BOXING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 July 1924, Page 10

BOXING.

INFLUENCE OF SPORT. As the outcome of the war the average German has a keen admiration for the fighting qualities of the British troops, says a Referee critic, and they presently came to the conclusion that sport was in a large sense responsible for these qualities, and of all the various forms of sport boxing was the one that brought out the best in a man. they thereupon set out to encourage a liking for boxing, and in a very short time the Germans have taken to the glove game a s readily as a duck takes to water. They are keenly fostering boxing, especially in Berlin. If good for the British, they say, why not good for the German?" GERMANY’S BOARD OF CONTROL. English t>oxers have been having a pretty good time in Berlin, where they have secured remunerative engagements and wholehearted hospitality,and the only grumble I have in this connection is that better class boxers slum Id have been engaged, in order that British box. ing prestige may be kept up. The Germans already have a properly constituted hoard "of boxing control. which is more than we have in the land that gave it birth. We have a -hoard of control of sorts, but it is not anything like as powerful as it should be. The reason for this is that the so-called board was formed during the war. when most of the figureheads and leading lights of the boxing world were serving their country abroad. When they returned they found that the Board of Boxing Control could not be termed a truly representative body, and. naturally enough, refused to recognise it. This state of affairs has not been remedied, and so we have muddled along with a so-called governing hodv which does not govern the sport. It is true the board 'meets occasionally and makes, what it no doubt thinks are weighty pronouncements, but nobody appears to take any notice of them. It is no exaggeration to say that there are thousands of people in this country who. although they follow boxing fairly closelv, simply are not aware that there is in existence a board of boxng control.

THEY ARE BETTER ORGANISED. The newest of the countries, from a boxing standpoint, appear to be better organised than the nations that- have practised box ng for more years than anyone can remember. We really must, if only to protect the good name of Britisn boxing, make a move to control our boxers and prevent those of them who are apt to oe tempted int-o agree r ing to “arrangements.” After° his Vienna experience I should sav that Carpenter will not be quite so ready to talk of“ arrangements,” as he 'was very near disqualification when things did not go according to olan. .it would have been distinctly Immorous for outsider.? had he been disqualified by the Austrian Board of Control after after having engaged his own opponent, selected hig own referee and one judge, in order to be on the safe side, it was ever thus in matters of this sort; for whatever Mr. Arrangement is working in a contest, Dame Double-Cross is bound to be close at hand. However, the Frenchmen have learned that though the Austrians are very new to the boxing game, they are not quite the mugs they are taken .to be. BOXING LESSONS BY CORRESPONDENCE. “Hullo Charlie! what’s up?” “Got knocked out in the second lesson and I’m taking the count.” (Friend looking in at occupier of rooms lying on the floor, in boxing rigout and gloves on.)