BOXING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 100, 24 October 1925, Page 19

BOXING

B.Y "CESTUS." ON THE COAST

TO-NIGHT'S CONTEST

MURRAY AND TEOWEKN,

Fight followers at Greyniouth witness the return match between Les Murray and. Keg Trower.ii to-night, and they ought to see something good. Popular opinion has it that the result will be the same as when the pair met at Wellington, and it would cause great concern in pugilistic circles if the tables were turned. Trowern seems to have gone down in the estimation; of a good many of the fans after the performance he put up at Auckland last month when he was defeated on points by Charlie Purdy. It is this fact that causes many to think that the issue of to-jiight's contest is a foregone conclusion. It must be remembered, however, that although Trowern found Purdy's elusiveness too big a problem, he made Murray realise that he was in an engagement. Trowefn made himself popular in the ring here, because he had no regard for the "pat-pat" stuff, which is seen so often. It is even suggested that it was fortunate for Murray that he fell oh to the ropes when he encountered a blow from his opponent in the third round, when they met here at the Town Hall. It wag this incident that caused Murray's supporters to sit up and take note, and had- he fallen on to the canvas he might not hate got up again. Those who were fortunate enough to witness the contest will remember the occasion, and they will remember the look on Murray's face. He did not exactly look happy. Murray will be on the lookout for a repetition of this to-night; if ho meets it he had better look to his laurels. Hence, it is not altogether safe to say that the result is a foregone conclusion.

The winner of to-night's contest will receive an offer by the Otago Boxing Association for an engagement with Hector M'-Donald. The fight will be staged at Dunedin on Armistice night. The profits of the match will be allotted to teachers of boxingin the various schools in the Southern city, and the idea sounds a very •) good one.

The' Wanganui Association is also shelving the services of Murray and Trbvrefn. Buck a match would go a long way towards putting, the North-. em Assbeiatidn on its feet again, as it will be remembered that for the last twelve months this body has had to close down shop, through coming off badly, with four engagements., Purdy Again. , I'urdy still continues to win all his fights, and his last one with the French welter, Dick Elmour, more than satisfied Aucklanders last Saturday night. This is what a Northern writer has to say about the contest: —

"Boxing as he had never done before in the presence Of an Auckland crowd, Charlie Purdy, the local lightweight, provided ring-siders with the very fight they havo been waiting for, when he met, and defeated oil points, the French welterweight Dick Elmour, in a^ bout of fifteen rounds, at the Town Hall last evening. A purse of £150 was in dispute, but, as fights go, the contest was worth twice that amount.

"Neither lad showed much inclination to clinch or hold, and the contest over jthe full fifteen rounds was fought at a fast clip, Purdy warming to the work earlier than usual* and maintaining a • safe points lead from the third round on. Referee Matt Moore evidently had his mind mado up that the contest should riot bo spoiled by any 'bad wrestling' since his eager ' Come —break 'now!' was heard whenever the opponents were together for more than, a few seconds. Over the early stages it seemed that Elmour's weight might wear the ox-Olympian down, since the .frenchman was carrying seven pounds more than Purdy—something fairly substantial for a lightweight:''

Elmour had made up his mind to get Purdy in the early stages, and his opening seems to have been very crisp. His punching was vigorous, and he made the most of the opening round, although Purdy with his hide-and-seek tactics waa,quite able to look after himself. Elmour was altogether too slow for the brilliant young Aucklander. Purdy had to fight back as he has never been seen to do before at Auckland, and traded punches in great style. He did not come out unmarked, for his left eye had closed in the seventh round. According to a tally made by the "Auckland Star," twenty-three sloepproducers were wasted. Elmour took plenty of sharp punishment in the final rounds, but gave a fair proportion of it back. In the twelfth the crowd yelled its approval, the term proving to bo one of the fastest witnessed at the Town Hall since the meeting of Harry Stone and Tommy Faii-hall.

Seen after the fight, Mr. Reg. L. ("Snowy") Baker, the famous Australian boxer, referee, and horseman,, informed the "Auckland Star's" boxing writer that he had enjoyed every minute of the contest. "From what I saw to-night, I should say Purdy is a young edition of Jirnmie dabby. I was agreeably surprised. It was altogether a delightful fight " said Mr. Baker. "I had heard' that Purdy couldn't do this, and couldn't do that; that ho had no punclj and wasn't aggressive, DUt 1 don't bcliovp it. Any boy with a chest and shoulders like that simply must have a punch. I never saw a man yet, built that way, who didn 't havo "a punch. Wait for another twelve months and you'll see the punch right enough. Purdy has the science, the speed, and all the .necessary tricks. I was more than pleased with his performance." Notes. The Wanganui Boxing Association made successful efforts to revive boxing in Wanganui last Saturday night after a long spell of inactivity. There were severn-1 aiiiaUuir boats', ovj- ilo tlio ■ slur attraction was a. contest between Dick Vcrcoi; (Blenheim, Bst 141b) and Mark Cnrroll (Wanganui 10st 31b). Carroll proved the winner, but Tim Tracy, who acted us referee, states that tho bout was marred by excessive clinching, which seems to 'bo a common fault these flays. Carroll will now nrnbnbly meet Robinson at Gisborno for tilll tillt;.

The Services of Billy Orimr. are bein;; sought, after, ;ind it, is quite on the cards that. hr. will pay JVj,vw Zealand a visit. It, is not unreasonable to suppose thiit Iliivilnh Ijren wnuld follow later should Grimo decided tn cross the Tasraan. With two surh v-r||.knou-t! ho.vprj io l.ho country w ha,t * ? | lftJlC e tux bgbfe £CSmßUtft.i_..._.-..-" •" •