Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, JULY 23rd., 1927. BOXING CONTESTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 July 1927, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, JULY 23rd., 1927. BOXING CONTESTS

Xew.spaper-offiee telephones are kept busy on the occasion of any big sportin'? event, and the Demp-sey-Sharkey encounter proved no exception. These enquiries are ample evidence of the interest taken in boxing by the general public, even in events between men they have never seen, nor are likely to see, and with whom they have no racial or other ties. Men like Sir Hall Caine may denounce professional boxing contests, but the

fact cannot be ignored, that honestly managed, these appeal to the average man, who recognises the good in them, and does not contine his attention to what may be evil. None pretends that all is ideal about the promotion and carrying out of these big boxing bouts, but during training, and especially when in the actual ring, the principals are called upon to exhibit a physical prowess and courage, the possession of which mav well be envied by others.

The victory of Dempsey will be popular, and it will give him a chance of again meeting Tunney, for the world’s championship title. Dempsey’s defeat in their former meeting was unexpected, at least outside the United States, and there will be general satisfaction among sportsmen that he will have an opportunity of proving if Tunney’s defeat of him was a fluke, or otherwise. There will also be general regret among British boxing patrons, however, that there is no heavyweight in the Empire—the home of the sport —capable of meeting the best Americans,. Man after man has been acclaimed as the British “hope,” but candour compels the admission, that so far these “hopes” have failed to materialise. The United States with a population three times that of Britain has a wider field of selection, but that does not altogether explain American supremacy. Perhaps one reason for the failure of British countries to produce first-class professionals, is the lessened interest in amateur bouts. It is, of course, from the ranks of amateurs that the professionals are recruited, and if there is not sufficient encouragement given to them in their early days as amateurs, likely recruits give up their boxing ambitions, or decline to undergo the Spartan training and discipline essential when world-ehampionship honours are sought. The topic of encourage ment of amateur boxers is now opportune on the Coast and other parts of the Dominion, as district championships are being decided, to determine nominations for the New Zealand championship contests. It is to be hoped that the entries received by the Greymonth Boxing Association will be of a gratifying nature, and that some

new talent will be revealed. The Coast has produced its fair quota of expert boxers, but, of late, seems to have been -less fortunate in this respect. Why this should be so is difficult to understand. The raw material is available, and lack of interest must be one reason why new real champions do not seem to be forthcoming.

The younger men should leave to their elders that narrower interest in the sport confined to debating fights between others, and should be eager to emulate the examples of a former generation. Big professional encounters, such as between Dempsey and Sharkey fail to serve their full purpose if they do not revive enthusiasm among younger men for boxing contests between themselves. It should not matter a great deal to them, if victory or defeat is their portion, so long as they do their best. They are all the better for the experience and the training, and it is to be hoped that the district youths will co-operate to regain for the Coast honours in a. sport always popular with this virile community.