TUNNEY ON HEENEY

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1928, Page 4

TUNNEY ON HEENEY

“THIS BLOCKY AUSTRALIAN." • Gene Tunney, world's heavy-weight boxing champion, is said to be fond of good literature. Ho may be—and again, that may be all publicity stuff. But cither he does not know where Tom Heeney hails from, or else he thinks that New Zealand is in Australia. Still, though Tunney refers to Heeney as an Australian, the following article’, written by the champion for the. “San Francisco Examiner," is interesting. Now that Tom Heeney, of Australia, has been chosen as challenger for the heavyweight title, I. see where I’ve got. Io plunge into training in dead earnest. I can assure you that. I have plenty of respect for this blocky Australian. And nearly all the “insiders” —men who make a. living by sizing up the boxers accurately—believe that. Heeney Ims yet to receive his real valuation from, the public at large. Personally, I consider him mighty 'dangerous. He came to this country “on rubber heels,” as the saying goes, without any fanfare of trumpets. Now, I’ve noticed that a. man who brags about what he’s “going to do” seldom does anything much. But Heeney was just the reverse. 11-' evidently believes (hat deeds speak louder than words. In one year ho took on Charley Anderson. Paulino Uscudun (twice), Bud Gorman. Jack De Wave, Jack Delaney. Jack Sharkey ami Johnny Risko. 1 think that was a pretty fair assignment, for any man within such a short time, and the fact that Heeney more than held his own against these boys is the best testimonial to his abilities. II coney has never suffered a knockout in his career. This shows he must be game to Hie core and able to keep going in the face of withering fire. Another thing that convinces me that he will put up an argument is the fact that ho has shown improvement in each successive bout in this country. in other words, he must ha.ve real boxing brains —and a man who b:nows how Io use his head when lie's busy in the squared circle is a man who must, be watched. Heeney's a. husky chap. He's built like a. battleship, hut he's anything but slow witii his hands and feet. I think he boxes for sheer love of the game, for you'll notice that. Im's at his best, wben tho milling gets lhe hottest. He likes io come plunging in, and a duel of gloves at. close range is something he. relishes. Our Australian friend attends strictly to business. Ho looks on boxing as a. profession, and does not seek or enjoy the limelight. He is modest and retiring, and in. New York the boys still chuckle when they remember how the big fellow ran away from his hotel and hid for nearly a day and a-half rather than be photographed in a dress suit and a monocle. Heeney doesn’t, go in for freak selfexploitation. Ho quite evidently prefers Io “say it with gloves.” and to my way of thinking, that is the right way after all.