RINGSIDE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 20089, 1 February 1929, Page 12

RINGSIDE TOPICS

[By Hookee.] As announced last week, Johnny Lcckio lias now given the Stadiums authorities something definite to work on, and unless they arc prepared to guarantee £250 ami a percentage for each of three fights Lcckio is prepared to stay where he is in the meantime. He is now in steady training for Ills contest with Charlie Ghisson at Wanganui tho. week after next, and Trainer Archie Lcckio is satisfied that Johnny is' punching harder than before, especially with Ids right. Following his light with Glasson at Wanganui, Lcckio will sojourn in the Wairarapa while doing his training there for the fight with Matt Hatton, Billy M'Alister is nothing if not boastful, judging by his remarks concerning Ids contest with Tommy Griffiths, and Ids “ brag ” that ho did not lose a round may bo counted for what it is worth. Good judges of the game have expressed the opinion that M'Alister won only three or four rounds, and all his talk in Australian papers will not alter that fact. Australian writers are much more prone to take heed of what disgruntled boxers have to say than is the general rule in New Zealand, where sporting writers usually use their discretion in giving publicity to tho remarks of dissatisfied fighters. Fighting a fifteen-round battle at Tokomaru Bay on Saturday night, Eddie Barker and Jim Broadl'oot gave an interesting exhibition before a fairly large -gathering of enthusiasts. Broadl'oot won tho light, which was one of the cleanest and most open seen for some time (says an exchange). According to the referee, eight of the

fifteen rounds of the professional fight were won by Broadfoot, while throe were drawn, and Parker won i'ourr It was significant that Parker’s superiority did not become apparent until late in the fight, but, though ho had a shade of points in his favour in the fifth, it was in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth rounds that lie showed to Ins best advantage. Broadfoot made a good finish, and won nicely. The fact that Broadfoot was some pounds lighter than Parker indicates that the Waihi man is making Ids way in the game, and improving his style steadily. His ring career is much shorter than that of the champion, but he showed idee judgment in the waging of this fight, and will represent a stiff problem to any of the middle-weights and light-heavies of the country on Ids form in lids fight.

Jim Tracy, cx-heavy-weight champion of Australasia, is at present in Napier, and intends making a comeback effort after three years’ absence from the ring (says “ Uppercut,’’ in the Napier ‘Telegraph’). There is a possibility of him taking over the position of instructor in the Napier Boxing Association’s gymnasium. .In any case, Tracy hopes to be ready for any contest either in New Zealand or Australia by the end of March. While in America Jim had thirtce,. contests for mine wins, three 'osses, ami a draw, and among the men he met were Bill Brennan, iMrpo, and 'Join Gibbons.

A. Jones, who was rumicr-up to 'led Morgan in the New Zealand lightweight amateur championship at .Invercargill in 1927, has been transferred from Auckland to Wellington. He has held Southland and Auckland titles, and should do well in Wellington amateur boxing circles, lor ho is a pretty awkward sort of customer.

