BOXING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 March 1928, Page 12

BOXING

IMPRESSIVE MIDDLEWEIGHT.

HARVEY, OF PLYMOUTH.

IDEAL BRITISH TYPE. The reason for tbe tremendous interest taken in Len Harvey, of Plymouth, who is working for a match with Tommy Milligan (writes Eugene CJorri), is that this splendidly-built young man typifies all that has ever meant anything in British boxing. He is not the rough-and-tumble artist who banks upon one heavy—and perhaps lucky—punch for his victory. Nor is he one of the tip-tap class, who have so frequently irritated us, particularly since the war. Harvey, to my mind, is very near the splendid left of our great old friend, Billy Wells, though not yet developed to the extent and the standing stance, using his height to the fullest advantage. And he has a genuine punch in both hands. I will gQ' further, and soy that Harvey has one considerable asset which Wells lacked, and which would have meant a world of difference' to the old bombardier—a cool brain, a steady temperament. I have seen the Plymouth boy rattled. Well do I remember his fight with Len Johnson, of Manchester, at The Ring, when the superbly-clever coloured boxer used bis great experience and his ring-craft to fool his youthful opponent. Harvey was then annoyed—upset. He forgot his skill, and tried to bash his way to victory, and received a hiding for. his pains. But that is the only occasion. I recall when he ha® lost his mental grip. There was his contest with Harry Mason, most tantalising of all opponents. Harvey declined to be drawn into error, or to be taunted into a change of style. His mental control, as then shown, was immense.

IN THE! BEST SCHOOL. As to his punch, Harvey has teslcu it m me nest possmle way lii recent yeans—tnat is, the best available over nere —by frequent meeting with tlie hard hitting, unorthodox boxers qr f ranco, Holland and lielgium. Invariably lie lias won. Now, m the early twenties, fie stands out as a challenge, to Tommy Milligan, and I can conceive no better middleweight fight—nor, indeed, any better ngnt at the present clay between two British boxers. (Harvey, by (teieatiug Hid A) tram, o. nance, claims tne rignt to meet Milligan). ./ ofuison, l observe, has deemed to box as a cruiser-weight, and i® ums eliminated from the middles class.

CAREFUL NURTURE. Harvey has been brought along with extraordinary care by nan Sudi.van. {Seldom have I known a case of a youngster better matched, and better cultured to bring out the best of a boy, without over-taxing his powers, and ruining stamina and confidence. Rising from one weight to aim the r, Harvey has never yet. fought for a title. He might have done so, but I gather that uie twenty rounds championship test was always hitherto considered too much for him. Some boxers can undertake such a bout at an earlier age than others. Harvey is still little more than a youth, and he is still growing. His big bones and Jus ancestry give rise to dopes tlia-t lie will one day be either ,a cruiser-weight or even a heavyweight, and if he is either, we may anticipate a contestant for a world’s title. I say that with honest conviction. Harvey has the “head-piece” and the physique. He cOines from good ■stock—all his family are physically fine figures. And lie is really Keen upon his trade.

HEENEY’S QUEST. TROUBLESOME TO RICKARD. Although it is not probable that he will become a world’s champion, Tom Heeney certainly has thrown a lot of sand into the gear-box of the heavyweight boxing championship, and has prevented the machine from running as Tex Rickard, self-made Panjandrum ol chamipionship contests, wishes it to run, (.says the “Christchurch Sun.”). Rickard has refused to match Heeney and Tunney, even though Rickard admitted the New Zealanuer to the elimination series that he arranged. Rickard says the Heeney is a disappointment. He surely has disappointed Tex, because the promoter did not expect Heeney 7 to emerge well from his contests with Sharkey and Delaney. Not long ago Rickard stated the order in which he rated the leading heavyweights of the day. He placed Tunney first, by virtue of his title, and then Dempsey, Sharkey, and Delaney, in that order. So he would be disappointed by Sliarklpy’is; inability to beat Heeney, and by Delaney’s greater failure 1

It is possible that Rickard is anxious to see Tunney beaten. Perhaps Tunney wants a bigger share of the gatereceipts than Rickard care to concede. And we must admit that Heeney, though lie has improved his punching ability so much, scarcely lias the speeu and youthiulness that, combined with punching-power, are needed to beat Tunney. Further, he might not be so good a “drawing-card” as an American opponent for Tunney.

The New York State Athletic Commission’s acceptance of Heeney’s challenge to Tunney does not count for much yet as Sharkey’s challenge has priority. In any case, the commission’s power to insist on the holding of a championship contest is not great.

NEVER PRAYED TO WIN. DEACON “TIGER” FLOWERS. “Tiger” Flowers, the Georgian negro middle-weight boxer, who died in New York, following a minor operation, toward the end of last year, was one of the most unusual characters the prizering lias ever known, and that’s saying something.

In his home town Flowers, who ab his best was middle-weight champion of the world, was a deacon at a little negro church, and when engaged in contests in various parts of the country always carried a pocket testament from whicli he read daily.

But, though a religious man, Flowers never prayed for victory over “the enemy.” His explanation of this was quaint. “I might meet a better and stronger man than I, ancl lose the fight,'” he once said.

“Then I might he tempted to doubt the Lord, so 1 always wait, and when the fight is over I give thanks for the strength that brought me safely through.”

Flowers was one of the busiest of present-day fighters. He had already won 19 contests last year, his last bout being against Leo Gates, a heavyweight, which resulted in Flowers winning on a knock-out.