BOXING

Evening Post, Issue 145, 22 December 1928, Page 23

BOXING

> ' •> "AENEftS"

BORN, NOT MADE ::-■';■ BOXING CHAMPIONS [ ■-■■ '.' ESSENTIAL QUALITIES .;. That boxing champions are born, not made, is an article of faith with veteran students,of the game and of men (says A. J. Daniels in "Sporting Life ). Tho ■ knowledge .of boxing can bo mi; plantedin any, youth; but j: unless he has 'hardihood of spirit, as', well as _of physque, innate courage, and combativeness, boxing skill alone will not avail him. ■It is always more•'in the. spirit of hope than of faith that the hardened critic of boxing .comes to regard these periodic competitions, the avowed object of which is to discover and develop a- potential-:,world-beater. --The story of- these competitions, indeed, is so very, very, often one of.sliattei-od hopes that those who are'old.in the game have perforce *to; fall'"back on the ancient commonplace .that "fighters are born, not, made." h Fighting, or boxing, .must be in the blood; to achieve greatness in the ring it must bo born iv one. The combative instinct.must be there to begin with, though that primal gift is not.in itself the only quality needed for the making of 'the complete'boxer. Mon such as JimDi-.iscoll, Jimmy: Wilde, Ted (Kid) Lewis, 'Carpentier, Jack Demp■sey,. Pedlar Palmer, Owen Morah—to mention; only' a few moderns—had (div combative..instinct: in large measure. Force of chai-acter and the gift, or acquisition, of ■what is palled-., boxing brains ■ were 'other qualities which assisted in> making world-famous the group of boxci-s';named. Sometimes^ but not: : always, the "born, fighter' is given ambition;as an added driving fp''Ce; sometimes;it is vanity that spurs; him on. Looking over the list of names of men who stknd at the head of British boxing one stops1 at that of Teddy Baldock as the, one possessing in the highest: degree the naturally, combative spirit. He Is the.born, fighter;/one who, in: the heat of becomes^almost careless as to blows ho may receive as long as he can get one in .upon an opponent; Baldock is more of. the Jack; Bernpsey than;; say, ■ ■ tho : Gene '■ Tunney.' tjrpe, and for that -reason he is one of the best-beloved idols of the -British: sporting public. Jack Hood, tho Brit-; ish welterweight champion, and Johnny, Hill, the ; flyweight champion, are others of our - boxers; who have'that .in tlicin which appeals to everyone '- .goes' boxing. ..'■: They- fight back the 'more determinedly, the- more ; things : are going against them. 'But they have cool boxing brains as; well as the-primitive instinct to figlit,'..and .; native ; ; caution makes.;'them at times..less, spectacular to '.watcli, than 'Baldock.": .As a combination of boxer and fighter,..,, I 1 am dis-: posed to put Hood at the. head of the list of British boxers. I remember'well tho first time I saw him box in London. He was meeting, the. foreigner,. Vcrrett,' ,a hard, Well-trained man, a typical Con-; itiuental . fighter •of proved class and ability./ro watch Hood beat him by a combination 'of,science, ringeraft, and fighting power was a-sheer boxing delight, and for a week afterwards I went 'about telling everyone that I had looked; on' the best all;round boxer seen in ■ years;;-1 ■■■.-•■ / ■.:'• C' ■'.' ". .'.. '■,'.'■ Fractured Jaw. ...■'■•''.'',■. : .Pete Latzo, former ...welterweight champion, and: now fighting among the jigh.t-iicayyyyeights .'; accidentally -. had ihis jaw in? tho'isecond rouiul ;of liis recent ten-round bout with James' J. Braddock (writes ,Eobert Edgren, the well-known American authority). It was supposed to bo a mere exercise gallop for Latzo, who has been boxing: like, a champion. = But you never can toll" about\':these<; "James^ J." fellows. They all: seem to-be-fighters—James J. G'orbett, James J. Jeffries,; James J. •.Tunnoy-r-aiid: now James J. Braddock. Latzo finished the ten.rounds. The re"fereo. didn't -know .that/his jaw was fractured. Latzo's ' own: seconds didn't knowiit-until .the' : bout was over..' Braddock didii't: know,, it. '. The spectators didn't even suspect it. ...Which argues that Latzo commands a certain degree ; of gamenessthat is more or less adrnir-' able, although foolish. No.iiian with ai fractured :jaw should be allowed ::to, go' on with ;a•r.boxing,:bout ) ;.or:be:foolish enough to go on. It. has been done before, even when-referee and seconds knew of the .injury. . Eugene Criqui, after knocking out .Kilbane, for. the featherweight championship, fought Johnny Dundee, who never had been known as; a dangerously hard hitter.; The bout' had just begun when Dundee, : throwing everything into a punch designed to give him an early lead, happened *o catch. Criqui on" the chin and; snap his- jaw bone; Criqui's jaw had been shattered in.the war and rebuilt by v the clever French surgeons. It had lasted through several ring battles after the war.: It was supposed tobe better than the normal jaw, but evidently it-.wasn'.t.' Criqui was allowed, to. fight on, simply "because he was i a champion, had just: won the title, and it seemed a shame stop tlie bout and take his title away if he wanted to-con-tinue. He went the fifteen rounds with Dundee and lost the title, anyway, on the decision. His gameness wasn't profitable. His -synthetic jaw was a long time;in healing; and when"he tried to box: again he had slipped back too far to dp'much, because be had been, boxing long before the war and was too old. ' "."■ -: :.. - ' Dempsey Causes a Stir. Nothing: reveals more' plainly the poverty of the Old World and the New alike in boxers of "colour" and outstanding personality than the prominence given; in the'newspapers'to reports concerning -Jack' Dempsey, the former "heavyweight champion of tho world,' and Georges Cai-'pentier, champion of France and of Europe, and also cruiserweight champion of the world, states "London Sporting Life." ■Dempsey lost his championship more than two years'ago, and has*. not, fought for fourteen months; but,,althqugn; a new champion arose in Gene- Tunncy, who held the 'title without being defeated, it is Jack Dempsdy who has conquered arid still holds sway over, tho hearts of tho vast American, boxing public. That he holds.first;place also in the affections of Mr.' Tex Eickard is a matter of sordid detail consequent upon the other fact, that Dempsey is the public idol. Carpentier has not boxed at air for two years or more;l he has not boxed in his native country for ■nearly six years; yet there has emorg-. Ed no boxer to displace him in popular sovereignty in Europe. That is why the French Boxing Federation, with all its passion for making champions fight at; stated intervals or get out, has so long ; lain , " doggo where Carpeutior was concerned. : Only now has a movo been, made —because it has ;■ become so evident ■as to amount to positiveness, tliat Carpentier will not again enter the ring—at least, not to'defend his title. Therefore, tho heavyweight championship.:.:of France;is considered officially, to bo; vacant, and a competition is, to be organised for tho.purpose .offsetting up.a new title-holder. Quito a iuss is. being made over this item of nows, but it is nothing, compared .with that: ;resultirig in; Anierica from ■'semi-, official circles that'Demijsey4s expected ?.back -in', tho.. boxing.;game before loiig;';and that'--his;'first opponent will probably bo Paolinb,'the Basque -woodcutter, who, report says, is signed up for;his boxing life to Mr..Eickard. Tur-

t-licv colour is given to these news itcnis by tho statement .that Dempsey actu-, ally has started light training, in -aNow .York gynuiasium.',. . Although the, old; champion has;,said again and again that he is,"throughT'=with boxing, people .have refused to believe him; they liavo predicted stoutly that Jack will 'come back"; that-all.old champions do.- Wo must wait:and sec., ; . Dcnip-.; soy, like Carpentier, .is in the midst of lucrative theatrical engagemehts, ,and the circumstance that, ho has been doing some training may mean nothing more than that Jack realises'that his present _ weight pof fourteen -and a half stone is just about :a' stone, more, than he, a young man of 32, and a professed athlete, ought to-be carrying.Leckie Having a Spell. Johnny Leckie is.