IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1575, 19 October 1912, Page 12

IN THE RING.

[Br "Mehcuet."]

HIS PAY—£62 PER MINUTE. October 22. —Porter v. Maxwell, Palmerston North. October 28.—Hegarty r. Porter, Timaru. October 26 and 28.—Featherweight Tourney, Town Hall. October 28— Murphy r. Truscott, Auckland. First Step—Get 111. How JE62 10a. per minute may be earned ought to make a good story. And so it does, but it cannot be told in one breath. However, here it is:— Lightweight champion ."Ad" Wolgast is the man of the pugilistic hour in America to-day. Time was, and not so long ago, when he was considered out of the reach of the ordinary lightweight mortal, and so, as promoters were loth to bang up big purses as an inducement for him to step into the ring and add to his bank account, matches were not easy to got at championship prices. But now, since his recent operation for appendicitis, and subsequent bout of pneumonia, he has been much in demand. It is a queer turn of fortune that a run of ill-luck that would serve to make for a boxer's deterioration should cnhance his market value, but, with Wolgast, this appears to have been an actual happening. ' . Second Step—Get the Promoters Going. Since his convalescence it has been considered that ho is somewhat nearer the earth in his boxing ability, and so tho big promoters are bidding very high for his services for any match that may promise to bring about a change in tho ownership of the title. One of these people, "Eddie" Grancy— a well-known figure in American boxing circles—recently came out with an offer to thte champion of .£3OOO, win, draw, or lose, for a 20-round match with "Willie" Kitcliie on Thanksgiving Day, and it appeared as though he had landed the big fish. Since then, however, there has come a new Richmond into the promoting field, one Louis Parente. This person is enterprising, if nothing else. His bid actually runs to .£SOOO for the" same match and he had, on latest ndvices, telegraphed to Wolgast's manager offering to post .£2OOO as forfeit money immediately on receiving the champion's acceptance. Third Step—Merely Get the Money. For a lightweight contest this is colossal financing. Whether it will draw Wolgast into the match with Ritchie the cables havo yet to ndvise, but it would seem sufficient to induce even the ■ best of pugilists—outside the Jack Johnson class—to come out to battle. Wolgast, even if his grip on his title is weakening— which has yet to be proved —is indeed "on velvet." It is, of course, his. part to play off the Tival promoters against one another to his own very great advantage, and then; when he has driven the best possible bargain, the loss of his title, should such a disaster happen to him, will 1» accompanied by much balm and solace in good hard cash. Moral—What to do with our Boys. Is there any. other job, occupation, calling, or profession -which can offer such inducements to a nine and a half stone lad of 24 years of age? 'Five thousand pounds for one public appearance of one hour and twenty minutes at the very most! I Over eighty pounds for each of the sixty minutes of actual work entailed, oven provided the contest goes the full twenty rounds. , There seems, to be a moral in this Somewhere. Let no one hereafter despair over the question: "What to do with our boys?" XG2 10s. per minute!!

A Christmas Box for Sydney. While on the subject of big purses it is worthy of note that, according to the week's cablegrams, Mr. M'lntosh's offer to "Jack" Johnson of for two matches in Australia has apparently turned the trick. The latest is that the champion is , to sail for Sydney on October 25. and to fight liis first battle on Boxing Day. Owing, however, to Johnson's little habit of absolutely retiring on any provocation, and the possibility_ of his changing his mind even onco again, it is hardly worth while seriously discussing this announcement until we learn that he has actually sailed for Australia.

When is In-fighting Not In-fighting? There is one matter, however, that may bo worthy of interest in this connection. It may be remembered that Mr. M'lntosh has stated that, in the event of Johnson figuring in another world's championship in Australia, he has secured the services of Mr. Eugene Corri, the worldfamous referee of the National Sporting Club in London, to officiate in the big event. This being so tho views of slr. Corri on the much-vexed question of infighting, as published in a recent English paper, will be of interest. Says Mr. Corri:— There is nothing wrong, in in-figlit-ing. I like to see it. It is part of the art of boxing, but only when both hands are free. In brief, in-fighting is hitting with both hands free. Holding with one hand and hitting with tho other is not in-fighting, nnd will not be allowed in England. Some people took exception .to the methods of Papke. I agree they went very near the line, but not over it. Putting your head on the shoulder and keeping it there is not butting. If you lifted your head sharply that would be a different matter. I agree that the Americans are , rougher than our men, but a strong fighter on British lines will always keep a man out who relies solely on in-fighting. Some of the best British boxers that I can name are not what you would call nigged fighters. Tho Americans are, but in England the Americans must keep to the best interpretation of the rules of boxing. It really means that in America they fight, and in England we box. Wo strictly adhere to tho rules here, and the old prize-ring rules are totally different from those laid down by the Marquis of Qucensbury and the National Sporting Club. The Two Tawny Samuels Again. On October 9, in Perth, the two black ."Sams"— and M'Vea—held another of their reunions. The former again triumphed against his bigger brother. In the eleventh round M'Vea claimed a foul, and, on his appeal being dismissed, he refused to continue, and the decision was thereupon given to Langford.

