IN THE RING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 148, 20 December 1930, Page 24

IN THE RING

By "Aeneas"'

SHORT LIVED SINGER AS TITLE HOLDER BEATEN FIRST CHALLENGE A new red fighting glove whipped Al Singer on the jaw in the first round of his fight with Tony Canzonori in the Madison Square Garden, and Singer flopped to tho floor, knocked out in his first appearance as defender of the lightweight championship which he won last slimmer in almost the same manner from Sammy Mandoll, writes Wcstbrook Pegler, the famous American sporting writer. One minute and six seconds after the sharp jangle of the opening gong, Singer was an ex-champion, and Canzoneri, an old man of the ring with seven years of fighting behind him, at the age of 23, was bounding about the ring, kicking up gusts of resin powder in joyous antics. « A short left hook clipped Singer as they parted after ,a cautious embrace, and he plunged to the floor in a queer collapse. As in his fight with Jimmy M'Larnin, who knocked him out in the first round of a non-championship bout in August, Singer iay on his face, pawing at the back of his neck for the first few seeonds of the count. As the knockdown timekeeper's gavel beat for the seventh time on the wadded margin of the ring, and Johnny M' Avoy, the referee, stooped low to howl the count in the fallen boy's ear, Singer rolled to -his back and began twitching his legs to place his feet bojneath him. He was up and teetering at the count of ten, and lurched backward a couple of strides to the ropes, whore he fumbled druukenly. for his balance, and wound up outside the ring. There his legs gave way again, and he settled to the floor. Sammy Goldman, Canzoneri's manager, reached a hand down to him, and his own handlers scurried across to lead him back to his corner, as the big crowd in the temple babbled in amazement over mystifying happenings too sudden for understanding. Tho blow looked trifling, a perfunctory whip of the left hand, from a fighter who has serious trouble holding his own with mucli loss pretentious performers. Y"et Singer was knocked absent from his senses for a much longer time than it took the referee to count him out, for even when he left the ring, amid a yowl of abuse from the crowd, several minutes later, his eyes were glazed, his chin was slightly agape, and he wasn't recognising friends. ' Benily Leonard, who had coached him for his fight with Mandell last summer, stopped him in the aisle to commiserate him, but Singer merely dropped a limp boxing glove into his grasp and called him Ike. The pawing gesture at the back of his neck suggested that M'Larnin had hurt him' permanently in flooring him twice with hard driven right-hand blasts on the jaw. That night Singer lay on the floor, face down, kicking his toes into the -wadding and clenching his neck with both gloves in apparent agony. To-night a small poke of a wondering left hand set him to grabbing at his upper vertebra again. At any rate Singer last the title in one of the briefest lightweight championship bouts ever fought. Joe Gans beat Frank Erne in 54 seconds, and Mandell lasted a few seconds longer against Singer than Al survived against Canzoncri to-night. A Return Bout. In preparation for thoir return match which is to take place at Westport on Boxing Night, both Tommy Fairhall and Ted Morgan are again working out regularly. Fairhall is anxious to show that the decision against him in their last bout was all wrong, and to that end he is leaving.no stone unturned to be at his best. Morgan, on the other hand, is equally determined to show that what he has done once he can do again, so that the second meeting between these two hard-punching boys should be well worth witnessing, The purse is £150 without expenses. ' Lou Bloom Again. The cheery Lou Bloom sends along further word of himself in San Francisco. Lou had not had a fight when he wrote, but expected to get going in a few days' time. He sends his best wishes to his New Zealand friends, saying that he still thinks of them all. There is no doubt that New Zealand hospitality has made a firm impression on "Lou," and it would, not be surprising to see the little American-He-brew come this way again before long. Peters Coming On. Johnny Peters, the English bantamweight, who was such a success in Australia recently, was on the'card when American Dave Shado was outpointed by Lon Harvey, the British middleweight, at Albert Hall. Peters scored a stylish victory over one Cnthbert Taylor, described as a tough Welsh ban-tam-weight. Referee Criticised. That the rcfereeing in the EdwardsDonovan bout at New Plymouth last Saturday night was far from satisfactory is the opinion of one prominent Wellington enthusiast who witnessed the clash. The enthusiast in question is one who is not given to making rash and unconsidered statements, and his opinions carry some weight. He takes particular exception to Referee Meale consistently warning Edwards early in the bout when his opponent was equally at fault, .while ho points out that the referee has no power over the boys until they enter the ring, and the referee's, action prior to the fight of going into the dressing-rooms and making statements as to how he intends to control the bout is absolutely unconstitutional. Blay for Wellington. The Wellington Boxing Association has again been in communication with the Australian featherweight, Bobby Blay, and definite arrangements havo now been made for the appearance here of the Australian in January. Blay is to have two fights in Wellington next month, his opponents being the same pair as were spoken about before, Donovan and Leckie. The arrangement of these two fixtures means the cancellation of the Fairhall-Trowern bout, of which there had been some talk of staging in January. This will be something of a disappointment, particularly as the featherweights have had a very good run here, but no doubt the association will bring the two heavier boys together as soon as possible, for there is no question than that they will make an excellent match. Sailed for Home. Trainer Sammy Chapman, with his youthful charge Lew Edwards, left for home on Tuesday last by the Makura. They were accompanied by Mrs. Edwards. Prior to sailing Chapman expressed his intention of returning here early next year and bringing with him a strong team of Australian boxers, in which he hopes to include Jack O'Malloy, his heavyweight star. Edwards, too, hopes to return. . Auckland Plans. The Northern Boxing Association is making every endeavour to arrange an auspicious start in the New Year with the matching of Johnnie Lockie, former

