IN THE RING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 96, 20 October 1934, Page 7

IN THE RING

WELL WORTH WHILE

TOUR BY AUSTRALIANS

(By "Aeneas.") Though the staging of the test matches is reported to have cost the Southland Boxing Association about £150, there is littlo doubt that the tour of the Australian amateur team has proved well worth while. Mr. McCluskey has in his charge a cheerful band of fellows who fully deserve to be described as gentlemen in tho ring and out of it. So strongly has the team spirit been developed among them that they practically control themselves on the tour, and those who have been called upon to arrange entertainments and so forth will testify to the fact that, without exception, they unhesitatingly fall in with whatever arrangements are made. In Wellington their visit will be remembered as responsible for boxing's most successful evening in the city for quite a long time. The local public lived up to its reputation of being prepared to go in force to see overseas athletes in action, and its patronage was rewarded by a series of bright and scientific contests. There was thus special cause for satisfaction among the members of the Wellington Boxing Association, who have seen their balances steadily drained as the result of a succession of losses on amateur and professional tournaments. In these the senior championships just managed to prove an exception. The next time an Australian team visits the Dominion the local association should have little hesitation in pressing for tho Test matches to be decided here. TULLY REPRESENTATIVE. The fitct that only three of the visitors hold Australian championship titles raises the question Of how far the team is from being the best that could be picked ,to represent Australia at the present time. The point was mentioned by the writer while the visitors were in AVellington, and members of the party answered without hesitation that the only certain change to bring the team up to full strength would be the replacement of Inskip by a heavyweight named Harley. It was possible that H. Pui, the Queensland flyweight, would win a place ahead of Cooper, but the two were on practically level terms. Judging by tho performance of Inskip, Australian heavyweight boxing is on no higher plane than that of New Zealand, though Harley is reputed to be a fast and clever boxer. Inskip is too stiff in his movements for a finished boxer, and swings his gloves wildly, with little, attention to the requirements of distance and direction. _ He appears to place groat trust in hisrighthand punch, and whatever tactics he uses are aimed towards the use of that weapon to the best advantage. Burns showed himself to be a cool and well-equipped boxer, but it was impossible to get a line on his reiil capabilities by watching him against Holcroft. The latter has great spirit, and can take considerable punishment without showing the effects, but his boxing is open to much improvement. Consequently, Burns was able to hit him at will and remain practically unscathed. TWO GOOD BOUTS. In the middleweight division Miles and Spring, the latter a Wairarapa reinforcement of tho local team, gave a good display in which tho decision could easily have gone cither way. The Australian used both hands to good effect, but was inclined to neglect his defence when attacking. The welterweights, Warbrick and Plank, provided the titbit of the evening. Hitting fast and accurately and varying their tactics with good judgment, they' kept the crowd warmly excited. Plank deserves much credit for his effort against a really high-class boxer. Billy Aitken did what his supporters hoped he would do against Moore, but his -winning margin, in the extra round must have been very slight. In that session he was eagerly in search of points, but the majority of his blows were effectively blocked. In tho bantamweight class, Larson was disappointing because ho did not open out until the very end; but if he had met Cooper half-way from the start it is doubtful whether he would have been able to counter the Australian's speed effectively. The bantamweight bout was over in quick, time, but too much was asked of Tanner, who fought in this year's junior championships, in pitting him against, an awkward, hard-hitting southpaw such as Gillam. THE WELLINGTON TEAM. Though the boys who carried Wellington's colours on Monday night did perhaps as well as had been expected, it can scarcely be said that it was the strongest combination that could have been chosen, assuming that all those required were available. Of this year's champions, only two, Larsen and Aitken, were in the team, and it is somewhat surprising that there were no representatives" from the Miramar Club, one of the strongest clubs in the city. As the result of Tinncgan contracting influenza, Tanner, the junior bantamweight champion, had to be substituted at the last minute, Mansfield, (lightl heavyweight champion) was , out of training, and Reid, it is understood, was not willing to fight in the light-heavy class.