In the Ring

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 77, 27 September 1924, Page 19

In the Ring

' -BY"MILO"

AT PETQNE

CURRAN AND BROWN FOR FEATHER TITLE

■NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE,

The old rivals, George Currau, featherweight champion of the Dominion, and Jimmy Car, of Blackball, crossed gloves once again at Millerton on Saturday night, when the latter was stopped by the Wellington boy in the fifteenth round of a, strenuously-contested battle. As usual, Curran was slow to begin, and CaiT held the majority of the points over the first two or three rounds, but the champion soon got the feel of the canvas and began to punish his opponent heavily with both hands. Carr was swaying helplessly on the ropes 'in the final round, when the referee showed good judgment in stopping the contest and awarding the 'decision to Curran. The, title holder's nest engagement will be at Petone on Monday week, when he will be opposed to Bert Brown, of Palmerston North, in a fifteen-round contest in defence of his championship. This promises to be a sterling fight, which will greatly elevate the standing of the glove game in the Hutt Valley. It is highly probable that, as on previous occasions when tournaments have been' staged In the Valley, a large attends ancs of Welb.ngtonia.ns will be present to watch proceedings. Attractive amateur contests between town and suburban amateur fighters also will be staged, and in general a splendid evening's entertainment should' result. ■ °

_ Writing from Sydney to the "Melbourne Globe," Al Eeece puts forward tha claims of Harry Hudson, who, he says, is featherweight champion. of New Zealand. Heece is most anxious to get this boy |going in Australia,' and although he is still in New Zealand, he would come across if there was a match m view -Not only is Harry a great tighter, says Recce, "but he is a great little gentleman. I do not think he has a superior in -Australia in either respect." According to Recce, this boy has run out of opponents in, New Zealand. Hudson lias just turned 21 years of age, and has had 30 fights m all, losing only four—one to Story. Meades/lflynn, and M'Grath respectively. These fights were lost before he had turned. 17 years of age, according to Heece.: It is claimed on his behalf tftat Hudson has never been knocked off his feet. Hudson would like a match against Grime, and his trainer announces that he can find :■ backing for any amount. Failing Grime, any other featherweight will do.; VThe Letter they are the better we will be suited," concludes Recce. The above should interest George Curran, who actually does hold the New Zealand professional featherweight ; title. Hudson has no claim' to this distinction.

, -nht next-tournament at Wellington will be on ,20th October, when the following amateur preliminaries will be staged :—Green v. H. Napier; Greathead v. Hamilton;- Evatt v."' Cleverly; M Ewan y. Brookie. The latter boys in each case belong to Harry Barlow's school, and their, mentor is optimist'! ™f each one of them will be a winner. WeUingtomans will welcome the reappearance of Greathead, and another contest m ..which great interest is sure to be shown is that.between Gerald Evatt and young Cleverly. • , In a ten-round contest at Millerton on_ Saturday night, Georgo Pringle outpointed tho iasmaninn, Benny Bidduli)h, after a closely-fought bout Biddulph showed to better advantage in the opening rounds, but Pringlo finished well £nd, notched- enojigh jjoints to enable him to receive tho award of the judges Maonland's heavyweight champion,' lorn Heenoy, of Gisborne, made his debut in England on Tuesday lnst, when ho was decisively beaten over twenty rounds by tho hard-hitting London firefiii», Phil Scott. Tho meagre reports to hand show that the match proved a splendid draw-card, and hundreds of would-be spectators had to be turned away. Scott won almost every round, but Heoney's showing was quite impressive, and he fought back gamely all the time. On occasions ho came in aggressively swinging with both hands, but Scott s defence was sound, and he took most of tho blows on his gloves or his arms. To enthusiasts in far-away New Zealand it seems a great pity that the match between Cook and'Heeuey was never staged, for this would have' given tho New Zoalander a far better chance of making good. Scott, who has also beaten Cook, is porhaps the leading English heavyweight, and many competent critics regard' him as a far bettor man than Jack Bloomfield. Howover, we earnestly hope that Mr. Bernard _ Mortimer, who watches the New Zealander's business affairs, will be able to guide his charge towards a. few victories over men of. less renown than Phil Scott before ho again allows hiis to take the ring against a-fighter of such class.

