BOXING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 13 April 1929, Page 23

BOXING

BY "AENEAS'

JOHNNY LECKIE

ECHOES OF% CRIME FIGHT

'GREATEST SINCE DAVE SMITH'

'' The best boxer New Zealand has sent across since Dave Smith iit his best" was the: summing up of Johnny Leckie by "Solar Plexus" of the/Sydney 'Referee" after the New Zealand featherweight champion had defeated Billy Grime at the Sydney stadium. Leckie's. fast, clover boxing and hard hitting with both hands were more than a match for Grime's awkward style and experience. Grime for the second time in his career of over 100 contests failed to get the distance. Not since 1922 when ho met Bert Spargo, who he subsequently defeated, has Grime been unable to continue.. Even Fidell La Baba and "Honey Boy" Mnnegan cannot nail him. Two or three writers in Sydney attempted to discredit Leckie by stating that Grime was but a shadofv of his former self, but Grime himself states that he was in better, shape than he was against -La Barba three weeks before. "Solar Plexus" also writes that Grime's showing was as good as he had put up in many of his contests in Sydney before he went to America, and that oven'if Grime had been at his very best it was doubtful whether he would have defeated the jicw. find. Each boxer drew £170 for his share of the gate.' The editor of the "Ring," Ken Johnston writes:—"Many of the press reports in the daily and Sunday papers did not give Leckie the credit he. deserved for the win, by saying that Grime was finished, "all shot," not himself, and many other things that made out Billy Grime was no good. 'To bo fair, one must say; that Leckie is a champion,' and won on his merits. "If Grime is all the things said about him, which, all summed- -up, mean that he .is ■ finished as a f.ghter, and seen his best'day, why is it .that Fidel La Barba never finished him off iv jigtime as he did Billy M'Alister and Willie Smith, who have far from seen' their best days?. That is the-point critics forgot. It is always the way. When a good, boy is unearthed, the^ higher he climbs, and the men he beats) are either finished or some other excuse is offered. Why will Australians not give. credit where it is. ; due. "Tho Ring" refuses to follow in the footsteps of the other papers and say that Grimo is through with the game.

"Billy fought in his old style, his awkward crouch, bobbing and weaving tactics, -'long extended left hand, and,, his right placed near his right hrp.j He brought all his old-time skill into, play, but they were of little usp against the New Zealander. Leckie stands well up to his..work; A straight puncher with both hands, tough, and a fast mover, ho was .undoubtedly the master of the night, on Saturday. Grime failed to show out against such a brilliant performer. Every time ho ducked and swayed he , bumped into Leekie's gloves. On one or two occasions Grime connected with his deadly right, and although they hurt Leckie, they had little effect on tho New. Zealander.. ;■■ :,. . \

"About tho fourth round Lcckio slowed down .and Grime did,.exceptionally well scoring with rights'to tho head and body. At infighting the Australian was master and never oneo was he beaten in that department. However, at long, range, Leckie, never .gave: him a chance. - ->■

"It was pitiful in 'the fourteenth round. -After shooting in lefts and rights to the body and jaw, Leekie had the Australian out on his feet and a right to the jaw. put tho Australian down for the count of nine Eising, ho staggered around and bravely tried to keep his feet, but Leckie was on him and never gave him a chance. Again he was knocked, to the canvas and this time was too dazed to take full advantage of the count, rising at six. It was then that the police stepped in and. requested Joe Wallis to' stop the' fight. It was indeed a pitiful sight to sec Australia's champion battered and bleeding taking the count. However, he is not finished.. Put him in the ring with anyone else bar Lcckio and see how they will fare.

