BOXING

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1926, Page 3

BOXING

DEMPSEY’S TITLE. COMMISSION WILL ACT. NEW YORK, March 26. While Tex Rickard is keeping the papers full of the proposed match between Jack Dempsey and Gene Turrney, the Boxing Commission is evidently very sceptical of the champion ever appearing in the ring again. The board announced to-day that, unless Dempsey signs up in the near future, it will sanction a bout between Tunnoy and Harry Wills for the championship. In any event, the commission believes that Wills has first call for a championship fight, and, if Dempsey does not come forward, Tunney will get it. , MATCHES TALKED OF. NEW YORK, March 27. “Young” Stribling has challenged Paul Barlenback for the light-heavy-weight crown, at 12st 71b., eventually hoping to meet Gene Tunney at 13st 101 b. First Benlenback and Delaney will probably meet, while Tunney and Stribling have a tentative date in May. AUSTRALIAN PUGILISTS. UNLUCKY IN ENGLAND. LONDON, Feb. 16. Australian pugilists in England have been unlucky of late. In the big match at Edinburgh between Phil Scott, of Herne Bay, and George Cook, of Australia, Cook, to the dissastisfaction of the crowd, was disqualified for holding, after being repeatedly cautioned by the referee. At the Ring, Blackfriars, the other night, Charlie Ring, who has' the reputation of being an extremely fair, boxer, was disqualified in the eighth round of what was to have been a fifteen-round contest for a low punch. The Scott-Cook match was the chief attraction in a big programme at the Edinburgh Industrial Hall, which was packed to its full capacity of twenty thousand. Much interest was taken in the meeting of the two men, as it was hoped that it would prove a satisfactory test for Scott, who has recently had several setbacks. Scott had defeated Cook two years ago, while Cook had had a vei"y successful tour in America. Tho anticipations, however, that it would be a splendid contest were not verified; and still less did Scott succeed in knocking out the tough, skilful, and courageous Australian heavyweight. The referee was Ben Green, of Leeds. Tho fight was rough and was marked by clinching and wrestling. The performance of Scott, who afterwards said that Cook’s punch was a handicap all through, was disappointing. His right hand punches did not seem to affect Cook to any extent, and it was futile for him to attempt to knock out tho Australian. Cook took his disqualification like a sportsman, but hoots and hisses were more noticeable than cheers among the audience.

Cook was twice cautioned for holding in the first round, and in tho fourth, after some close fighting, Soott sank to the floor for a count of five from a stomach punch, a claim for a foul being refused by the referee. Scott rose and rallied, but his superior height and roach did not stand him in as good stead as might havo been expected. Up to the tenth round, points were about even, but the twelfth was distinctly in favour of Cook, who never lost an opportunity to close in. Scott came to tho fore in the fourteenth round, and went all out for his man at tho start of the fifteenth. The sixteenth was dull. In the seventeenth Scott had Cook on the ropes, and was warming to his work when tho referee intervened and awarded tho fight to Scott, remarking that ho had continually cautioned Cook for holding. “Boy" McCormick has challenged the winner.

In the match between Ring and Rouquet, Ring scaled list 121 bto his opponent’s list 61b. In a previous contest, Rouquet had had the best of it until ho received a bad cut over the eye, necessitating tho intervention of the referee in the twelfth round.

In tho present match, Rouquet had tho advantage in the early stages, but Ring was improving his position just bofore delivering the foul blow which resulted in his disqualificaton by tho referee, Jim Kenrick. Ring had unavailingly appealed for a foul in tho fourth round. Some of Ring’s lefthand work was good, but Rouquet’s blows were more powerful, and ho was so hardy that Rng’s attacks seemed to make little impression on him.