Resurgam—"Old Man Keys." It was briefly chronicled last Saturday that the "Hock" Keys-Herbert M'Coy match at the Sydney Stadium had been adjudged a draw, and that the decision liad given anything but universal satisfaction. Details now to hand show that the contest was a splendid one, and that the veteran emerged therefrom covered with glory. Beyond doubt, th« cleverest boxer in the Australian ring, and a great favourite with the Sydney public, Keys surprised his most ardent admirers. It was anticipated that the husky, forceful M'Coy would prove too vigorous for him, and that, as with "Hugliie" Moliegan, his generalship and cleverness would fail him in tho end. But tilings did not go this way at all. Keys met his hustling young opponent at all points, oven at times oarried the fighting to him, and mixed matters in tho rough stuff in tho best stylo—and was, according to the press reports, unlucky in not getting the verdict. Even "Tho Amateur," of the "Referee," sturdy "barracker" for reiferee Arthur Scott as he is, is constrained to admit that had he lx*n referee ho would have given the decisiou to Keys. How Old May Keys Be? By the way, "The Amateur" makes n strange mistake for so well-informed an authority over Keys's age. He refers lo liiin as the "old master" Of the Australian ring, but states that lie is not yet .13 Years of age. Now, Keys must be 37, if lie is a day. "Mercury" remembers liim saying when he was over here at the contest with "Tim" Tracy that he was "rising 30." Moreover, his record shows his first win to have been in September, 1895, when he knocked out one Foster in two, rounds—hardly a likely performance for a boy of fifteen. However, this by the way—the point now U that Keys, onco'lightweight A us-

tralian champion, basso far rehabilitated himself as to make a draw of the contest for the residential championship, aud he has surely well-earned the honour of representing Australia against the American and French invaders now in Sydney. His first effort in this direction materialises to-night, when he is to be pitted against Leon Bernstein, of France. First Foeman for Andony. According to the "Keferee," "Jack" Clarke, who boxed several times under the auspices of tlio local association some seasons back, is to be the finst opponent for Jean Andony, the French welter, in Australia. An Australian "Double." Two recent Australian contests of interest in Wellington were tho Howard-Lester "heavy" clash and the "Jimmy" HillPrank Fitzjohn "feather" bout. Tho former ran to 13 rounds—tho fatal 13th again—when police intervention stopped tho affair, and the decision was handed to Lester. In the battle of tho feathers, Hill shaded his man all tho way, and won handsomely. The "Referee" says:— "Never in Fitzjohn's long and meritorious career has he been so badly punished oi out-boxed." "Jimmy" Hill was among the applicants for matches in New Zealand, dealt with by tho local association at last week's meeting. His request was held over till next season. Floreat Australia. Australia still emerges triumphant from the onslaughts of the foreigner within her gates. The latest victory to her arms was placed to the credit of "Jack" Read, at the Stadium on Wednesday week. The foreigner on this occasion was Grover Hayes, of America, a light-weight with a lengthy record, whioh, however, availed him naught in the bout under notice. He made a good impression, but was decisively beaten by tho ex-amateur champion on points. Australia's light-weights .are a very strong division just at present, oven with her champion absent in the Old World. Theo. Burns Fails Again. In Christchurch last Tuesday llight there eventuated the Hegarty-Theo. Burns return match. The contest saw the Australian given an even shorter shrift than he was here in Wellington, as ho was knocked out by the sturdy Timaruvian in tlio fifth round. Feathers Eliminated With Neatness and Dispatch. The local association lias booked October 26 and 28 for the feather-weight elimination tournament. The conditions of the tourney were published last week, and the event is exciting a lot of interest locally, as the survivor of the tourney is to be pitted against J. Hegarty for the "feather" championship of the Dominion. Probable starters are Ellis, Thompson, Welch (Wellington), Harris (Auckland), Goodman (Dimedin). "Battling" Costin (Taranaki), and Robinson (Gisbome).