BOXING

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1932, Page 3

BOXING

TOM HEENEY’S PLANE

LONDON, July 19.;,

“Straight Left,” writing in' ‘ Alport-, in®- Life,’’ Isays he.,has heard from Mr John Mortimer that Tom Keeney, the Newjtfeahujd champion,, is. contempt ing another visit to England.. . ... &, • Mr Mortinter sgys. that He©qey .bas : his, eye on- the Enipire , (heavy?weight championship l no one ,>vill (deny the New. Zeo,lander',s eligibility, to challenge the Canadian. .In his .letter, Mr Mortimer ©aldosed ? Avhich, he said, can,he used to bind .a match .between Keeney and ,Gains for the title—the amount,of the.side stages can be.arrangedjMei. Mr Mortimer .added that Heeney,, who, like, George Cook, ,the Australian,, is.always in training, will take the next boat oyer, qn receipt of the news , that Gains, is willing, to meet him for the; championship. Failing Gains, Heeney, expresses his readiness to meet any or alii .of Ted Broadiibb’s “Big Three,”, or Jack Petersen, tlj© dual British champion. ; v . .. «•<. -“For myself,” writes “Straight Left,” “I canot see that Gains should haye ,any. abjection, .to a match with the New Zealander, His projected contest with Max iSchmolUng is olf, apparently for an indefinite period. He will be; called on to defend his Empire title sooner or later, and Heeney is obviously the most logical . .challenger .at present,..unless one accepts George Cook. It cannot be denied that Heeney has excellent credentials. He is still the. only Britisher, in the' last 30 years, who ? has fought-for the-world’s title, and -hisf gallant .fight with Gene Tunney , - then ; the reigning champion, at /the Yankee' Stadium, New York, in 1928, is still" eagerly discussed 1 by American The .Now,Zealander was "forced to retire ' after. 11 rounds of dour. fighting with:, an injured ©ye. • '

“•A .few months previously fEFeqjney; held Jack Sharkey, the present' wood’s champion, to a-draw, and the .majority of those at .the . ringside, including Tex Rickard, were .firm.,in their opinion that the verdict should have, gone to “the hard rock from down under,” as Keen-; ey is knqwn in the States. It is:,not. without significance that Sharkey has persistently .refused to give;, the Nety. Zealander a- return fight." I. a& corn vinoed that' th© contest between Gains' and Heeney would prove an excellent draw in every respect.

HEAVY-WEIGHT TITLE,

LONDON. July 16

Jack Petersen, of Cardiff, won the heavy-weight title this week against 1 ' Reggie Meen; at the Wimbledon greyhound track. '••It is estimated that’ there were 15,000 people present. I The,,actP.nl of, thq. bop.t, , .including the ten seconds required/ for the 'final county .was four minutes, and' 25. seconds, hut .Meen was as good- as beaten in rthe first round. Meen com*; .menced as if he meant .business., He rwent-in at score with a vjciqus left- to the body. This Petersen took calmly, and immediately retaliated with two rapid left-hand blows to the ohin. Meen was relying entirely on his left hook, but he was made to ,miss time and again. In the third .minute a heavy right to the chin staggered the champion, and Ire- was down iand out when saved! by; the hell. The opening of the second ' round saw Petersen even mor© aggressive than usual. He first drove: Meen to the' ropes with, another fierce ru,sh. and then ;hit him how aqd when lie liked. There was no question that ' Meen was doomed to defeat. He was outclassed, and it came as 'no surprise when, with a right to til© chin, followed by a left as he was falling, Petersen knocked out fbe holder so completely that it was a long time before he recovered. Amidst, J cheers Petersen was presented with the Lonsdale belt in the ring by Lord Tweedmouth, on behalf of the donor. The decisive victory of Petersen (says the ‘‘Sporting Life” correspon-, dent), who has now won three National championships within 18 months, was gained bv excellent boxing. Jle jjre- : vailed mainly through th© excellent ui?e of his left hapd, lyhicli .ffept Meen guessing the whole time. The ey ohampion was ' apparently waiting for Petersen’s right, and quite failed to realise that he was being outwitted by other methods. His stamina .was adversely affected by repeated lefthand blows to the head and body, and when Petersen really brought his right into action all was over.