-working; : at ■ his ordinary occupation just now, and he, does; not anticipate-rthat he;will be able to take the ring, before, the. endof January at least, states "Hooker" of" the ; "Dunedin .Star.'f'. ,He intends! giving his hand every chance this time, and will not, engage in a.contest until he. is convinced the hand, will, stand any strain he is likely to place'upon it. Coloured Boxers.;;" :': / From ■ the ::.dawn'-of..'' boxing; ■history coloured 'boxers, have flayed aii. liiipoi-t----ant.part in the game, writes. John Fearless in th c '' Athletic, News;''■:'. : There; were extrabrdinafy negroes:,among the: lists of prize-riiig .' heroes-^-aiuL , tlviiy, wqre'heroes.. Modern boxing ;has supplied . some of ..tiie.' .cleverest .coJbured glove artists seen ; inside , the ropes. Peter Jackson,; Jack Johnson, Joe Gans, George'; Dixori, -Dixie; Kid, Jack; Blackburn, , and' '^am, Langf ord;.;, were amazing ringmen.' ".When;■ Laii'gford and Johnson1 passed put it was said that we had seen the -'.last of: great1 .coloured fighters. But a now .coloured-star.'was born in Lancashire named/Luu.Johnson. He has i-eyealed sciontifie ability 'that places him-' in iirinlar class: to.the, dcs-; cendants. of Hani.. ,y°,t another. Brit-, ish-boru black .boxer.' has' made good. This is Leoiie.'Jacoyacei. .^Tho.^at.tev has" achieved v butstaridirig ; successes" under the .name.'.of Jack Walker. He has been Challenging all- the; 'leading middleweigtits'of Europe., : '„: It is a. pity : 'that, tho. present .rules of the N.S.C. preclude; a coloured man. from '.appearing•■&);;■: headquarters.: .Yet I yenturo the opinion that British-born; coloured boxers should be allowed'; the privilege' of ' boxing' at .the Club just, as Continental, figliters.are'.paired;with our boys in. its'his'torie; riiig. J :'i-':-.;'' ' Tommy. Donovan.' ."■ ■'■'.: Tommy' Donoyaii, now'that ;he has turned: professional,' is; not.: Having '.-, a :iong wait: for contests.1 -■ He ;ni'et, Jim. ■Cotterill' at • New::: Plymouth ;on.; Monday night,:and ;isvbbbked'f6r r'Waitara; (his : home: town) /in i' January.' ilis: opponent-for: this .contest has .not yet been selected. , . ;.v /; -. , ; ;; : \ ..' . Young; Stribling.. y.^-W'-'r^":": : ,' ■'';. -' W; L. ('.'Young") Striblingy who Is; among, those, who, are to , be,;,tested, in', the: elimination) "contest's1 ;! for .'next world's • champion,. sebms" to :h'aTe been; very busy. This' year: up : to:, Septem-. ber lib, figurcd-in -32^ebntestsi winning the lot; and; 27; by-: the' short-cut." This, is ■ claimed as; a 'record. - In previous years it was noticeable thatthe" youngster, who is very good looking, was afraid of having; his clean-cut features knocked :but:6'f iplumb.' ;ißut with: years i{ would appear: as though, he is gaining confidence;",. His-record speaks that way anyhow.-1; Ho wiirjnot be 24. years of 'ago'aintil '.'next "/Boxing'- Day; and, mighti after -all, prove: a'thorn in : the side of;Heeheyj Sharkey,1 Kiskb, arid others, including, :the ■ English■:'-; crack, Phil Scott; ,"■■•.■ ■:'; ■ ■'•:.;■■ v :',■;■;:;^':::z- :. :Tarahaki's':Loss.t : ;'.'.'--:-.:,.- : '';;.'. v; :"i'- : '■■'.' It was difficult to understand why. the attendance was;so poot^at: tho OperaHouse, on Monday, night on yict'pcoasioni ;of , ; t.he<Cottrell-DpnovanVfight, "X- states; tho 'Taranaki Ilerald.:;',-liFc.w...amateurs. have.: boon as popular .as: Donovan, in Taarnaki, and it was thoiight;that there would have been a "bumper.'' house to welcomo him ..into', the prof essional ranks. This; was' not "so,- however^ ;and as a result.of thetournamentjtho Tara- : naki Association:has made, a severeUoss.The- association will '■ hayo-ijldst-' 'c!orifi-i denco iv tho drawing power-of boxingiri'sNew Plymouth aiid tho;;futnro' vof. boxing, in New Plymouth is-:even more insecure than- it' was.' As forxthe-'/fight;

itself, thero was little in it and there is little to .write of it. Donovan -'.'seemed: to bo sizing/. liis; man" upfor a.,round: and a half. He . then set.l'in J to": Cot--teroll,-foreing him. against the ropes.' /In) tlio'. third rbuii'd Jiohad CottcreM flurried .during one of. these rushes a"nd: hodk'cd.'his left in, quickly., to the jaw.' Cottcroll never .recovered from the second blow,- and the towel soon came.in, Donovan in the short display "lie1 gave promises very, well 'indeed .against stronger opponents.; : •■. ■;\ - > :'; ■ :s'' '. English Lightweight Champion. : ..■■■■• Sam Steward, the now -English, lightweight, champion, has .youth; on his/side. He. impressed me, says■;,' an /English writer, by. the way lie ;, disposed ,of Ernie Eice at-the London siting. -The Lewisham man boxed: when it suited him; and then' .