BOXING

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11196, 3 May 1930, Page 11

BOXING

BARE KNUCKLES. PASSING OF THE BRIZE BING IN AUSTRALIA. HOW I’OLFY Til RAF HKD HIC KEN. Fifty-one years ago there was [ought, on the banks ol the Murray, a creak battle which marked the passing of the era of hare-knuckle, fighting (writes L. T. Luxton in the “Melbourne Argus”). the championship of Australia and a, prize ol 4'IOUO were at stake on that mpmhig when Larry Foley and Abe Hicken “toed the scratch” on terricooba station. More, however, was involved in that, Homeric contest than glory and money. Jk was practically tho last important bout in Australia under the old prize-ring rules, which provided for hare knuckles and a fight to a finish. , Fifty-one years is a great 1 of time, yet the memory ol \\. . • McGuiimess, of 'Jem.yson street, El.stern wick, seldom ‘altered as ■ related to me, sitting behind a pile of old letters and papers, the story of the contest will) all the color and vivid reality of an eye-witness. I was very young then, said Mi. M - Guinness, “but it made many ol tin older men think, to see Lwo men m ‘hare bull” belting each other lor an hour and "20 minutes. Larry . * ol< •> > tho popular Irishman, lived m t Rocks district of Sydney as a youth, and there he was; reared m a fighting .school. Jem Mace, oi bn land champion m the world m lod), eanm to Australia ill lUifi nod ( he immediately took a liking lo I oiej. He taught him the most scientific moves in boxing, and frequently lie ui-o-ed him to go to England and. the United States to try his luck, iu 1R79 Foley was matched, with Aba Hieken, who had conic from England with a fine prize-ring record, and had immediately become champion ol Victoria. The fight was to be lor the championship of Austi'filia, a (••take of £IOOO, and a side wager ot £SOO.

DODGING THE POLICE. “Eclnica was fixed as the place of tho combat. The \ ictorian Go\eminent gave instructions to. the police to prevent tho fight from taking place, and it topic the precaution to bind’the pugilists over m bonds oj £BOOO each to ‘keep the peace. J was on gaged to drive the principals with their seconds, including Jem Mace as second for Foley, and principal hackers from Echuca to the •'convincing ground. \\ itti the police- doing their utmost to stop the fight, it was kept a -close secret. At midnight ( drove mv load out ten the bank' of the Murray opposite Robertson and Wagner’s Perncpota. station. We: all ,went across m boats. In the meantime teergeapt Vaughan of Moama, who,had vowed to stop tho fight at all costs was lavishly entertained at an hotel by some .of our .confederates, who told the syr-

geaiit that the pugilists had gone up-stream. As a matter of tact., we had gone down-stream. The sergeant pursued an imaginary party upstream, and lie never saw the light at all. Senior-constable O'Meara, in charge of the law courts Jn Melbourne. had been sent to Echuca to stop the light, and lie, with Sergeant Hayes, followed our party over the river. There, in Now South Wales territory, they were powerless, but they yielded 'to a very human desire to see the fight. Sergeant Hayes said, ‘.Boys, Lius is a bad business. Better knock oil, but. he did not interfere. By the time Liie mou were stripped «uid in lougli rgped-oiT ring there was a crowd ol 3Qu spectators. Joe Thompson, the famous ‘king of the ring, was referee, while’ his brother ) Jack ami Jem Mace were in Foley’s corner. “The combatants entered the ring, skivering a little from the rally morning chill, their skin showing dull will to ni the grey light wmcli precedes the dawn. lull, gicntchested, with remarkable development of the punching muscles in the upper portion of the hack, the physique of 'both men was splendidly rugged, but in Foley’s lace, in the cut of his limbs and his chest, there were hues reminiscent oi the oj*ndog. As soon a.s you looked at Lliat square, rather handsome lave, you knew that tins was one of those indomitable men who would rather die than admit defeat. But he was voiy quiet then. To .Hieken's confident challenge, as they entered the ruig, ‘l’ll go you another “tenner, _ Lurry,’ lie ‘ replied bluntly, ‘No, 1 w'ou’t.’ Then they toed the scratch, shaped up, and the light was on. Still a. considerable time parsed before tho first blow was struck. Earn studied his opponent as they ■•’Parrcd warily for an opening, iheii Hieken ducked and, jumping in, jabbed ins left and smashed the right to l'“ley’s heart. BuL Foley ‘rode, or gave way to the iorce oi the blow. and in the same instant he battered Hieken's exposed head with a lightning tattoo ol short leit and right hooks. They separated, sparred ioi an instant, then Hieken dashed in again, to be met- by a stinging right which cut his lip. ‘First blood' had gone against the champion. ibis caused a sensation. Foley s hackers cried exulungly and irritatingly, ‘How do you like iliatf to which Hieken’s hackers retorted, 'll we come round to your side we’ll mallet

VO ll.’ A BATTLE OF TACTICS. "In the meantime Foley and llickeu struggled in a clinch, and one of them tripping, they both 101 l together. Tile first round, according ro the oid prize ling rules, was over, They sat down on benches which had been placed in their cornel's, and rubbed their knuckles with ice. In spite of the pickling process to which their hands had been subjected in training, their knuckles were stinging. It was a splendid exhibition of courage and boxing skill. Rut tlu> feature which excited a buzz of comment around the ring was the rigidity with which each man was keeping to his preconceived plan of attack. Hieken smashed 'continually at the region of 1 1 is opponent’s heart, which was already becoming red, while Foley relied on his sustained battery on Hieken’s head to daze him for a finishing blow. Time alter twite Hieken hacked to the ropes with Foley following him, and then calatuilted himself at Foley’s heart. But each time as he came in Foley propped him with his leit, drove bis right into his face, or battered him with deadly book's. And so. round niter round, with Hieken going down more frequently, the battle of tactics continued. "Long slanting rays ni the risen sun broke through the crowd round the ring and glanced on the darting arms of the combatants. Driving, swinging, hooking, snapping backwards and forwards in the in-light-ing, they were a pattern ot flashing white against tlu* green of tin* grass. The tenth round came, and Hieken, weary blit, determined as ever, bored in and belabored Foley’s heart. Golev must have been as strong as an ox to withstand this sustained battery ,lor Hieken was very sure, ami he seldom missed. Still. Foley, fighting very fairly and refraining from bitting ilieken as the champion went down round alter round, maintained his attack on Ilieken s head. Ilieken looked glmsllv. Both eyes were almost closed. bis lips were cut. his ears swollen, and his face almost black. Foley was unmarked on the lace, hut there were tell-talo marks round bis heart. Dazed and on the brink of utter exhaustion, Ilieken went down again in the It2t.li, 1.3t1i and 14th rounds. When lie came up for the loth round, alter the half-minute rest, he was hardly able to raise his arms, hut still he bored in. and slid he strove to reach Foley's heart. Foley pushed him off like a child, and delivered two short, devastating blows to the jaw. Hieken sagged, and Fo!ev, measuring him, struck the finishing blow. Tjickon dropped, and long after the allotted 30 seconds, ho lay limp in the arms of- bis supporters, Foley jumped out. of the ring into the middle of Ids cheering hackers. The battle was over.”