Harry Casey was a warm favourite at the opening of his contest against Ejigene' Volaire at the Brisbane Stadium, but before the close opinions changed, and the popular Frenchman's wm on points was heartily applauded. It was not a spectacular fight. Over the closing stages-Casey Bhowed a- decided tendency to hang on. Volaire, ring veteran that he is, wns too good a general to seek a quick victory via. a knockout to the jalw. Casey appeared better at long range, -but the Frenchman, fighting as ruggedly as his opponent, kept punching away solidly at the 'solar plexus, causing 'Casey to cling to his adversary. An amusing1 incident pccurred in the thirteenth round, when Volaire^ making a swing at Casey, missed and struck the referee lightly on the chest. With true French courtesy, an apologetic bow followed immediately from Volaire.

Paul Denisky will be seen in action at New Plymouth to-night, when he crosses gloves with the evergreen exfeatherweight champion, Lin Eobinsoii. Demeky did his work in Wellington,' and left for the North on Thursday. He should be in the pink, of condition, as he has been training ever since he arrived back in the Dominion.

Concerning the pugilistic efforts •of Charlie -Purdy at the Tailteann Games) "Boxing," the well-known English sporting journal, has the following to say : "Pnrdy, the New Zealander, who created such a furore in one of the preliminary bouts by his easy victory over Pat O'Hanrahan, England's best in the welters, won as he liked from Dwyer, the Irish champion.. The latter was looked upon as stiff opposition for the All Black, considering that the Irishman reached the semi-final stage of the Olympic Competition at Paris. But Purdy outboxed him in all phases' of the contest, and stamped himself as a past, master in the art of scientific boxing." Puidie arrives back in the Dominion by the Tahiti, which is due in Wellington on Monday. ' ""In a letter to "Milo," the Australian welterweight, Pat Gleeson, says that he is anxious to ouce more cross gloves with Paul Demsky, and he, therefore, issues a, challenge to .this worthy to box

under any association in Maoriland. They have met on two previous occasions, and so far honours' are even. Since he was last in New Zealand, Gleeson has been to England, where he ape ■peared at The Ring, Blackfriars, London. The cold weather did not agree with him, so he returned to Australia, and in a, contest at the Sydney Stadium, defeated Les1- Reynolds. . Ha met Eddie Buo.her twice and was stopped, the first time in seven rounds and later m eleven rounds. Gleeson is well known in New Zealand, and would prove a good draw in either "Island. He has beaten Les Murray, and would be prepared to again prove that he is a better man than the New Zealander. However, his present bete noir is" Paul Demsky, and if he is successful in securing a. ( match with.him, Gleeson will be ou the spot with all speed.

