FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 23

FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE

ELIMINATION SERIES

Having obtained permission from the New Zealand Boxing Council, the Wellington Boxing Association proposes to conduct a series of elimination contests in Wellington for the purpose of deciding the future professional featherweight title-holder of New Zealand. The first contest will take place about July 12, and the following conditions have been decided upon:— All preliminary contests shall be of eight three-minute rounds for a purse of £10. The semi-final contests shall be of twelve three-minute rounds for a purse of £30. The final contest shall be of fifteen three-minute rounds for a purse of £50. Expenses will be allowed to all contestants living outside of Wellington. Any contestant weighing over 9st at the official weighing-in at Wellington will not be allowed to compete, and, In addition, will forfeit all claim to expenses.

MCIVOR'S RECORD Finlay Mclvor, runner-up for the New Zealand middleweight amateur title at the last national championships at Greymouth, and who turned professional at the beginning of this season, shows promise of developing into a very useful performer in the professional ranks. So far he has met with considerable success. As an amateur he had a very impressive record, and in 1934 was junior welterweight champion of Wellington. In 1936 he was middleweight champion of the Manawatu, and he won the middleweight and light-heavyweight titles of Wellington in 1937, the year he was runner-up for, the New_ Zealand title. He was also* runner-up for the New Zealand title the previous year.

since the World War. Before 1914 the difference in quality between Bri-

tish and foreign play was very great indeed. BRITAIN STAYS OUTSIDE. Vanquishing a representative English team on English soil during the English season has long been a great —and, as ■ yet, unfulfilled—ambitioni of all Continental sides, which come into contact with Britishers only seldom. You see, the British are not good mixers, in the international football sense. They have their own "international" tournament each winter —contested by England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales—but the governing bodies of the game in these four territories are not in membership with the Federation Internationale de Football Association, the authority that controls Soccer in its wider international aspects.

For this reason (among others) the British do not take part in the world'.? championship, to be' determined this year in Paris during June. The British football authorities left the International Federation in 1928, as the re-

rather, was—-Hakoah, founded by an Englishman in 1919.

The word "Hakoah" is Hebrew for "strength" and the society bearing it was established for the greater physical and intellectual development of Zionists, through the medium of, among other things, football, athletics, boxing, wrestling, chess, and music. VIENNESE TEAM'S VISIT. I well remember the great enthusiasm aroused among Semitic Soccer fans here by the visit of Hakoah's eleven from Vienna to play West Ham United in 1923. It was the first occasion of a visit of a Central European football team after the war. Hakoah won,- 5 to 0. Pale blue and white—the Jewish "national" colours—were very much in evidence, and one British Jew explained the enthusiasm to me by saying: "We don't look on them as visiting nationals. They are our boys, and we are right proud of them." In Austria, as in most other Continental countries, British players, coaches, and touring teams have played a great

right lines. Very young, but tall and well moulded physically, the St. George second-row man is revealing splendid form. He is highly thought of in local circles, and was invited to Auckland to participate in the New Zealand trials early in the season. R. Wickham's enthusiasm and energy have contributed greatly to Miramar's success. A Very useful type of insid* back, he also takes a keen interest In his club's administrative affairs. Of Wellington interest is the fact that E. ("Teddy") Mincham has retired from active football and has joined the Auckland Rugby League Referees' Association. Mincham was a fascinating attacking centre, but not an every-day type of player. He represented Auckland, Wellington, North Island, and New Zealand in the Rugby League. Central has yet to score a win in firstgrade matches this season. However, they held Randwick, a greatly-inv proved sidei to a 6-3 score last day. A Central win would be vetf. well received.