"Press," public and promoters be fair and give Johnny Lcckio full credit for beating an undoubted clever glovesman in Billy Grime, ex-triple champion of Australia." Lecfcie's Next. , .< Lockie will meet Willie Smith, South African, at Melbourne on Saturday night next. Smith, who has decisions over Teddy Baldock and Johnny Brown, knocked out Archie Cowan in Sydney, and then fought a close fight with-La Barba. In his return match with ;La Barba he was knocked out in the twelfth i;ound. Welterweight Title. ' v There is every possibility that the. Otago Association, which matched Jack Paul, the conqueror of Keg Trowern, with Artie Hay for the championship of . New Zealand.' \Hay successfully defended his title against Trowern at Westport, but has not yet met Paul. „ Tangled in the Ropes. ' A ten-round contest between Bonny Moss (10.11* j and Bex Johnson (10.7 i), j of Sydney, had a remarkable ending at the Melbourne Stadium (says the Australian "Referee"). <In the last round, when Moss was well ahead on points, he was dropped with a right, and he took as much of the count as he could. At nine he endeavoured to jump to his feet, but he became entangled in the ropes and fell again.- He was therefore not up when the count concluded, and he was counted out. It was a siir.prising end, as Moss had the contest won at the time, and he could easily have risen had he not been entangled in the i ropes.. Manawatu Association. The annual meeting of the Manawatu Boxing Association was held this week, Mr. E." B. Wirusett presiding. There was a large attendance of members. The election of officers resulted:— Patron, Mr. A. J. Graham; president, Mr. Earle E. Wimsett; vice-presidents, Messrs. E. L. Barnes, P. Cousins, 11. M. Essex, and E. A. Hamilton; hou. auditor, Mr.' B. Davis; secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. P. Evans; committee, Messrs. B. M'Grath, D. Armstrong,'E. Scott, G. Watchorn,' M. O'Brien, J. Purvcs, V: Goldfinch, E. L. C. Aitchison, and K. ■E. Hatch; time-keepers, ,Wes_ton J. Smith and W. Eaudell; hon. medical officers, Drs. y. Hunter Will, Cyril King, and Durvvard. Mr. Cousins expressed the opinion' that' the membership . subscription of £1 Is last year was too small, taking into consideration the number of professional fights staged..The association was fortunato in the early fights put on but there was no question that money was lost on. the latter bouts. The speaker felt that the question was one which could profitably lie debated. The suggestion in-tho president's report that the subscription be raised was opposed by Messrs. J. O 'Moara and G. Watchorn, (iho latter giving the opinion that such a movo would gravely prejudice the association, Mr. Aitchison was of opinion that it was bettor to have a membership at a guinea than half the number at two guineas. ,-. . ... Mr. J. Louisson was of a contrary -opinion, stating that while the associa- i

tion was,strong, It was policy to keep the membership down. ;It was no use being sentimental when it came to tho very existence of the association.^ A strong committeo had been elected, and tho speaker felt certain that they could safely leave tho subscription as it was, and trust'to the-committee.

