In the Ring

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 14 June 1924, Page 19

In the Ring

BY "MILO"~

UREN WINS

ONE JUDGE FAVOURS VOLAIRE

PARS ABOUT PUGILISTS.

Of the last three boxing contests in Wellington, that which was provided on Monday evening by Eugene Volaire and Havilah Uren was by far the most interesting. Even this fight was very much lacking in spectacle, but, to give credit where it is due, the battle as a whole was far superior to either of its predecessors. At the conclusion, the judges* Messrs. J. E. Staples and B. A. Guise, disagreed, and Uren caught the eye of Referee Earl Stewart, who nodded towards the hard-hitting young "southpaw as being the winner. When questioned by this writer concerning his linding, the "odd man," air trtiise, had many Bound arguments to put torward as to the reason for his vote m favour of the Frenchman. "In the first place," he said, -"the boys were at close quarters-for most of the time, and there is no doubt but that Volaire is the better in-fighter. ' Again, it Was the Irenchinau who did all the forcin* and thus took most risk. Had he riot been prepared to lead as much as ho aid, the fight would, in my opinion have oeen very uninteresting. Uren relies, on his hard countering, and it was Volaire who.made the fight. I think the Jtrench boy just 'got there,' arid then I gave only two -points between them.

There is quite a lot in what the" judge say Sj _and there were few enthusiasts tit the Town Hall who did not remark on tlje monotonous frequency with which Uren back-moved out of trouble: When lie did step . inside his opponent's punches he did so with telling effect and it was as the result of this occasional manoeuvre that Vokire stopped some sickening left-hand punches, ripped hard to the body. It is an old saying in pugilistic oircles that a man wb'b can run does not need to be able to fight find although, the inference is far frtini being that Uren .follows this principle, tho Penrith boy should cultivate a tifore aggressive style, both in his own interests and in the interests of those who*e money goes towards the provision of tempting purses. To this writer, who has studied Uren from many pffints of view, ha is a good, clever boy, with sufficient . strength, stamina, and general knowledge of his work to enable him to stand m the centre of the ring and exChange punches with any man his weight in the country. That he prefers to battle along other lines is, of course, his own anair.

To return to Monday's contest, "Milo" has no hesitation in saying that Uren won, won decisively ' and on his many merits_ as a pugilist. Southern critics proclaim Volaire to be a much harder puncher than Les Murray, but if this is the case; then Murray can't punch at all when compared with IJren If the Australian boy's left hand lands squarely on the ja\v, with nineteen men put of every twenty it is almost sure to be a case of "Curtain!" The twentieth man is 'Gene Volaire. In the third round he stopped a terrific left hook fight on the chin; and, of course, down he' went in the resin. "Put your hat on,'' remarked one enthusiast to his companion. "This is.where we go home" But tlie speaker did not know Volaire. At the count of three lie was on his feet obviously badly stung, but he immediately, fell into a clinch, and, collecting his ' scattered thoughts, managed -to weather the storm until the gong brought a very welcome relief. Vblair^s inseparable manager and trainer, Ike Kutiier seemed to feel the force of the blow almost as much as did his. charge, and from the time of the knock-down until the end of the round his face was a study, with anxiety and sympathy writ-' ten on every plump feature. Speedy; attention in his corner sent Volaire' back fit arid well for. the fourth round, and all went well until the ninth, when he again caught a hasty jolt on the' jaw. This time; however, he did riot go down; and after clinching for a short space was soon himself again. By the twelfth lie was fighting well, arid during the last two rounds he riiade Uferi step very lively, often causing his younger opponent to beat a hasty retreat. Towards the end Uferi probably thought; and with no small degree of justification, that tb win he had only to see but the distance, arid one cannot blame him for taking no more risks than are1 reasonably necessary. Sufficient it is to gay that Ureh's win was decisive and well deserved, though the margin of pbiiits in his favour must have been very small.

In the victor's corner were his trainer Efn Cooper', Denny Murphy, Percy Charles, and Chris Rusterhofz. Ike Kutner, who, of course, was wielding the sponge for Volaire, was assisted by Gerald Evatt, Joe Plamus, and Frank Clifford, while veteran Tim Tracy was, as usual, not far distant.