As might have been expected, I 1 idol La Barba. made short work oi Billy M‘ A lister, the Australian bantamweight champion, in the former’s first light in Australia, and it is only to be hoped that ho will still bo in Australia should Johnny Lcekie’s visit eventuate towards the cud oi the present month. Should this pair meet there would probably be a wonderful house to sco them in action. Should Leckio .be matched with La. Barba it will bo a big thing for him. At a recent meeting of the To A rob a Boxing Association, it was decided to match Ciarric I’ocock and Jim Broadfnot for a purse ol L7o. ibc bout will take place on February 16, and, as the To Aroha Jockey Club will hold tfic first dav of its annual race meeting on that ditto, a good crowd should attend the boxing contest. Dennis Boreham hopes to open a school at South Dunedin shortly, ami, as Denny’s ability as a teacher is well known, he should have little cliff dully in getting a good class together. Most of the local schools will be getting busy shortly, and 1 shall he picas mi 1o receive any news concerning the ..alts of opening of the various local cstanlishrncnts. Billy Richards is apparently unbeatable at .Leichhardt. Billy has beaten every boxer iio has met at iat Mdlugh's place, and added Harry Casev, Jlockhampton’s iron man, to Ins list of victims, when they clashed at the Balmain road resort. Harry fought furiously in the last two rounds, amf the fast finish made many onlookers think he was entitled to at lebst a draw. Billy was always the cleverer, as well as cicaner,_ though, and well won the decision that went Ins way, even though the referee’s ruling was badly received (says the ‘ Sporting Globe.’). Tiic announced weights were:—Casey 10.8 and Biehards 10.4. Taking advantage of his extra poundage, Casey rushed in, sometimes head first, in the early stages, and managed "to miss most of Richards’s straight, lefts up to term'three, when the Sydneysider began to connect ol ton with hoi.li hands to the head. Plenty of right leads in the fourth, and a cross to the chin in the fifth, then some punches in the succeeding rounds, gave Richards almost all the points until, in round twelve, Casey began to connect with straight Jells to the head, i Casey continued to land lusty lefts in the thirteenth, and a good head punch to tlio chest in tiie fourteenth made it seem that the tougli-as-teak lighter would wear Richards down. Billy propped plenty of straight lefts to the face as Casey came in for the last round, but Harry was very hard to hurt, and the Queenslander was lighting forcefully at the final boll. Thou came the decision for Biehards, and bedlam reigned for a few minutes. However, apparently realising that the Sydneysider was always the better boxer, the dissenters soon quietened. According to an exchange, there is some talk of the Napier Boxing Association making an effort to nruig a feather-weight from Australia to moot Johnny Lockic. This, of course, will be dependent on Lcckio still being in Inc-w Zealand.

Kid Johnson, the Filipino featherweight. has made a big impression as a lighter in Australia, and the conclusion has already been arrived at that no feather-weight in Australia could stand up against him, though the Filipino may experience trouble with his weight. Johnson stands in close and punches from short distances. To date, he lias entered the ring in perfect condition. There lias been talk of a match between Johnson and Charlie Purdy, former New Zealand light-weight champion, at a 9.9 limit, this being scheduled for to-morrow night, though at tin time of the last mail advice had not been received as to whether this fixture had been definitely decided upon. Tommy Barber made an effort to regain his lost Australian feather-weight title in Sydney recently, being the more aggressive of the pair in his contest with Cocoa Jackson, who recently regained the title from him. _ On the latest occasion fhat the pair met, the bout ended in a draw. Barber floored his man for a count of eight on one occasion.

Willie Smith appears to have disappointed the fans by his showing against Archie Cowan, and this gives grounds for the belief that should either Griffiths or Techie be matched with him the New Zealanders’ chances may be favoured. The trouble, however, is as to whether Smith will still be in Australia when Leckie is ready to hike across the Tasman.

The knockout of Joe Monte by Max Schmelling, German heavy-weight champion, stamps the European heavyweight as a fine prospect. Schmelling is a terrific puncher whose blows travel

only a. feu - inches, and U’ho, if ho can learn how to get away when cornered, where lie acts awkwardly, will he one of the headliners among (he heavies in the coming elimination tourney for the Muldoon-Tunney belt (says the American ‘King’). Schmelling is a sweet fighter. He closely resembles •Tack Dempsey not only in his poise and build and appearance, but also in the manner in which he fights. He rips in the punches with telling effect. His manager, Arthur Bnclow, is an export in fisticuffs, and will have no difficulty in priming Max for his big shots. Buclow is recognised abroad as one of the best referees and trainers in Europe. He is a soft-spoken, cultured fellow who served as a captain during the world war, and is well liked both abroad and in this country. _ Jimmy Wilde, one of the greatest little boxers that ever wore a boxing glove, and cx-fly-weight champion of the world, recently accepted an engagement of twenty weeks as a music hall star. When Jimmy was in his prime as a boxer ho turned many offers down to appear on the stage. The last offer was made with a very handsome salary attached to it, and although the little ex-charapio i is well supplied with money, he accepted and decided to make it his first and last stage venture. The writer understands that ap effort is being made to promote a number of amateur bouts in the Drill Hall on February 9, and that in addition to the amateurs Johnny Leckic and_ Tommy Griffiths will be seen in exhibition work outs. After a long lull, this 'tournament should be welcomed by fans.