It was finally.decided, on.tho motion of Mr. AVatchorn, seconded by Mr. Barnes, that the' subscription foo for the ensuing year be ono guinea. Dave Palmer. This week "Aeneas" received a. Jottor from Dave Palmer^ the Victorian welterweight, who 'is -■ running v gymnasium in Melbourne. He slates that since leaving New. Zealand ho lias had fifteen contests, and has won.them all, and would like to mako another trip to the Dominion.- Palmer stares that it is hard to'got'paying.matches iv Melbourne, as the game has slumped badly there. He also gives a list of boys who would come to New Zealand if there was sufficient inducement. Among them are Tommy Doble, the featherweight, who knocked out Jack Crowley, Tommy Brookes, bantamweight champion of Tasmania; Harry Peirce, a lightweight who has defeated Pedro Campo, Billy Palmer, a welterweight,, who has won his last six fights by knock-outs, and Young Palmer, middleweight, who, after a successful career as an amateur, has won his first three professional contests. M'Cleary and Cleverley.. A correspondent writes: An item of the,very greatest interest at the amateur boxing tournament on Monday night at the Community Club was the exhibition sparring bout between Alf Cleverley and Brian M'Cleary. It was M'Cleary's first public appearance in Wellington since lie announced his intention to come back into tho .ring again. Clcverloy, fresh froniihis recent victory at Waimatc, was in fine condition, while M'Cleary, who has only recently begun training, was not up to the standard at which he amis before entering seriously for the -heavyweight congests, lie gave a very lino exhibition of .shadow sparring to fill in a blank in_ the programme, and showed speed ami science. When, however, he stood up to Cleverley he was labouring under a very heavy handicap. His right arm was still as the result-of an accident, and he was quite unable to stop with it several heavy body blows which Clcvcr•ley managed to land in tho first round. Cleverley boxed w.ell and scientifically. He has undoubtedly improved very much since his visit 1 to Europe, and his experience at the Olympic Games and at the Tailltean sports in Dublin havo made him a formidable fighter, who is sure to go far -in the game. As for M'Clcary, a few weeks more of hard training will make a vast improvement on his present form. ' He has not lost his scienco or his punch, and when lie has trained down to his fighting weight he will be a focman worthy to meet by any other .heavyweight in the Dominion. Harvey's Great Win. A crowd of nearly 10,000 at tho Crystal Palace, London,' saw one of tho greatest fights ever witnessed in this country, writes Trevor C. Wignall, of the'"Daily Mail/ In the sixth round of a 15-rounds contest, 'Leu Harvey, the Plymouth-born middleweight, knocked out Prank Moody, the Welshman, who is generally regarded as the light-heavy-weight champion of Great Britain. Moody replaced Jack Hood, who had to cancel his bout with Harvey owing ,to an injured thumb. The knock-out was of the technical kind, for when Moody went down for the ninth, time, hopelessly beaten and practically helpless, die referee, Mr. Sam Eusscll, very rightly stopped tho proceedings and declared Harvey the winner. By then the majority of the spectators were in a state of shouting semi-hysteria, and it is a long 'time, indeed, since so much excitement lias been engendered. It was the astonishing endurance of Moody that was the outstanding feature. It did not seem possible that a human being, much less a boxer, who, although with a weight advantage of about 101b, had Ijad only four days' training, could accept so many terrific punches and .still climb back to his feet time after time. Something like 50 straight lefts must have been hurled into Moody's face in. the Jirst round—it was then that his right eye was so battered that it later became almost sightless. But it was not until the third, round: that, the fury of Harvey's fighting wrath really descended on him. A straight right-hand punch soon after the round opened dropped, Moody for a count of eight seconds. Ho retreated as he arose, but Harvey jumped in and again levelled ljim for another count of eight. When Moody slowly climbed back' he was, tottering, but- another perfectly timed right caught him flush on the point and down ho went for. one more 1 count'of eight.' As the boll rang to end the round Harvey swung with all Jtiis force, and this time Moody'dived through'tho ropes in his descent. Ho.had to bo carried to his corner, where he was given brandy, but a few seconds after the fourth round opened ho was back on the floor as the result of a right to the jaw that would have kept most men down for the' rest of tho night. Completely outclassed, Moody yet was able to do. considerable "foxing." He tempted Harvey to the ropes, simulated grogginciss, and then flashed out with lefts and rights in a desperate hope that one of his punches would connect and give him victory. Harvey, however, was much.too wary to be caught, and although he was a triflo more subdued and cautious in the fifth round, he was still very much master of the situation. In the sixth round Moody was levelled for three, counts of eight ■seconds, and he was curled up on the canvas on his left side when the referee intervened. Harvey was a revelation. In all his other fights, and this was his 235 th, he started slowly, but on this occasion he was forcing tho pace from the first instant. v Moody was>wonderfully plucky, but that is really all that can be said for him. As a boxer and as a fighter he was thoroughly outclassed. It may be said'now that Moody did not want this fight. His wife was against it, and it was only after it was pointed out to him.that the tournament would have to be abandoned if he did not act as a substitute for Jack Hood that he agreed to meet Harvey. He was paid £1000, Harvoy's reward being £1750. Leaving ' tho hall, I ran across two people who were exceedingly jubilant. One was Dan Sullivan, Harvey's manager. He said: "Please make this announcement. Harvey will light. Phil Scott, for £1000 a-sido whenever! Scott likes." The other was Mrs. Len Harvey, tenso with excitement, but very happy. All she could say was:"l am very, very proud of my husband." She has reason to be. ,On that night's form Harvey is the finest fighter this country has produced for a decade or more. ■ . -.; !.. ■ ■ ■ ■

It is now Harvey's intention to go to America to challenge Micky Walker for the midleweight championship of the world. ; ■...'■-. . ; '.■ '■' Donovan's:Fourth Win. The New Plymouth Opera House, large as it is, proved too small to accommodate the. huge crowd that was anxious to view the splendid boxing .programme that, had* been arranged-by. the Taranaki Boxing ,Association- last Saturday night,, and though crowds were accommodated with standing:room only at the ringside, a number were turned away, states tho "Daily News." It is safe to say that ■as ■ the outcomo of the tournament the game has received a great fillip in Taranaki,: for it proved the finest evening's boxing staged in Taranaki, or, indeed, that one could wish to see anywhere in. New Zealand.