-when intensive-fighting was nec cssary,-well,-,'.-he;; just ■. showed Rice that ho could take as well a;s liver -a.smashing punch.-He is not.'yet, .however,1 to-be compared.with ..Matt :Wells - - or, -Freddy-. 'Welsh;'",' '.-;v V•' :;; '■:■ ■ English Title-holders. ■, ;'. .; /:. '-,";;-; ; I shall, be glad. when/the day. dawns for the birth; of a : governing body: who will decide who are' the real contenders: for .titles.: -.There should'be;'no "whys and .wherefores..",,. The match should be' handed over to the promoter who; offers the best fmaneiaL inducement.-' - Look what would happen; in-the immediate future.if; such, a ; bp.dy :w'ere./'really i exist-, ent.:; Jolniny.Hill and:.'Bert!Kirby.f6r, the flyweight title; Teddy Baldpck .and Kid. Pattenden for',the bantamweight honours; Dom Volante and' Harry l Corbett'for the.9st,championship; Kid-Berg, and Sam Steward; Alex-.lreland :and Len Harvey, ;'or,Frank'. Mooily1,1 fbr,<the' middleweight crown;.; and Moody';aiid Gipsy Daniels to settle, the, question; as to who is the : best .cruiserweight J in Great Britain. What a'fiiie list of fixtures for. any promoter.. The' snag, is: Purse money! ;;-:/ 'v-v , !'-.". :"■ "-.j:--'-, if - ' Wrestling -Boom.'- ■■,'-,;■.;• ■' ;,: .-■/-■'■;■; ,■//;;'";; . -Wrestling proved, the-. ,111081 populari indoor sport in; Australia: during; the 1928 'winter, and in.'a flittlc ■ over five months the takings': in .1 Sydney, i'Mel-! bourne, Brisbane,'' arid Adelaide -aggre-' -gated1. ©55,000 "(states' 7the>;"Sydn/ey, Eef eree' ')• Although} interest wanted in;., the; concluding weeks in Melbourne,'- the sport -was' definitely;^established/in.-Syd-ney,.' while 'Brisbane fans; were'always eager to patronise'matc.hes' that looked /like -providing' bright'; :wrestling.-and) thrills.' ■ • Considerable; ;■■ publicity; !- ,f■ was given by->tlio' Sydney.:;Press!.toi'.niatches; of; the rough-house.; eategoryy 'but ''the fans quickly 'tired, b'f ;the showmanship display, and.: it.' :is'"Vpra'ctically.t assured that • in.. future years' the -•matches1,.1 to, intrigue the fans, >,wiir.hay.e'.::t6 be'iskilfu.l,.;. withi>an 'entire •.absetfee:;;6f jj;•: the: theatricals introduced :bj r/Nic.liolsyi Eil-: onis,: and- Karasick; ■; ' Generally-:; .'the; matches were of;, .aii; 'excitingi.; uature. Takings at, tho various Stadiums' were: .Sydney, £23,000;: Melbourne," £22,00,0;: Brisbane,, £5000; :;■ Adelaide,:.. Wrestling willy be; resuiheaiiu^May.ilt"; :is '■: tho : intention of, Stadiums,;- Ltd.;:-.toi introduce : . some lieayyweights.":,•:;*■■ -P.Assibly. Ivruse^, iThye, ;andi Myers,-'willHrc- , turn.-.-,: ,-S.antel ,is: a. doubtful :-propositioii,'. .but; ,:Za'rynoft;has;i stated-.his; intentibu of,.rqturning.;.'',,.;.';-.-r-'.." „',-; '[)K*--C:i'Xui:i;';'<> »■'■'■ Kival for Mickey' Walker.'" l ':''"'T'ir-!' :'A;, niiddle-.weight; whom.': American, writers., regard .-.as :a '-„'ineuaee to '.tho: \vprld,'s middle-weight.-. •: cli ampidnsh'ip, held by: Mickey,Walk'er,'is:ißene de'Vos, a; Belgian, who has .cleaned.- up,'the. class so cpnyincingly..that;.he -is i;h'ailed ; as.':th'o.' logitimato^, challenger; for ''the 'title.-; Doj ; Vos's latest, victim.'; was "Dayer Shade, who .could.i^vin•'; only.;, two. 'rounds in. ■.";'a; ten-round cpiitest^at.Chicago. >", 5^.V/ '.■■ A Warning. :,:' Ai;;;?/,: -J-i^ {;•■■■ ■}'<'( ;; -^ ■«,;;:. •'X- ;■■ ; There :is' a'possibility ;o£ 'Harry -Mason,' former light-weight;" chanipiohv; of'■ Eng-; lari'dj- and: now-boxing, as : ; 'a'r.niiddle-1. weight.' in; Australia,' being brought OjVer by. tlic'l'Aucklan.d'-A^sociatipir, to bppo'^D' "match ; th'e.Nor"th'ern.:.Association.;,wpuld!l .be'ivell.advised: to.iinsist ?onjMaßqn;devoting.more' time!tdj training than;he has an Australia.iTo.miny^ M'lnnes . has received a cable inessage .from;Charles; Harvey/ th o-v well-fena^vii;, nianagor ;, of. boxers,;.in ;.America", ■■ asking- when '}b&' : will;;bf! leaying/for>the'Jtlnited,'States;^ -M^lnnes. anticipates? thafc.he iwill'get^ia; 'fbwi inbr'e ' contbsts; in' ITew.^'Zealand1 ■dftcr-' his .'return- ma't'ch v with ,- tachie, M' Doiiald r consequpntly;'!h"e 'is nbt;like]y ■ .to leayeVfor soinD,:time.v1"': - '^. ; "--:^;. '