BOXING & BOXERS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 56, 7 March 1914, Page 15

BOXING & BOXERS

DAVE SMITH'S REAPPEARANCE OUTBOXES DUBOURG.

TJAVe Smith well out-boxed the Frenchman, Jules Dubourg, at the Sydney Stadium last Saturday week, and had accumulated a large margin of points when Referee Arthur Scott declared him the .■winner. Smith (declares W. F. Corbntt in Sv/lney Sun) ran needless risks by, apparently,, treating his opponent with something closely resembling contempt, if it was not actually such. Australia's middle, light-heavy, and heavy-weight champion fwced the milling all the way, and, made the mistake of acting towards the Frencltman as Bill La.ng a«ted ■ towards him (Smith) in Melbourne last November. Smith's tight wa-s used far more frequently than it should have been brought into play by such • a usually clever 'boxel 1 , »ad now and again with such bad direction that if it did not miss its mar X by inches it carled harmlessly round Ikiboarg's neck or skimmed the side or top <ri his head. Smith was clearly suffering through that set-back M'Goorty gave him; his nerves had not properly recovered. During the last half of the battle the Australian shaped more like himself, but even 'then did not reach what we know the> man to be capable of. He will do ' better next time. Though on the move, and vigorous in every moment, Smith sustained the pace like machinery — 'never once did his energies flag. The end of each round v saw him sit down without puffing the least little bit. Dubourg also weathered the battle splendidly, but he did not do half • the work done by his opponent. ' ' The contest was by no means one elded. • Many a time - Dubourg "s lefts ' h^6ok or jab, and his light swing or 1 cros*, reminded the other fellow that daiiger threatened. Still Smith danced in and 'away and slogged instead of boxing. ; He 'plainly aimed at knocking the visitor out, but' Dubourg presented an iron front to the heavier blows, and many a time he cleverly took well-meant tsmites on the 1 retreat or skilfully shifted i hi* head either backward or dowriwatd, tha& caasing an effort which might 'have harmed Mm to whiz in front of his face or swish tound inches too- high. Dttbotorg, though little more than a ' boy in yeass, exhibited the coolness of a, veteran. Hard pressed as he was on several occasions, his wits never wholly deserted him, not even when, as happened here and, there, the full weight 1 of a .wallop causpd all the effect it was equal to. Oti the other hand, Smith acted in a flurried, anxious sort of way, else he cotdd never have been guilty of the misses made, and the poor conception of ihe position of the enemy shown at times. Smith fared badly compared with Dubourg in the way of superficial evidence of the punishment served out. During the third round his left eyebrow >led and wore a sore appearance, and by and by blood showed on his right cheekbone. Not a single mark could be detected on, the Frenchman, but I'l^ be bound he felt sore the next morning Those blows directed at the body— some ot them good, clean stabß--leaving the great amount of thumping he stood about the head out of the question, must have hurt 'him. a good dealv. , ■ - 1 ; - . Bflfore. the tenth round-: had ended."!*, became patent to all' '■ spectators that there would be no knock-out. Dubourg had>,ii(*fcUho'-power"n»r the skill to'drcypi Smith, and though Smith might' have' been clever enough to place the blow accurately, ho could not put in.' the force necessary to bfiftur Dubourg cf6wn. 'Hc^ was as one armour-clad. At one stage Smith slipped 1 while rushing, but rose quickly enough to surprise his man and land loft and right on the sides of his head.^ So much did Smith throw ( himself into the fighting that v when, in the latter haJf of the battle, Dubotirg ha-d backed into the hostile corner the Australian seized his extend-* «d left and literally jerked him into the . middle of the ring. Jules Dubourg's next opponent may be Jerfy Jerome, but not till the aboriginal is pronounced fit and well. CAEPENTIER OUTING O'KEEFE. Pat O'Keefe never had a million to one chance against Carpentier, but there was a nice fat purse for ■ him in the match at Nice, and the Riviera is » very pleasant place at this season of the year (writes Sydney Sun's London Correspondent, under date 23rd January). It is crowded with wealthy sunworshippers, and" the promoters had only to find a good, honest chopping block like. O'Keefe to be certain of a rich gate. They only saw two rounds for their money, because it was the onesided affair that every expert' expected. Not haying any temperamental idiosy'n-. crasies in his opponent to shape his tactics, Carpentier opened very cautiously against the wily but ancient O'Keefe. There was some range-finding, and then a right to the Englishman's 1 ear sent him down very hard, so hard that he was beaten from that moment. He got a few lefts on to Carpenfcier's face, but there was no devil behind them, "while Carpentier replied with rights and lefts to the middle which further weakened bis opponent. In the second round "he again sent O'Keefe down with body blows and another terrific swing 'on the ear. Repeating his attack, on the stomach, he got O'Keefe'sJiead forward, just' ■ac he disarmed Wells, and with a left' aaid right hook, delivered at tremdndous pace and with all the lift of his body behind them/ Pat fell to sleep for more ihau a, minute. He more than earned his appearance money by the punishment he took. . ■ PLANS POR CLABBY. It has been decided that Jimmy Clab■by shall meet the winner of the M'Goorty-Jeff Smith contest' at/ the Stadium on Easter Monday. If nothing occurs to interfere with plans thought out by Mr. Baker in America and embodied in Clabby's contract, the crack Indiana middleweight will arrive in "Sydney a fortnight before, the day of battle as fit as he can possibly get. Elaborate arrangements are to be made aboard the boat so that the boxer may train thoroughly, and he will have a special reserve on deck where he can go through the whole of his exercises, including ball-punching. M'GOORTY AND SMITH MATCHED At last Eddie M'Goorty and Jeff Smith have been matched and the compact Bigned, sealed, and delivered. Jeff Smith gave way. M'Goorty has, since his arrival in Australia, refused to make the middle-weight limit at ringside. He pulled thß beam at a little over list ( 41b for Dave Smith when he might, have gone up to list 61b had it been accessary. Conditions provide that neither shall exceed list 6lb at 2 o'clock' on the; day of the battle. THORN BEATS RUSSELL; ■ Joe Russell and Frank Thorn met last week in Brisbane. It was a splendid exhibition. Russell was leading at the beginning of the 15th round, but after that .Thorn fought with skill and dash, and 'the decision in his favour was justified"^ "".-.. „