THE RING

Gisborne Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5537, 20 July 1920, Page 7

THE RING

BURNS FAILS TO COME BACK

BOXING IS MODE THAN BRUTE STRENGTH.”

HOW WILL “TAHMMY”

EXPLAIN?

(By Old ’Un.)

“Talnnmy” Burns, in his effort to come back, has shared the fate of Jinx ’Jeffreys, of Bob Fitzsimmons and | many other once great champions. Prior to his contest ■ with Beckett lie said: “Beckett is young, and ja. real fighter, but boxing is more than brute strength, and bulldog |ba.ctics. It will be my fault if the fight goes twenty rounds, and Beckett will bo lucky if he lasts ten. If Ij win, then help me to unearth the liian I am trying to find as a British heavyweight world’s champion]” Unhappiv for “Talnnmy,” Beckett seems to have given him a veryj hard knock in the fifth round and ] liis seconds acted wisely in throwing in the towel in the seventh round. “Old ’Un” has not seen Burns in action for about 12 years and his opinion is that it would have taken the ex-champion all his. time at the height of his career to have dismissed Beckett.

AMERICAN OFFERS TO CLABBY

Prior to leaving Gisborne for Wangamji on Saturday, Jimmy dabby received a letter from Tom Andrews, a well-known boxing promoter of Milwaukee asking him to return as soon! as possible as he wished to matijli him against the American middleweight champion Johnny Wilson,! and the ex-<champion (Mike -o’Dowd for big money. Wilson, who jbeat O'Dowd for the championship jn May, is said to be a magnificent j specimen of a boxer, but with an unorthodox style, as he fights with his right hand out. Clabby is at jjresent considering the offer, hut jit is unlikely he will leave- in the immediate future.

OLABBY’S BROTHER DICK I FORGING AHEAD. I

That boxing runs in families is exemplified locally in the case of the tup fEcenoys, but it will be news ito ninny to hear that Jimmy Clabby has a nineteen-year-old brother who is rapidly coming to the front in the American ring. Ho participated in tiyo contests in May. In the first match, at Chicago, Diclc Olabby knocked out his man in one round, and a fortnight later lie fought at Valparaiso where his opponent acknowledged defeat at the end of the sixth.’; round. Last month he was booked to meet two other good men, of whom the most important is one Jack! Kennedy, who has acquired a reputation by so far beating all his opponents. The match was set down; for June 26, ten rounds at a ringside weight of Sst Sib.

BOXING IN BARE FEE'Jb**

Ais good story came to light .through a commonplace incident ht the js| training rooms last .Week. Jimmy Clabby was examining his shoes') when he discovered a- small He nommcnlnd... on this,j and Jack Heeney at once volunteered to lend his hoots to the American. “I remember one fight m France,” said Jack Heeney, ‘‘when it was raining hard. I didn’t know what to do, and then someone in my corner suggested that to avoid slipping 1 should take my boots off, stating that ho had seen Jimmy Clabby do the same thing in Sydney against Dave Smith. “You’re quite right,” said Clabby, with a smile. “It was a groat go. We met in an open air stadium and in the tenth round a tropical thunderstorm came on. There was no shelter for anyone, the fight was half through and Ve had to rro on. It was impossible to remain upright in the riiig with •shoes on, so I decided to take them off and finish in my soaks. That was not successful, as the .geeks curled up ait the too. I nearly fell over. Then we both decided to fight barefooted;, and wo continued to do so until the end. Gee! it did rain. After every round when I got back in the corner ono of my seconds was occupied in squeezing the water out of 'the gloves. And the spectators sat through it all, in many cases with portions of a. newspaper over their ■ heads. It was great, I can tell you.” And the American put on Jack Heeney’s boots with another smile.

• UNEQUAL AND UNSOUND? The Christchurch Sports club has definitely decided that it v. ill not offer a straight-out sum to professionals, being of the opinion that too boxers must be prepared 10 accept a portion, of the financial risk. Thus comments “Oestus” in the Christchurch Star::—“Whatever may he the conditions in the North. Island, experience has proved that from Christchurch down to Invercargill professional promotion on the oldtime terms is a losing proposition for the promoting body. On quite a number of occasions, starting several years back, T have written on the utter stupidity of local associations clinging to the guarantee system, .when tho percentage system is open for adoption, and is fthe only one which should he tolerated. It is

a sound business proposition, while the guarantee system is- not, and local associations should bo debarred from the- continuance of an unequal and unsound policy by a regulation being added to the Act controlling 'boxing, making it illegal to offer boxers a stipulated sxirn to compete. In view of my oft-expressed opinion on this subject, I am pleased to know that the question will be brought before the Hastings 'Conference. That, at iany rate, will provide the opportunity for an exchange of views.” If “Cestus’s” viewpoint were adopted it might be found that some centres would never have the privilege of seeing high-grade professionals In action. The Clabby s, the Urons. the Lloyds, the Fritz Hollands, the Volaires. etc., would cling to the towns which are known to be willing to provide a big “house” for a big contest.

CLABBY AND FRITZ HOLLAND

Dear “Old Un”—ln reference to your issues of Tuesday and Saturday, the 13th and 17th inst., in which you state that Clabby has beaten Holland, firstly on points and secondly by a K. o.' in the sixth round. In fairness to Holland I wisJi to .state that the fights referred to resulted, firstly a draw, and secondly a win for Clabby on points over 20 rounds.—l am, vours, etc., A.H.R.

TSo far as official records available at the moment are concerned, Clabby met Fritz Holland on only two occasions—on Marcli 4, 1916. at Sydney, when Clabby won after the full twenty rounds had been fought, and on July 8, 1916. when the knocked out Fritz Holland in Melbourne in the j sixth round. It is stated by friends 'of .Clabby, however, shat the pair ‘ hax'e met on three other occasions, j one contest resulting in a draw and the other two in wins for Clabby i on points.]