VISITING BOXER

Evening Star, Issue 21823, 12 September 1934, Page 11

VISITING BOXER

OAL COSTA'S IMPRESSIONS A GOOD RECORD Speaking highly of the hospitality that had been extended to him since he came to New Zealand a mouth or so ago, Dal Costa, the .bantam-weight boxing champion of New South Wales, also referred in high terms to the way that the sport was controlled in the dominion. Dal, who is twenty-one years of age, arrived m Dunedin last night, and is a smart, alert little fellow, bearing none of the hall-marks of his trade. An uncle is Barney Kieran (one of Australia's greatest swimmers of the past), and another uncle is Jce Costa, the old-time lighter. Joe Costa’s real name was Kieran; and Dal told a ‘ Star ’ reporter to-day that it was Joe Costa who started him off in the game some three years ago. Joe took part m many good old-time battles. Most of Dal Costa’s fighting has been done at Sydney Stadium, where he began as a preliminary boy, and he has made steady progress during his three years’ connection with the game. He won . the New* South Wales bantamweight championship from Young Eagle by a thirteen-round knock-out; but after giving a good account of himself against Merv. Blandon (bantam-weight, champion of Australia), who is rated among the first three bantam-weights in, the world, he was knocked out in the ninth round. Costa is satisfied that he can do better, and his Sydney manager (Mr Bill M‘C6nnell) is now endeavouring to secure a return match between Dal Costa and Blandon. “He is certainly a great puncher ” was Dal Costa’s comment oil Blandon.

, Dal Costa has won many of his bouts by the knock-out, his victims including Kid George, Max Richards (bantamweight champion of Queensland), and Jeff Mack. The well-performed English bantam-weight, Johnny Peters, outpointed Dal Costa, but, as he has shown in New Zealand, Dal Costa can be depended on to make a fight of it with any opponent whether he wins or loses. He has put on weight since landing in New Zealand, not an uncommon experience with visiting Australian fighters. He was 8.2 • when he left Sylney, but will probably scale around 8.10 when he steps into the ring against Clarrie Kayner. New Zealand feather-weight champion, next Saturday night. He is confident of giving a good account of himself. He leaves on his return for Sydney next Tuesday, so that his last appearance in New Zealand will be made here. He intends having a-short spell on his return home, and then will endeaVour to clinch a return fight with “ Darky ” Blaudon. When asked to make a comparison of New Zealand’s amateur preliminary boys and the paid preliminary fighters who engaged in battle at the various stadia around Sydney, Dal said that he was impressed with the form of the New Zealand amateurs, but the boys taking part in professional preliminaries had to be pretty tough; and, further, they fought more regularly than thp New Zealand amateurs, fights running almost every night at one or other of the stadia. Now that boxing was booming again in Australia the preliminary boys had every incentive to reach the top. he concluded. , Costa is working out at Tom Harris’s gymnasium during bis slay in Dunedin.