BOXING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 173, 23 June 1926, Page 7

BOXING.

[By “Flush Left.”] At the contro championships held last week at the Showgrounds Mr M. A. Elliott watched proceedings on behalf of tho Manawatu A. and P. Association, and the fact that ho expressed approval of the programme should be sufficient to not only guarantee that tho sport was clean, but should also dispel any diffidence on tho part of tho association in making a special featuro of boxing at future fixtures. Mr Eliott was in no way hesitant in realising tho proved popularity of tho game, and hi 6 doing so, viewed in conjunction with much recent destructive criticism on the alloged lack of amusement provided show patrons, should influence very favourable consideration being given tho possibilities surrounding boxing. The hall was quito inadequate to comfortably hold the cheering crowd; a circumstance that should make appeal to the well-known business capabilities of the association’s amusement and financial committees. And if further proof wero needed of tho interest boxing provokes, tho unforgettable vision the writer had of a lino of stooping ladies watching tho bouts through nail holes in the partition would have instantly and joyously supplied it. Two gladiators in N. Powell, 5 stono 7 pounds, and N. Candy, 6 stone 2 pounds, started the programme, and the bout was majnly remarkable for the stoicism with which the lighter boy took all that was coming to him, while making every effort to stem tho lead that made his opponent tho winner. It was a plucky little bit of boxing. Had the referee been blindfolded he would have found no difficulty in realising that P. Molloy was hitting with tho open glove. Otherwise Molioy showed quito promising style and earned his win over A. Paddv. Tha latter is coming along