• Of course, the star ..-attraction was the match between T. Donovan,- the popular and clever AYaitara boy, ana F. Taylor, Auckland, and as the result of defeating such a high-class b0.35 'Jjj a

knock-out in six rounds,-Donovan has taken a big stepup the-ladder of fistic tame. He was,more extended than was tho case in his three previous bouts, but 'ho proved too strong and ; rugged for his opponent, and after,the third round it could; be seen.that there was only one man.,in it. Taylor deserved, great credit for'his pluck-.-and pertinacity in standing up. so long to such a redoubtable opponent, whoso dogged determination and tigerish attacks proniisq to carry him a long way. There wore many' who thought that any opponent who could stay with Donovan for fivo rounds would see the end of the ■AVaitara boy, whoso groat pace would tiro him out, but they discovered on Saturday that their opinions were at fault- . • ,

Donovan weighed Sst 131b, and Taylor Sst 31b. Physically they wero an ill-as-sorted pair, for the 'sleek .' boyish appearance of J;ho Aucklauder provided a striking, contrast to the stocky, rugged, and more powerful Donovan. There were many present who said- the Taranaki Association had made a bad match, and who expected the fireman to continue his sensational winning way. But what a surprise! "This fight was'much more colourful and strenuous than any Donovan has yet participated in, and the Aueklander provided such solid opposition and fought back'with such fury that at-times the' enthusiasm of. the huge crowd was deafening. . Several times Taylor was roundly applauded for his cleverness in evasion.

Tho fireman was relentless, and eventually his plan of campaign proved successful. Ho concentrated on the body with both hands and ripped his left .to the jaw. .Taylor seemed unable to counter this sinister weapon, and it proved his downfall. Several times he was, groggy/ but staged a remarkable recovery. However, the. punishment became too severe, and in the sixth round, after being repeatedly hit with that left to the body and jaw, he was almost out on his feet. A terrific right uppercut to the point applied the closure, ./and the.game. Auckland lad had perforce to, take the count. ,'

Referee Alan 'Maxwell contributed greatly to the success of the event by his'firm handling of the contestants. In a fight wherein so much willingness is displayed, Marquis, of Queensbury rules are apt to bo severely breached, -and the "bralung" effect ofi the referee's assertion of i his authority kept within bounds a fight which, , with a little latitude, might; easily 'hay developed into a spectacle, not pleasant to witness. The struggle was marred by an exceptional amount of clinching and holding in the earlier stages, and both boys were .warned repeatedly. Finally the referee told the fighters he woud put them both out of the ring and declare "no fight." The admonition had the desired effect. '- Cottcrill and. Crowley. '-.«-. i The second professional bout-between Cotterell^aiul Crowloy would have been worthy of- a star position on any programme. It went the "• full- scheduled ton rounds,: and every' round was full of -merit/ 1- Cottereil was a different boy to-., the- Cottereil who met Donovan, though, of course, the adage applies that a 1 man can only fight as well as his opponent allows him; and he was very aggressive right through, piling ■up points in an open contest. ..Towards the close Crowloy realised that.'a knockout was Ms only 'chance of receiving the verdict; and on one occasion he nearly got' it. • Cottercir, deserved the decision. ''--.-:■ '.' An Australian, Ranking. ' The Australian; boxing paper, "The Ring," following the American custom, rates tho leading boxers in, Australia to-day, i,Five men are given, in each 'divisioaXin order .of merit. The latest list is:— , .'..'"• Heavyweights: Don. M'Leod; G. .Thompson, J. ;Elliott, l ",yank' ; ' .Hanna'berry, Pat.Bedinond. •','.'. ;;' , < -, . Middleweighfcs: J. Haines, Ted Manson, L. M'Donald, Billy Hardus, Tommy. cribb: .;", ■ ..',;■ • . „;.-',., ■• ■ , ■ Ayelterweights: "CPurdy, J. Carroll, Jimmy Pearce, Billy Bichards, AVally Hancock. .• ■ , .- Lightweights: .Jack Boberts, .Billy Jones, N. Gillespie, Jimmy Kelsp, Boy Storey., ■ '''.. ... .. . ..;,''-.'. . Featherweights: Johnny 'Leckie, Willie Smith,- Billy. Grime, "Cocoa" Jackson,". Freddy Welsh.. .■■-.....-! .Bantamweiglits:'AV. ; M'Alister, Archie Cowan, Ted Green, "Togo" Bobinson, Reg. Bigby. ' '■■.-'.-%."■.-.- ---! Flyweights:, T. Morgan, Vie. AVhitoi Beg. Cameron, Frank Jackson, Roy Baker. : --„.'■"