BOXING.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 154, 15 June 1911, Page 3

BOXING.

LANG AND LESTER TO MEET.

At last it is definitely settled that Lang and Lester will meet in a return battle, Lang having stated that with careful nursing his hands should be well enough to allow of his meeting Lester about the end of August or thereabouts. Naturally Lester is overjoyed at the prospect of the return match, and promises to leave no stone unturned to be in the best possible condition for his next meeting with the local champion. Th& American intends going to the country for a spell before settling down to the rigours of training.

HALE AND TOWNSEND. The defeat of Perce Hale by Tommy Townsend last week came as a surprise to followers of the boxing game. Without in the least wishing to detract from the merits of Townsend’s win, and giving him full credit for being a splendid boxer, the probability is that were the pair to meet again the result would go the other way. First of all, Hale seemed to find his opponent’s lack of inches a cause of trouble; soon, however, he got over this difficulty, and punished Townsend severely. In the' sixth round Hale was ill-advised to mix it with his opponent, who shines at this style of fighting. A terrific right on the jaw as" he broke away from a rally staggered Perce. Townsend, quick to realise his advantage, kept after his man, giving him no respite. It was the beginning of the end. Hale fought back gamely, but there wasn’t sufficient powder behind his punches to keep Townsend out, and in the eighth round the end came, Townsend running out the winner. BOXERS CAUTIONED.

After the virdict had been given in the trial of Dick Knock at the Liverpool Assizes, says the “Sporting Life,” Mr. Justice Avory cautioned boxers generally upon the practice of hitting with on*! arm free, and also on the use of the ji tney punch. His lordship said that the use of the kidney punch would inevitably lead other boxers into similar trouble. The public might or might not take warning from the case before them, but they would run the risk of standing in a criminal dock unless the practice was stopped.