RINGSIDE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 20055, 21 December 1928, Page 12

RINGSIDE TOPICS

[By Hookmu] There is little to chronicle in the local boxing world, but it is to be hoped that after the holidays, with the approach of the new season, the Otago Boxing Association will show some of that activity that characterised its efforts earlier in the present year. Dunedin fans are ready for another professional contest, and if it wore possible to arrange one in February it would almost certainly be well supported by the public, providing a sufficiently good bill were presented. The committee of the Northern Boxing Association, at a meeting leccnlly, considered the staging of the JVI innesMacdonald bout in the open an , but in view of the importance of the match it was decided to hold the tignl in the Town Hall as usual (says the ‘ Sun ’). If held in the open air the bout could only be held under favourable weather conditions, and in the event of it proving wet the bout would have to bo postponed until the following evening This, it was considered, was not in the best interests of the boxers concerned, as they were trained to concert pitch, and a postponement would impose an extra strain. However, the committee decided that the scheme oe not chopped altogether, but brought up at a later date. It is probable that a 1 out will be staged in the open air in either January or February, when the wither is more settled. Johnny Leckie will be commencing light training in the course of a few weeks. Ho has had communications from soma northern associations regarding contests in the north, and one optimistic body even mentioned Grime as a likely opponent. If Grime and Leckie do happen to meet, it is fairly safe to say that it will be in Australia, whither Leckie is likely to be making tracks when his hand shows a complete recovery. Says the Sydney ‘ Sun ’: The middleweight champion of Australia, Ted Monson, and his wife, are back from New Zealand. ‘‘ I had a fine time in the dominion,” said Monson. I hud two fights with Tommy M'lnnes, but lost them on points. We had to use eight-ounce gloves, which are no good to me. They are for amateurs and gentlemen sparrers, not for fighters. My contests were in Auckland, where I trained at the fire brigade’s gymnasium. Superintendent Wilson gave mo every assistance, and so did all the firemen and Hughis Donovan, son of the old-time fighter, who is the instructor in boxing. I sparred a iot with Jim Broadfoot, a coming middleweight. I think he would do wol in Australia. I also had the gloves on many times with Frank Taylor, who recently lost in a hair-line decision to Teddy Green. Ho is worth watching. A brother of Charlie Purdy is shaping nicely. I was offered several o her matches, but I wanted to etarn to Australia because of a business tiansaction that needed immediate attention.” It is reported that Nelson M'Knight is considering going to Sydney to try his luck. He would be well advised to steer clear of anything better than second or third-raters until he has made up for his long spell, and ho will have to fight better than he did in Auckland or he will be well out of pocket on the trip (says the Auckland ‘ Sun '). Says the Napier ' Telegraph ’: “ Tommy Donovan had his first professional contest on Monday night, when he met Jim Cottqrill, of Wellington, who was also making his first run for money. Tommy scored an easy win by the snort cut route. No doubt an effort will be made to bring Leckie and Donovan together, and it is hoped it will take place before Leckie goes to Australia.” Leckie met Donovan as an amateur in Napier, and those who saw that contest should realise the difference between the two men. Leckie has improved out of sight since then, but Donovan has not made the same progress, and if the pair ever do meet the writer believes that Donovan will be in for a real trouncing, and the association that stages the match will need to think twice about the matter before it puts on such a mill. Donovan could not win the amateur featherweight title at the last New Zealand championships, despite the fact that the feathers in action were only a moderate lot, and now some people talk about stacking him up against New Zealand’s professional feather-weight champion, who has had three times Donovan’s experience, and, on what Donovan has shown as an amateur, at least twice his punch. m According to all reports, Tommy Griffiths is showing great form in training work outs, and it is anticipated that he will enter the ring for nis contest with Billy _ M'Alister, the Australian bantam-weight champion, in better form than ho has been for a long time past. Tommy mny_ just surprise a few of the northern critics by nis showing in this fight, for ho has been punching much harder of late. If he could register a win against M'AHster, Griffiths’s stock would boom so far as Australia is concerned. _ , , According to the Now Zealand * Sportsman,’ the reports in regard to Ted Morgan turning professional are premature, and the Olympic welterweight champion will figure in the Wellington amateur championships next season. ... , Charlie Purdy is having a good spin in Australia during his present trip, for, following his win on a foul against Jack Carroll, the welter-weight champion of Australia, he scored a win last Saturday against Stone, probably the evergreen Harry. Though Purdy took the ring against Carroll at very shoit notice, over the first seven rounds he a really brilliant exhibition. His of preparation told a bit at the finish, when, after repeated warnings, Carroll was disqualified. _ Another meeting between the pair is regarded as likely to be a big draw. The writer learnt to-day that there is a prospect of a contest being staged in Dunedin in January. rhe , Boxing Association is m touch win Lachie Macdonald and Tommy M "- nra regarding a third meeting of tins pair at Dunedin towards the end of BbukJ, »b«t write ««•"< fight between them being up pectations. Macdonald and M Innes met in August, the former rrrfiit contest on points. I bey meet again next week, and if the P nirn ™ to be matched in Dunedin fans are in for a treat.