feather-weight champion, and Tommy Donovan, present title-holder. During the last few months tho association had been unfortunate in that it had the services of several boxers available but suitable opponents could not be procured. Tho Leckie-Donovan match, however, seems certain. The dates tentatively fixed arc sth or 12th January. Another bout early in tho New Year will be between the clever Australian, Lew Edwards, who has just left New Zealand for Christmas in Australia, and Tommy Donovan. Edwards has boon cabled offering him £200 and ; £4O expenses, states the "New Zealand Herald." Wellington Boys Do Well. Instructor Joe Mears took three of his boys, Harold and George Thomas, and Mansfield, up to New Plymouth last Saturday to figure in the preliminary bouts to the Donovan-Edwards encounter. From all points of view it was a very successful trip for the Wollingtonians, and each of them duly won. The following are a Taranaki paper's descriptions of the bouts: — Though slightly taller than Furze (lOst Clb), Mansfield (lOst 51b) lacked the thick chest of his opponent. But he was nimble on his feet, quick with his head, and accurate with his long arms. Furze's bustling opening was met by a confident counter-attack delivered on the retreat. Using his feet neatly, the visitor upset Furzo's range, and scored to the head and body rapidly. Furze was not given the chance to use his strength, he was beaten to the punch, and "he was kept from getting too close. The Taranaki champion came out for the second round determined to make up the points lost in the first. He rushed Mansfield to a.' neutral corner, and slogged home terrific blows to the body. They hurt. Mansfield ducked, dived, and twisted, taking the punishment magnificently and returning it in spasms. The crowd roared thunderous applause. Then Furze began to tire, and Mansfield, when it seemed that he was ready to drop before the fierce on-1 slaught of his opponent, opened out with all his guns. Bight and left they crashed against Furze's head. The blows weakened him, and his returns dropped from tired punches to listless efforts. Mansfield was on top, and he knew it. He put nil his weight into his gloves, and Furze crouched to avoid the t storm. Three heavy rights rocked Furze to his heels, and ho dropped prone on his back.as the gong sounded. His seconds worked over him feverishly in tho interval, but he cametmt groggy and .an easy prey for the refreshed Mansfield, who was heartened by the victory in sight. Furze tried gamely to rally. He staggered before the first rush of blows, reeled like a ship, and went down. He scrambled up and felt for his opponent blindly and feebly. Only magnificent pluck kept him going. He was running on pure grit alone. The;,spirit was fighting to the last, but the flesh gave out. Twico more he went down, and the third time there was no coming up. Both boys were cheered to the echo. They deserved it. Plenty of Incident. A bout between N. Thomas, New Zealand lightweight amateur champion, and Kitt, a recent arrival at .Hawera from Napier, opened the tournament, and from the onset the boys had the crowd in an excellent humour, both mixing matters very willingly. Thomas, however, was the cleverer of the pair, and he opened with a light-ning-like right to the face, following up his advantage with a successon of well-timed rights and lefts. At the same time ho did not have matters all his own- way, not by any moans, Kitt landing several times with a hard left. In tho second rounTl Thomas again es- ] sayed to use his right, but Kitt show-1 cd aggressiveness and forced Thomas j to the ropes, but the latter extricated j himself from what might have been an awkward position with a less experienced boxer and continued to havo the best of tho exchanges. In the last round Thomas, who had shown clever_ footwork all through, made his opponent miss badly several times and at the saino time led nicely with his left, and towards the closo connected to the face several times with the right. G. Thomas (Wellington) 9st 71b, was too quick' and hard punching for Findlay (Hawora) lOst 21b, who took the ring at short notice through the absence of Thomas's original opponent. A straight left, snapped home with good force behind it, followed by a weighty right, unsettled Findlay from the start. He went down for a five count, came up to receive more punishment, and went to the canvas again too hurt to rise.