assiduously, and tho contest isoxpeoted to bo a long and keen one." . This was the original arrangement, hut later advices report that owing to tho illness of Russell, the Now Zealandor, Jim Griffin, ia to moot Laing instead.