IN THE RING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16726, 5 December 1914, Page 6

IN THE RING.

Matt Wells is one of the very few amateurs to have any real success as a professional boxer. He very quickly bridged over the two classes of tho | sport. So quickly in fact as to win the light-weight championship from Fred Welsh, tho present champion of the world, and, though he has now joined tho middle-weights, he is still winning. He took part in his first contest since 'lis return from Australia this week, ■.vhen he met Young Nipper (Charlie ,Vood) hi fifteen rounds and by a display of forceful, hitting that was also ■stremely clever, gained a. decisive yieory on points. Ho wins every possible loi'nt he can from tho first round to he last. Whether lie is winning easily ir not makes no difference. With •very blow lie seems to say to his oplonent, ''lf you don't like this sort f thine you' had better give in. • These were his tactics against Young \ipper a. man as strong as himself, i nib lacking tho same speed and resource. Nipper went down twice in the. fourth round, and then the finish temed near, buo with great courage he truggled on, notwithstanding heavy Punishment, and stayed to the end of iho fifteen rounds. In almost every round Wells scored the maximum points and his victory was most decisive. All -hat one was left to admire was the pluck of the vanquished man. This •natch may be said to mark tho opening of tho winter boxing season in'i London. The sport begins at the Nasi onaJ Sporting Club next Monday, ivhen the chief contest will be between 'he Welshman Percy Jones and Taney Lee, the Scotsman, for the fly-weight :hampionship and the Lord Lonsdale 'wit. This will be tho first occasion Tones has been callod on to defend his title since he gained it by defeating f/Lidbury last season. In the meantime, however, he has twice been beatui, by tho Frenchman, Eugene Criqui, nid by Young Symonds. He was '-nocked out by the latter at Plymouth, hit tho war has knocked otit the real ■lterest of boxing in London. Glove ighting is fine exercise and grand raining, but when the real thing i foot surely every" fighting man who is vorth his salt is following Carpentier's •xample and helping to batter the Germans back into their own corner. Not July are most of the boxors, amateur and professional, away at the front, and ail tho Army boxers, who have done 50 vory well in the ring at the U.S.O. 'lefore thoy were called into the arena >f Europe, but most of the patrons if the ring are gone too. Your true " Corinthian " is not tho man to lounge it home and watch other fellows hamTiering each other with "the units" vhile there is a. blow to strike for "England, home and duty."