AMATEUR BOXING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 66, 14 September 1907, Page 9

AMATEUR BOXING.

THE WEJAIXOTOX COXTESTS. AX EXPERT COMMENTARY. Dr. 3Capier-M'Lean, the hon. lcfoiee j in the competitions, is a devotee of the noble sport. He admits having witnessed more than a -hundred professional ■eom'oyts, and amateur bouts without irumL (rr. For twenty-four years he has followed the gi me \vith. close attention in England, and 'more recently on an American trip. ' Both at his University and in , London he acted frequently as refeTee, 'and in Wellington liis services are' valuable. v . His< knowledge is* adequate, and his only fault— if it Be a fault— is that ho Is 100 conscientious. Ho is's6 anxious to execute every tittle of the, law. to give every competitor absolute justice on eveiy point, that he' may be apt to miss tho. broader, 'ss'ues.' But at, the present time in New Zealand, '/when' th.ero is question ' of ; resuscitating a discredited spbrt,' his "influence tenSs ,in tho right di. rectibn. In order .that science may have fair pjay, in order that tho beet man may win, boxing' must be conducted under strict' rules, and' Wellington audiences must learn to know and, , observe the rules,- and not to protest when the yules como between them and their pleasure. Certainly Dr. Napier-M/Lean s opinion on the competitions is worth havipg. He expresses, a general satisfaction with the organisation and arrangements, and he says — "A referee's is a thankless job, and I don't complain, when the referee is hooted — though nobody -likes being hooted. But on the first night I consider the disqualified competitors gave me no option. , A referee-" is there to maintain the rules. . If he doesn't .do that, he doesn't fulfil his oflice. Now, in a clinch, before a man hits, he should have Loth hands free. The audience could see that M'Derniott was not free when he hit Scanlon; but I. doubt if those in the .gallery could 6te the other cases — they were too far away. . Lloyd not only held, but wrestled:* he gave Hill a flying mare. OanUyell I'm veiy aorry for, because he shaped like a good man, and it was .a? pity to take as much trouble and come.so far to be, thrown out. Still, when he clinched, he hit Parker, not once, hut repeatecllv- On the , second night, as you saw, "wo had no trouble. . . . I • 'Tue four men who showed moat science were Elliott, Luahei, FiUjohn, and in a lesser degree Treeize. "I liked Mayze's work. He had hurt his arm m_ Auckland, but he shaped well notwithstanding. ' Nosh deserves great credit. He. was hit out eaily; but when he rose, although dazed, he had the wit to defend himself and guard his point till his strength came back. It was a heavy jolwhg heavy that he had not got over it when ho came 'back for the second round. His pluck and resource were wonderful. Scanlon*s stylo Ido not care for.^ He is a dttmaglng hitter. I don't, like the way ho stands : his legs are too far apart. You want the feel only a moderate distance away from each other when in reach of your man, in order to step back qniukly." Captain Vicary Horniman, one of Sydney's best-known sportsman, in charge of tho Jtfew Son Hi Wales team, says: — ."Two points. The gloves were- Bozj I prefer 6oz. They are just as safe, and they give a clever man a chance. Even 2oz weight tells, and besides tho weight the large gloves are clumsy. They are against quick, clever work, and the science of the game. The other point : Don't let your boxing bo too ladylike Tho campaign against brutality can go too far. There's a clear lino between brutality and a drawing-room entertainment, and on that lino is tho sport and the yaluo of boxing. "I admire Mayze; it takes ft good man to stand up against White, and Mayzc earned his victory.. Elliott is a good men"; but he is 1 what 1 call a flicker. I consider he hasi a. short reach, and to lengthen it ho 'flicks with the end 'of his gloyo. The referee cautioaed him, and he flicked' on jnst the same. "He is not a New Zealander; he came from England to Tim'aru some few months ago, -how many , I don't know. By the rules of the " competition h6 had ■to bo in 'New Zealand- -for six months; I am told— whether 'it be- true or not I don't know — that he has nerfc been here for six months, and I have- asked the Boxing Council to call .upon him for a declaration. . "We. havo-ail been very, kindly treated, and. are grateful to the officers of the Wellington Council. And you might 'f-ay thii* : When I come hnck to New Zealand I hope you' will have established wrestling competitions." ' Mr. Bsnnett Yonng, in charge of the j Qufrenslonders, says : "Of course we're i very sorry about Cantwell, and without ! questioning the decision in any way, I tnink it, might have been better, if On tha first night, th* referee' had been a i little hss strict. Cant well says Parker i hit him. Of course boy 3 nt\s apt to get excited, and over in Australia we like to give them on* raution. "I like Fitzjohn's style better than Lusher's. Lusher is very ('lever, but ha sccni3 to me too much of a tapper. I don't think boxing should be altogether- an exhibition of snarring : it should bo self-defence as well, or wherc's tho use of it? "We were all mado very welcome, and I ..haven't any fault to ' find with the general Arrangements. Wo hop 3 to do as well, or belter, whrn your boy 3 come to Brisbane next year."