nicely, but distinctly lacks speed. He would acquire it by keeping his feet closer and nob noarfy so flat. Skipping, sprinting, fighting tho ball with the left hand, and shadow sparring would also greatly assist. Although A. Candy was giving Tommy Stewart lOlbs, he rightly secured tho referee’s approval. Tommy at presont is at tho stage when one has learnt enough to realise how much thero is still to acquire, and it becomes a little disheartening at times. It is suggested that he practises side-stepping and slipping a lead without countering—just slip in, hold und got away. Tommy’s style is rather cramped, and avoiding punishmertt without too much guarding may loosen him up and quicken his movements. The flyweights, E. Evans and G. Powell, natty little exhibition and the draw that resulted summed tho bout up with precision. Powell was a trifle more seasoned than hie opponent, and his wallops were a bit moro weighty, but a crack in no way disconcerted young Evans, and the manner in which he always kept his rival in sight allowed tho grit and coolness that must ever be.found in a boxer’s fighting kit—just as blind smothering denotes their absence. Eddie Downes scored a close decision ovor Horry O’Brien. There was moro real boxing in this bout than in any other during tho evening, but it is not suggested that the exhibition approached being faultless. All tho same, it should be understood that boys who know something of the gamo do not supply tho “slathercmwhack” served up so often by novioes as boxing, and which generally provides moro excitement than apprcciatoin. A boxer simply isn’t learnt to evade, and unless he discovers a real ono if he hasn’t learnt to evade and, unless ho disoovors tiiat his adversary is minus tho sleep potion, lie makes every effort to avoid its being delivered. It is true that one effective method is atta’ck, but a Purdy shows how to circumvent that style. Eddie Downes quite often back-moved Morry O’Brien's lead and left it at that, which isn't according to Hoyle. Eddie at his best is very fast, but didn’t nearly exercise his speed to its full capacity. He can hit quick, hard and often in a rally, with' both hands free, but ho gave Morry the benefit of withholding that advantage. It is not to bo lost sight of that O’Brien sent in some nicely timed body punches, nor is it to bo overlooked that he has had a lengthy experience of the gamo and is boxing better, in tlio writer’s opinion, than ho over did. In any case, threo rounds are raroly conclusive as to the actual merits of a boxer. Downes is only seventeen and i 6 handicapped by his natural urbanity, but he must become quite dour while fighting in future. In awarding C. Jones the vordict over Roy Potbury the referee probably hadn’t a great margin to come and go on. No doubt tho straight lefts that Roy leaves himself open to receive, and which young Jones promptly delivered, influenced tho decision. It was a good bout, but Roy is another boxer who is handicapped by allowing his natural self to hold sway in tho ling. Instead of 6tinging him into making an effort to repay a punch with interest, Roy, Mark Tapley-like, considers it a fitting occasion to smile. Actually, Roy doesn’t take his fighting seriously enough, but tho writer envies him his disposition. Young Hertzcl provided a bye for R. Lunn. It was Hertzel’s first appearance in tho ring and ho did very woll, and kept his guard up, but ho placed Lunn between His Satanic Majesty and tho deep sea. Lunn did not want to punish the novice, and tho referee wanted Lunn to bo used up a bit in view of tho fact that ho had to meet Jones in the final, and Jones already had had a good battlo with Potbury. Tho contest between R. Lunn and C:' Jones soon made the hall no fit place for' ono with faulty nerves. Jones had obvi- 1 ously been advised of Lunn’s recent effective work in tho gym, but receipt of acouple of cracks promptly made him forget: all about it, and tho true fighting spirit which is his awoke. Green as he is as, yet at the boxing game, he had been well taught that tho left hand is the keystone of the science, and no stress Of battle disturbed his firm belief in that fact. Time and again he destroyed with it Lunn’s heavily charged swings, but occasionally his inexpericnco made him involuntarily clasp tho spot where one got homo. Rally after rally made tho crowd wildly cheer and sway, and always tho . shouts were drenched with encouragement for Jones. Nob only had Lunn a grim young lad in front of him, who could take and give a punch, but lie also had in opposition the will of the crowd. The reason for this was not far to seek, but Lunn fought on;, without falter in spito of it, and his own will to win was undisturbed. His courage" was in no way dimmed by that displayed by Jones. The writer made tho little difference in the respective scores of tho’ boys come out in favour of Lunn and the> referee’s draw decision evidenced that there wasn’t much in it either way. S. Burns in his contest with O. Charteris provided an object lesson in want of condition. His opponent was plainly inexperienced when the first round opened, while' Burns started off with the aplomb that denotes long acquaintance with the gloves. For all his II stono 4 lbs he boxed as speedy as a feather, and his style was distinctly reminiscent of that of tho Wellington middleweight, Evatt. Burns appeared to spar Charteris till tho second stanza, when ho served out some rather sovero punishment, but in the third round his want of condition brought him to a stand-still and Charteris was given the decision. E. D. Horne met in Jimmy Evans a boxer of far moro experience, and tho referee deemed it advisable to stop the bout. Jimmy must have found it a novelty to meet an opponent so near his own weight. Mr Geoff. Watchorn’s decisions were given with his usual promptness and decision. Bill Walden’s jiupils were a distinct credit to his teaching, particularly when the very short period he has had thorn in hand in considered. Bert O’Keefe failod to obtain a bout at tho Showgrounds owing to a misunderstanding over securing a doctor’s certificate. It was very hard luck for Bert, as his trainer had him as fit as the proverbial fiddle. BERT BROWN OBTAINS THE DECISION OVER EDDIE BRADY. [From a French-Canadian Newspaper.] Bert Brown, the young New Zealander, who is under the management of Eugene Brosseau; obtained a decisivo win over tho redoubtable Eddie Brady in a fight of ten rounds. The encounter between Bert Brown and Eddie Brady proved tho most scientific of the evening. The American possessed a great record and Brown had beforo him the hardest adversary ho had ever met. The two men weighed in exactly the same —128 i livres. Both possessed a ferfect defence and were extremely fast. n the first rounds both defended so well that not ono clean hit was registered. Their defence was impenetrable. The publio witnessed a fight, scientific. quick and hard, but careful. Neither wished to leave an opening, but Brown got home the first hard blow in tho second round, with a hit on the eye. In tho third, Brown landed three great hits one after the oilier two to tho head (nose) and ono to the body. Brown then took the aggressive. Not till the fifth round did Brady' register a blow, then he caught Brown with two to the body, but without in any way lessening tho ardour of the latter. Brown continued aggressivo and increased his lead. In the eighth round the protege of Brosseau caught Brady on the right eye and then on tho left ear. Ho was making a great show against a hard and brainy adversary. Ho managed to penetrate tho defence of tho American and caught him some solid blows. Brown had easily the advantage on points and victory seemed certain. At tho end of ten rounds Brown was declared the winner to the applauso of tlio crowd who greatly admired the science, courage and manner of this protege of Brosseau, who had not made ono error during the bout, proving himsolf a master of the art. Brown is without doubt a star of his class and doos groat honour to Brosseau in whose charge he is. Followers of boxing will be interested in the account of tho ex-Palmerstonian’s success.

HOW BERLENBACH WON. NEW YORK, June 10. Raul Berlenhach easily retained his light-heavy weight title hv beating:

the challenger, Yonng Stribling. Stribling had the “edge” on only two of the 15 rounds. The champion decisively won eight and tho others were even. Fifty-six thousand people saw the open-air battle, which was disappointing to many. Although Berlenbach was his equal, if not his superior as a boxer, Stribling wilted' under the champion’s body blows early in the contest. Thereafter he did nothing but dive into clinches, once wrestling the champion through the ropes into the press box. This was in the fourteenth round, when the title-holder had piled up an enormous lead on points. Stribling was frequently hissed for dodging the battle. BOXER’S DEATH. BURNS OF NEWCASTLE. MELBOURNE, June 10. Don Burns, the Newcastle middleweight boxer, died in the eye and ear hospital last night, after an illness of two weeks. He had been operated on three times, and a fourth operation was necessary, but he was not strong enough to undergo it. His complaint was an abscess on tlio interior lining of the forehead. Burns, who was a brother of Frankie Burns, middleweight, now in England, was trained by Tom Maguire, of Hamilton, near Newcastle, who was at his bedside last night when he died. A clever, game fighter, Burns had several fights in Melbourne, Brisbane

' and Sydney. Ho did well in all hi: matches, and looked like developing into a champion middle-weight. Only lately his trainer, Harry O’Reilly, is- ; sued a challenge on his behalf to any , boxer in Australia. ■ Burns was born in Temora in 1904.