NEUSEL-STRICKLAND FIGHT

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1937, Page 12

NEUSEL-STRICKLAND FIGHT

MOST UNPOPULAR VERDICT.

The most unpopular verdict for - years was given by Mr. Jack Smit h . Manchester, at Wembley, last UIS-U--when he gave as the official and unalterable verdict that Walter the big, clumsy German heavyweight, had beaten Maurice Strickland (New land) on points, at the end of 1rounds of hard, unexciting, secondclass boxing (wrote Harold Lewm. .n the London “Daily lelcgiaph, October 20 last). . The crowd were with Strickland. They were against Ncusel through the fight. Ncusel, a ruthless body-puncher, had a considerable weight advantage, for he had turned the scale at list 711 b against Stuckland’s 13st 5Mb. The difference looked greater because of the thick build of the tawny-haired German and the comparative slenderness of the young New Zealander. Sympathies went to the man who was young, smaller and British. One can understand that. Strickland, o, was the better boxer, and he showed during this light that he had grit. He took heavy punishment, yet never lost his head. , , Ncusel, too, was warned three times during the fight for his tactics in the clinches, and the crowd disliked that. His manager did not improve matters when he broke all the rules of the sp Or t—written or unwritten—at the end of the 10th round by stepping quickly across the ring and talking to Strickland, so far as I can gather, on the question of holding, about which Neusel had been cautioned. The crowd booed heartily over that, and justly It should never have been done, whatever might have happened or have been fancied. STRICKLAND DOWN FOR SIX. Lastly. Strickland, though on the verge of exhaustion, won the last two rounds clearly. Just before the end a wild swing from a frantic and equally exhausted Neusel happened to connect with Strickland’s chin, and the tall, slender New Zealander took a count of six. He was in no serious trouble, and, in any event, that knock-down counts for no more than a punch under our rules. It was hardly fair to Neusel. Except for some, merely technical holding, he fought fairly, if crudely, and fought the Neusel way we know. There were no “scenes” apart from the booing. The plain fact is that the fight itself was of nd great consequence or interest. The vast building was only half filled. Had an English champion lost the decision in similar circumstances, then there would, indeed, have been a riot. It was not a distinguished fight. Strickland, I thought, turned the scales in his favour during the last two rounds, and boxed throughout in much better style than Ncusel. He 'stood up to his man dourly, coolly, and hit straight. He hit with a fine straight left, avoided much body punishment with an inward uppercut, and sacrificed himself on many occasions by his fondness for leading with his right. They were an odd pair of opponents. Ncusel, .with whom we are all too familiar, staged his usual lurching attack, fighting for the body, generally looking pained and distressed, having an entire lack of footwork and style, but a grimness and aggression which made one fear for his lighter opponent. Strickland came into the ring with a Dempsey-like scowl, turned his back on Neusel, and when the fight started, settled down to some good orthodox boxing.

He won the early rounds, and the customary "hangdog” look of Neusel, seated on liis stool during the interval, was even more lachrymose than usual. But there came a time during this fight which reminded one strongly of the fate of Petersen; a time when Neusel felt he could safely take all his opponent had to give him and come lumbering in with his axe-like body blows. Strickland forgot to box, began to retreat, and looked in rather bad shape about the Sth round. But Neusel was also tiring, and the Now Zealander, using all the defensive tricks and skill he possessed, weathered the storm for two rounds.

Neusel, by the end of the 10th, had shot his bolt, and the smaller man came back with a spirit that was amazing in the circumstances, and clearly won the last two. What is more, he punished the German.

I thought Strickland won, though by a small margin. What I do feel strongly is that Neusel was not entitled to the booing with which he was greeted after the fight. Still, he was lucky, and moreover received £3,200 for a very moderate exhibition of the art of boxing. But (Mr. Smith thought Neusel had won and said so. The crowd booed for over a quarter of an hour. Women stood on their chairs and shrieked, and men were content to shriek. Strickland was cheered as he left the ring, Neusql was booed and jeered at as he passed.

RANKING LIST.

The British Boxing Board of Control, last night, issued a number of ranking lists—or rather lists of holders of championships— affecting British boxers.

The only point of interest is the reassertion of the peculiar ostrich-like view, taken some months ago, that the heavyweight, chompionship of the world is vacant—that Joe Louis is not a champion. The ranking lists are: WORLD. Flyweight: Benny Lynch (Scotland). Bantamweight: Harry Jeffra (America). Featherweight: Petey Sarron (America). Lightweight: Lou Ambers (America). Welterweight: Barney Ross (America). Middleweight - Fred Apostoli (America). Light heavyweight: John Henry Lewis (America) Heavyweight: Vacant. GREAT 'BRITAIN. Fly: Benny Lynch (Glasgow). Bantam: Johnny King (Manchester). Feather: Johnny McGrory (Glasgow). Light: Jimmy Walsh (Chester).' Welter: Jake Kilrain (Glasgow). Middle: Jock McAvoy (Manchester). Light heavy: McAvoy. Heavy: Tommy Farr (Wales). EKITISH EMPIRE. Fly: Vacant. Bantam: Vacant. Feather: McGrory. Light: Lauric Stevens (South Africa). Welter'■ Vacant. Middle: Vacant. Light heavy: Vacant. Heavy: Farr. EUROPEAN. i Fly: Lynch. Bdiitam: Vacant. Feather: Vacant. Vacant. Welter:

Vacant. Middle 1 Marcel Thil (France). Light heavy: Thil. Heavy: Max Schmeling (Germany). When consenting, in the face of severe criticism, some months ago, to recognise the proposed match between Max Schmeling and Tommy Farr as for the world’s championship, they stated that Joe Louis had never won the title, because James Braddock was under suspension locally in America when Louis beat him.

Barr did not go on with the Schmeling fight, but went to New York, where he met Louis in a fight recognised by every person in the world, except those constituting the British Boxing Board of Control, as for the world’s heavyweight title. It seems that, having taken a. certain line, no matter how foolish it may appear afterwards or how slender the logic on which it is based, the board consider themselves bound to stick to it. This piece of unconscious humour will make the rest of the world rock with laughter, but in weakening their own position, the board are doing an' ill-service to British boxing, whose cause they represent. One other point among these lists is that Schmeling is nominated as European heavyweight champion, a title for which he has never fought.