IN THE RING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 136, 24 May 1933, Page 2

IN THE RING

AMATEURS FOR AUSTRALIA

TOUB ABEANGED FOB THIS SEASON

SHOULD GIVE BOXERS A GREAT INCENTIVE.

(By “Ringsidcr.”)

Contestants at the New Zealand amateur boxing championship meeting in Blenheim this year will have something more than the mere honour of winning a title to fight for, as the New Zealand Boxing Council has definitely decided to accept an invitation from the Australian Amateur Boxing Union to send a team of amateurs to Brisbane to compete against the Australian champions.

The New Zealand championships will be decided on September 7,8, and 9, and after that a team of seven boxers, together with a manager and trainer, will be selected to make an Australian trip. The full details of the tour will not be finalised until a meeting of the council this week, and it is not yet certain whether a flyweight 01 a lightheavyweight boxer will bo included in the team.

The Australian amateur championships are tn be held in Brisbane on September 25, 27, and 29. The contests with the New /'aland team will take place in the same city on October 2 and 4. Present intentions are that the New Zealand team should leave on September 19, so that they will have the advantage of seeing the Australians in action before they meet them.

On October 2 three of the New Zealanders will meet three Australians, and on tho second night the remaining four will appear, the programmes being filled out with inter-State contests. On the second night also the first three New Zealanders will go into the ring in order to give the programme a thorough international setting.

Previous Exchanges Successful. The visit of the New Zealand team will do much to strengthen the interest in amatms boxing in this country. It is ten years now since a New Zealand team went to Australia, and the success of New Zealand boxers in the face of considerable difficulties in the Australian championships went a long way towards the public realisation of the standard of amateur boxing in this country.

Visits to Australia were fairly frequent after the war, but in that period only one Australian team has been seen in New Zealand, states a writer in the “Evening Post.” Ono of the most successful New Zealand teams was that taken to Hobart by Mr E. A. Dawson, present treasurer of the N.Z. Boxing Council, in 1922. Four boys, Charlie Purdy, Fred Hansen, Dick Meale, and Lachie McDonald, were under Mr Dawson’s care, and the first three succeeded in gaining titles, while McDonald was the runner-up in tho lightweight championship, only losing the verdict after an extra round had been ordered.

The 1923 team went to Melbourne. It comprised T. Griffiths (bantamweight), C. Purdy (featherweight), P. Pascoe (lightweight), L. O’Neill (middleweight), and H. McCormack (heavyweight), L. McDonald (welterweight). Purdy and McDonald won titles on this occasion. Another New Zealander who brought this country prominently in the limelight in the early years after the war was Brian McCleary, who on two occasions won the heavyweight title. iVillage Tourney To-night. This evening, at the Village Hall, Havelock North, the pick of toe amateur boxers in Hastings and Haveiock North and district will be seen in action in a * ‘charity’ ’ tournament. This is the first allamateur tourney of the new season in the province.

Past experience has shown that Hawke’s Bay enthusiasts look kindly upon amateurs, for the Hawke’s Bay Association has yet to stage an amateur tournament that lost money. In Hawke’s Bay we possess a number of promising lads who invariably give a first-class showing, and it is this fact that has led to the popularity of the sport in this district. On June 2 Hastings enthusiasts will have the opportunity of seeing paperweights in action, for a special tourney iu aid of school sports funds will be held in the Drill Hall. Teams from Mahora and Parkvale will bo meeting, and the fixture should prove popular.

The Nicol-Sullivan Fight. Next Monday evening the H.B. B.A. stages its second professional fight of the season, and at the same time will introduce the most prominent boxer in New Zealand today—Bay Nicol, dual champion.

Tho Southlandcr had a hard row to hoe before he achieved success, and now that he has two titles in his kit-bag, he is much sought after. For this reason the H.8.8.A. is fortunate in securing his appearance on easy terms. He is reported to bo a hard-hitting fighter, clever on his feet and the pos-

sessor of a poiverful right. He is seen at his best when the bout is a fight rather than a boxing exhibition. In this respect, too, Sullivan is better and there is every reason to believe that when they meet in the Municipal Theatre next Monday night a fast and hard bout will be the order of the evening. Sullivan is the more experienced man, and has yet to be knocked out. Nicol has the reputation for taking the short cut to victory, and it will be interesting to see whether ho can spoil Sullivan’s record.

With the usual well-matched amateurs in tho preliminary bouts, tho Association is doing its share to popularise the sport and giving enthusiasts an opportunity of securing a good night’s sport.

Wrestling Season Opens. To-night the Hawke’s Bay Wrestling Association opens the season •with the appearance of two of the first batch of importations from America—“ Whiskers” Blake and “Big Bill” Beth—and the indications point to the bout attracting a big attendance at the Municipal Theatre.

Possibly the most exclusive sports body in the province to-day is tho'H.B. W.A., for they have a “waiting list” that is rapidly increasing. The Association is limited to a membership of forty, and from the members’ viewpoint the subscription is a profitable investment. • Last season there were six bouts, and the indications are that there will be more than that number this year, as to-night’s opening bout is about a month earlier than has been the case during the past few years. [Since these notes have been written word has been received that “Whiskers” Blake is unable to appear tonight on account of injury. The association telegraphed Patterson, and he has consented to take Blake’s place.]

Four more overseas wrestlers will arrive in Wellington from America by the Makura next Monday. They are Velcoff, "Varga, and Mamos, three Greeks, and Perry. Mamos was in New Zealand last year. With the present quartette (Beth, Patterson, Blake, and Hall), together with George Walker and Ike Robin, match-making should be a comparatively easy matter.

Next Monday night Patterson and Beth meet at Auckland, and Walker and Hall clash at Wellington. In the statistical report of the N.Z. W.U. it was stated that the total “gate” for last season amounted to £12,123, as against £19,259 for the 1931 season; £5302 was paid out to the wrestlers last year, and £8767 in 1931. Both in 1931 and 1932 George Walker earned the largest amount of money, liis biggest individual “end” in 1932 being £145. which he gained iu a miitch with Al. Karasiek. In all Walker had 27 matches last season, winning 24, drawing 2 and losing .1. Dean Dctton had 20 matches ! winning 8, drawing 5, and losing 7. AL Karasiek, Harry Mamos, and Harry Demetral each had 19 matches, tho first two winning 8 and Demetral 4.