Owing to dental trouble, George Curran, holder of the featherweight championship, has been obliged to cancel his engagement at Wairba with Lin Robinson. He looked anything but well when he called on this writer the other day to display his medical certificate, but he was optimistic that within a few weeks he would be fit again "and- ready to disillusion any nine-stiftie boy who Was casting covetous eye'B towards the feather crown. Ciirran incidentally gives all of the credit for liis winning of the title" to Billy Crawford, but for wfiose capable managership, he said, he might have been doing anything but what was right. ■ ■ . ■ Tommy Fairhall has shifted his training quarters; and he now works at Harry Barlow's new gymnasium in Tory street. This is a commodious school, fitted with every convenience; and the proprietor reports that pupils are steadily enrolling. Faii-hall is training for his approaching fixture at Dunedih with Eugene iVolaire. Lin Robinson and Eugene Volaire cross gloves at Napier to-hight. Paul Demsky fights Bert M'Carthy at the Melbourne Stadium to-night. On a previous' occasion that the pair mfet, just before the Russian boy came to New Zealand, he knocked out M'Carthy in the sixteenth of a scheduled twentyfound affray at the Sydney Stadium. It was a right rip to the heart which won Iho contest for him. The result of this, the return match, will be awaited with Interest by all Maorilanders. '

"During the last five months only five professional contests have been arranged in the Wellington Centre, as against 01113 hundred and six amateur contests. This is sufficient reply to the statement that amateur boxing has practicallybeen abandoned and that the association is now to all intents and purposes a body for the promotion of professional boxing," states the report of Mr. E. A. Diuvson. lion, secretary of the Wellington Centre. "Never in the history of mir sport has amateur boxing hud" the encouraging control' with resultant success and enthusiasm by the adoption of the centre system of control; All our ttcUve o»S6c{atio;!<t t Uitnillng sins, work »nd speak site loyalty mi ap^tecia^

tion of the centre system of control, .bees are cheerfully "and promptly paid, and amateur registrations for the current year total well over the century, and, during the next two months when district, centre, and New Zealand championship meetings are taking place, I estimate over another one hundred will be. registered." Harry Collins, the new king of the Australian welter-weights, has definitely • announced his intention of defending his title against lommy Uren. Collins regards Ureii as the boxer who has first. claim to a match, and while quite confident that he is sure to retain his title, he looks to pen to put lit a strong claim for the honours.

Roy Brian, who will be remembered for the credible performance ho put up against Duke Maddox at the Town Jtf.aU, is contemplating coming back to the game and would welcome a match with any featherweight in the country. George Curran would suit him in every

„ De""y M«rphy sprung a surprise on the fans" at the Town Hall on Monday evening m the shape of his protege, J. Gardiner, who outpointed that good ,n,^ N°rT.' 1 H'***™. over three lounds. Ihe winner disclosed a very respectable punch in either hand This soon impressed upon Harry Barlow's charge the necessity of taking as ,f»w risk s aa possible. M'Arthur certainly did most of the lc.dihg, but instead of punching as he moved in, he contented himself with throwing a glove and then effeoting a smother. In the last round, however he opened up -/dtli both hands, and Gardiner was soon in a bad way He managed to see out the distance" however, and was awarded a well-merit-ed decision.

A recent arrival from Australia is a burly heavyweight named Tom Harris a dark-skinned pugilist who claims to be a Maori although. this i s tile first time he has been in New. Zealand. Twentyseven years of age, Harris weighs, when m his bes^t fighting condition, about 13st lib, and he has engaged in all, in thirteen p TO fes Slonal fights. Among his victims, Harris counts the ex-heavy; weight champion of the Commonwealth young Roland Dwyer, whom lie claims to have stopped in eight rounds. Others who appear in his record as having been knocked out by the visitor are:—J Hel mils, 1 round; E. Northrope, 6 rounds • J. Complin; 2 rounds; J. Complin, 3 rounds; S. Pearce* 4 rounds; S. Pearce 4 rounds; J. Dale; 11 rounds; L. Gleesonj 7 rounds. He admits having been beaten by: J. Complin, 7 rounds; S Pearce, 8 rounds; F. Mexdn, 9 roundsJ. Donnelly, 15 rounds. Harris, who aJaims the heavyweight championship of Victoria, is willing to box any heavyweight in ihe country, and can be found at Denny Murphy's Herbert Street Gymnasium.