For his championship fight on Monday last, Clarrie Blackburn trained at Denny Murphy's gymnasium, where, as sparring, partners, he had the services of the Irish bantam weight,•• Jack Orowley, with Dick Aloran and Jimmy Hassett. He also did some hard work with 'another local lightweight, and when he called on .this writer the other day he expressed his gratitude for the manner m which the boys mentioned had coma forward to help him. . After . the Auckland footballers had received such a severe drubbing at the hands of Hawkes Bay at Napier, Clarne Blackburn appeared in the boxing ring the same evening with blue and white colours gaily fluttering from his waiet. This temerity raised some goodnatured chaff from- the' audience, but when Blackburn was adjudged the winner one of his seconds proudly waved the colours from the ring. IndicaTi, J he cloud ™hicil hu«g over Auckland s mana was the obvious disinclination of- one supporter of Black- ? Urn <™, associated with the city "The Star"). -, Not far from Sm was a patron who occasionally encouraged the Frankton man by calling? "Go on Auckland." The other supporter and^ ans/ c?° rte(L '.' Wh«° * Auckland? This is a, Waikato man." This outburst of local patriotism was not altogether unjustified. There must be thud man, strangely enough, offered his able toV* th6 T,fallen; P^ist ZZ* Wfllinm, £ ' J * -refere6 thon awarded contra f % could ' se™re a satisfactory contract of engagements. . Hats just a Yankee peculiarity! Tho other day there walked into the Stadium Ll 6Vi ra NPr Plnfl- "Pstandi ng youth, and asked Mr. Munro for a .contest Stands up well," mused the manager. "TOu nmst have been a soldier!" , Where do you_come from?" he asked. iNew. Zealand," answered the boy. A few more questions were put and answered and then the boy's name was «Wg?l»(S?yS'th-e Sydney Sportsman"!. Well,' ho said, "Wore I left home my people requested me not to use my proper name in the ring." . The Stadium manager had no objection to an assumed cognomen, he assured the aspirant, and inquired after his ring- handle. "JacU Lionslieart, ' answered the boy, adding that his parents considered it quite an appropriate name for a boxer. " 'Tig so," assented the rather breathless manager, "but I think Jnck Williams would suit better. If you get in that ring and don t quite please, the crowd'll give you 'lion's heart'—and liver too, if you want it." So the youngster became Jack Williams. Ho hasn't been sighted since. A double knock-out—an event as rare as a surf carnival in the Arctic—characterised tho final of the' light weight division of tho Western Suburbs A.A.C. amateur .boxing tourney at the Coronation Theatre, Leichhardt, says the "Eeferee." The contestants were Jim Lalor and Laurie Sullivan. Early in the fifth ronud Lalor landed a terrific left swing on Sullivan's chin.--Simultaneously Sullivan connected with a swing right under tho heart. Sullivan went down in the light hand corner. Lalor staggered to the ropes. Both wore out to the world. Lalor was held up only by the ropes. The roferee counted out the prone Sullivan, and declared Lalor the winner. Lalor was carried Ja his corner, and it was many minutes before he had sufficiently recovered to.leave the ring. In many respects this bout is not unlike the famous Otto Crib-Snowy Sturgeon- sensation of fin A- pnUl^o0' T1 Ji t. the old Metropolitan Athletic Hall, Ultimo, Sydney. The story of that famous last (round is here reprinted from the files of the "Eeferee" : "What a finish! Even money was wagered freely., and even money looked the exact sizmg-up of the chances of the men when the eighth round opened. The <*ot together almost immediately. Cribi's left swept round with considerable force ihe . msido of the - wrist. brought up against Sturgeon's jaw as Sturgeon placed a, weighty rightfover Cribb's hlart Sturgeon dropped limp, the back of his head striking the boards with a crash that was heard away up in the far-off seats. Cribb staggered helplessly to the nearby rope, and the support thus offered undoubtedly saved hun from falling. The white of his eyes could be seen as he hung there, rnoio ike a- dead than a living man. Had Crbbs lucky swing being a fraction of « second slower in making contact, tho bow he received would, no doubt, have placed him where Sturgeon was. Such was the position If Sturgeon could have risen inside the allotted ten seconds Cribb must have fallen. Only the fact that his ed Cr-bb y" y Pr °ne and broken sustain-

There is some talk in the Commonwealth of matching the fieak aboriginal featherweight, Monad Mickey, with the 57^ American nej-o, An ell Bell. This match, Australian Black' versus American Black, would attract a large house m any part of the Commonwealth, and would be sure to fully compensate the enterprising promote/ who staged the contest. Mickey was born at Dubbo.New South Wales, about twenty. autocrat king Mickie. Mickey, junior' stands 6ft 2m in his . bare feet and 84 inches Ho has had considerable' experience m the ring,' 2nd his record in- I chides victories over some of the most promising boxers in the cornstalk £*.