BOXING

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 284, 27 August 1930, Page 17

BOXING

(By

“Right Cross.”)

AMATEUR CHAMPIONS

Form at Palmerston North

The annual tournament to decide tho amateur boxing championships of the Dominion for 1930, held at Palmerston North on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of last week, was notable for the high standard maintained throughout. It is nine years since there was such even competition for the different divisions. The tourney was excellently conducted by the Manawatu Association, who got the record number of 70 bouts off in good time during the three evenings. As a result of tile tournament, the following champions were crowned for 1930 :— Flvweight: F. Bruno (Auckland). Bantamweight: L. Knuckly (Hawke’s Bay). Featherweight: R. Purdy (Auckland). Lightweight: H. Thomas (Wellington). , Welterweight: A. Lowe (Otago). Middleweight: R. Bagrie (Southland). Light-heavyweight: T. Mullins (Taumarunui). „ < Heavyweight: C. Gardner (Christchurch). Auckland was the only province to carry off more than one championship, annexing the fly and feather titles. 11. Thomas, who won the final by default from his brother. G. Thomas, was the only Wellington representative to come through the tourney.

That the amateur side of the sport is booming in the Dominion is evident from the record number of competitors at the championship meeting • just concluded at Palmerston North. Practically every association had representatives present, some for the first time in their history. With about a hundred competitors it cotlld not be expected that all would prove to be champions, but in general it may be said that the class was well up to that of previous years, and the winners would probably hold their own in any amateur company. New Champions.

Except for the heavyweight title, all the winners hold their titles for the first time, although quite a number of last year’s champions were seen in action. Good Welters.

The welterweight class appeared to provide the hardest contests, although it cannot be said that Lowe, the winner, did anything like as much work as some of the others, particularly Smith, of Taumarunui, who was defeated in the final, lie as shown considerable improvement in ring tactics since last year, and came through his gruelling contests with great credit. If there had been a trophy for the garnest loser, it should certainly have gone to Smith. Wellington Team.

The Wellington team performed creditably, and no fault could be found with their physical condition, thanks to Masseur Thomson, while Messrs. Donoghue and Crawford handled the boys’ interests in the corner with' excellent judgment. Sjoberg, who fought out of his class, was badly treated in losing in his first appearance, while on the other hand George Thomas may be considered lucky in getting tbe decision over the Auckland representative. Croft met a puncher in Smith, and their wild and unorthodox tactics kept the house in high good humour. Clarrie Woods fought one contest only to reach the final, in which he gave a somewhat disappointing display, suggesting stateness. A feature of the tournament was a full team from the Young Men’s Institute, Te Aroha, a comparatively new association. While no championships came their way, their appearance generally and their clean tactics in the ring set a very high standard indeed, which was much commented on. Their youthful flyweight, W. Adams, will sure be heard of again. High Pressure.

The proceedings were continued into the early hours of the morning in order to get through the large number of contests, white all Friday afternoon contests were continued. While it is iu the best interests of the amateur side of the sport that as many competitors as possible attend these gatherings, it appears that a lot of the pleasure which the visitors look forward to is lost through the high pressure at which these meetings have to be conducted. This writer sees no reason why the championships should not be extended over four instead of three nights. Association's Conference.

The annual conference at Palmerston North attracted a very large attendance, practically every one of the thirty odd associations having a delegate. The discussions brought out many valuable points and suggestions for fostering the sport, but few alterations were made to the rules. In recent years there appears to be a tendency where any particular rule does not suit an individual association, to set abdut making a change. As with the Competitions, so with the conference. The time to fully discuss matters was nbt available on Friday, and there was not much enthusiasm to carry on when tbe meeting resumed on the following morning. Rush’s Death.

Quite a gloom pervaded the proceedings following on the collapse of Percy. Rush, who up to that time had been the life of the party. The published statement that he met with an accident in the ring is hardly correct in that throughout the progress of the first round and prior to his collapse, neither he nor his opponent dealt out or received any punishment—in fact, the proceedings partook more of a training spar in a gymnasium than a heavyweight championship- match, and onlookers were looking forward to seeing more action in the two following rounds. Competitors and officials felt the position keenly. Following the news that he had passed away, every association arranged for flora! tributes, white the competitors themselves saw to it that a similar token be sent from them to show their esteem for the popular boy. His father will be remembered by Rugby followers as a very fine representative forward in Wellington seventeen or eighteen years ago. Next Championships.

There was keen competition among the southern associations to hold next year’s fixture. Nelson, Ashburton, Otago, Timaru and Christchurch all contending for the honour. A number of the North Island associations favoured Nelson, ns being more convenient, but it could hardly be contended that it had prior claim to that of Ashburton, nnd in the end that association triumphed. An Expensive Foul.

George Godfrey, the giant negro, who fouled Primo Camera in the fifth round, has lost his license as a boxer. In addition to revoking his license permanently the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission allowed him only ">OOO dollars for the b °He was to have received 10,000 dollars for the ten rounds, but under the commission's rule this was cut to the pro rata basis of the number of rounds he fought. Carnera.’s purse of £43,000 dollars was ordered to be paid to him. The commission withdrew from Godfrey the status as a heavyweight contender, it having ruled some time ago that a heavyweight world’s championship would not be recognised in Pennsylvania until the giant negro had been eliminated by a battle in the ring.