■ Things are pretty quiet out this way; writes Billy Smith from Lower Mutt. He adds and rightly sums up the position that " a man can't expect his school to boom unless the local association stages a' tourney now and then." Our correspondent says that he has quite a fair school of .promising boys, but ihe majority of them are .fairly new to the game, and hardly ready to see out three or four hard fights in the amateur championships. One or two of them he considers to be .well worth preliminary fixtures. Smith accredits, the rapid advancement of his pupils to the fact that he handles each boy personally. His star performer he names as Dinnie Brtfwn, runner-up in the paperweight division last year,, a boy who should give a good account of himself at the championship meeting this month. The. one-round jnatch between Sullivan and Modnch at the Auckland Town Hall is a reminder that the average spectator at a contest does not derive any great satisfaction in the sudden termination of a bout before it has really started. There is a positive thrill engendered by an instantaneous and unexpected knockout in the first round, but such an un-looked-for contingency is not wholly satisfying to the person who has just accustomed himself to the ridges in his chair and is contemplating an evening of fistic .bliss;, says "The Star." The fan would much prefer to see the knock-but scene enacted after his fistic appetite' had been whetted and not when he' is drooling at the. mouth in anticipation, but the demigods of the hempen square are not always in consonance' with the wishes of their auditors,- as a review of pugilism' clearly illustrates. The history of the leather industry is full'of first round knock-outs; many of these occurred' in championship bouts ere' the cpectdtof was given an opportunity to1 adjust hiiris'elf to his surroundings. Numerous important fights have also been decided in the twinkling of an eye. And speaking of short figtitg at fancy prices, what a groan must have gone up from the spectators at the "Battling" Nelson-William Bossier bout held in Harvey; Illinois, on sth April, 1902. Three seconds after the gorig_ rang, Kossler was lit a horizontal position on the caftvaß oblivious •to the howls of disgust that filled the air. That is considered' the shortest knock-out oh record. One second behind it was the Dal Hawkins-Martin Flaherty joust that took place in Carson City, Nevada on 17th April, 1897. Flaherty was the sleeping victim.. Malachy Hogan, who refereed both of -these contests, made an affidavit that Nelson's khdck-out was the quickest of the two by one second. Three championship contests were decided by portentous wallop's in the spasm of execution. Joe Gans lifted the lightweight crowii from Frank Erne at Fort Erie, Canada, in one round on l2th May, 1902. Terry M'Govern deprived Pedlar Palmer of the English bantam title in oiie round at Tuckahoe, New York on 12th September, i 899. Al. M'Coy, the celebrated champion with the camembert aura:, won hiis dairy title from George Chip in tEe first round of their bout in Brooklyn on 7th April, 1914. All three of these titles changed hands before ali of the spectators were comfortably seated. The fans who attended jimmy Coffroth's famous fistic menus at Colma were treated to quite a few sudden exits; Australia shipped a superfine cargo of acidulous fruit to Colma in the shape of Bill Squires. No sooner was this international lemon introduced to Tommy Burns than the latter squeezed all the juice out of him in one punch. Mike "Twin" Sullivan met the same fate at the handg of Stanley Ketchell in the Colma arena. One punch; one round; this way out! Hugo Kelly is another who didn't give the ushers a chance to make a dime when he collided with Billy Papke's right in the first round of their Colma engagement. Jack Dempsey has probably scored the quickest knock-out in the heavyweight mhks. It was when he showed Fred Fulton that he Was a better plasterer than the Eochester man who holds a union ■ card in this trade. Time, 18sec. The present champion has about 25 one-round knock-outs to his credit.

The one-time heavyweight sensation ,md winner of the. world's title, Jim Corbett, made a big hit in the "Follies" at the New Amsterdam Theatre, New York.

Negotiations are still in progress for a match between Pancho Villa, flyweight champion of the world, and Fraukie .Gcnaro, the Italian, for supremacy among the little fellows. Genaro has beaten Villa in contests which were not scheduled for Hie championship, and his supporters are optimistic that even after -mulling - the flyweight limit h<s will be *bl» (to outfight tie