CLOVE GOSSIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume LII, Issue 5464, 27 April 1920, Page 3

CLOVE GOSSIP.

IS LOCAL ASSOCIATION “KNOCKED OUT?”

BIG. “CLASH” WANTED* FOR

GISBORNE

LIN ROBINSON TO MEET KEEN-

AN AT BLENHEIM

(By Old »Un.) All the interest that can he mustered locally in the sport of boxing .'irises from accounts of "hat is going on—elsewhere. The local association is doubtless “alive,” but it looks as though it has been “knocked out” by the heavier offers which have been made by other associations for the privilege of stag.ng big, “fights.” “Old ’Un” cannot help feeling that the local association is too timorous; Gisborne could easily produce a “house” which would .pay the “exes” in connection with a high-grade encounter. He wouidi, therefore, appeal to members of the local association to take their courage in both baud's and! enhance its reputation for providing good sport. Surely enough first-class professionals have landed in the Dominion, together with its own quota, to enable an attractive match to be brought off here? If any of the local lads arc aiming at a New Zealand championship it is high time they got into the gloves again. The Dominion championships are to be hold at Hastings tins yOrf? and the date is not a great distance ahead. Training for box'ng differs from training for most other sports. In the glove game it is not enough just to have three or four weeks’ hard training—running, skipping, and sparring, with the inevitable massage. For many weeks before the contests a fighter requires to go in steadily for perfecting his “hits.” It is so easy to unlearn a blow and most difficult to get a “hit” up to one’s idea of perfection. The eye and the mind require a. special training quite apart from the bringing up to form of the muscles. In a quiet way quite a lot can he clone in File matter of training before the tune is reached to undergo hard exercise.

Bend ing engagements—elsewhere—include: Tracey versus Lloyd, National Cup Week; Fitz-Holland versus “Tommy” Uren at Wellington ; Clubby versus Uren at Hastings; .7. Keenan versus Lin Robinson (feath-er-weight championship) at .Blenheim, May o; B. Cook versus Gus Venn on May 4. Mi- Frank Burns,’of Auckland, will referee the- forthcoming match between Clubby and T. Uren in Hastings. It was fairly we'l understood that Tim Tracey would' not again be offered tile position. It is not an easy role to fill and even Mr Burns inis lately been put to the annoyance of having an important decision questioned in his own home town. Tlnwo who sat in judgment upon His refereeing 'were not, however, unanimous as to what should have been the verdict and the discussion fizzled out after the point had been raised as to which is the better—a referee alone or a referee and two judges. “Old ’I n” says on tin's matter: that a conscientiqus referee is worth a multitude rf hairbaked judges. Hg has seen much more shocking decisions .given ov two so-called judges than lie has seen given by any first-class referee. Kiel Lewis is apparently to be the next famous boxer to be allowed the opportunity of measuring his speed—\ it will probably be his length on the matting—before Carpentier. Lewis was a brilliant light-weight when he left Australia and in America where lie developed into a middle-weight lie secured the world’s champ onsliin at that weight only to b o >. defeated in turn by -Tack Britton. The purse is to lie £25.000. and it should he very easy money for OarpcnFer.

The recent clash between Sorgt.— late Bombardier—'.Veils and Edd'o McGoorty once again exemplifies the old saying: “One never knows.” Wells is still the White Hope of the Motherland but lie is a queer composition. Tie seems to have had practically his own way with McGoorty. There was a day---and it is not far past—when it may have been otherwise. MeGooi'tv may well now say: “Youth will Prevail.” Wells Inns never fought so splendidly, but it will take another good fight or two to enable him to regain public confidence. IL> is the' most unreliable performer that has ever stood up for Britain in the squared “ring.”