WORLD OF SPORT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 113, 9 April 1930, Page 12

WORLD OF SPORT.

BOXING.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. BOUTS TO EVENTUATE. (By “Solar Plexus.”) Les Adams and S. Hughes, of Dunedin, have been definitely matched, and the bout will take place at Invercargill on or about May 12. Johnny Buff, ex-world’s bantam champion, escaped from prison last month. On the verge of starvation he 11011 uttered a valueless cheque. American boxing writers are now referring to Kid Berg, the London lightweight, as the “British Harry Greb.” This is high praise, for Greb, a middleweight, was generally regarded as one of the greatest men in the class that ever entered a ring. There is a boy named Tony Legouri, of Les Moines (la.), who should blossom into a champion. Only 20 years old, he has won 40 contests with one loss and one‘draw, nine wins by decisions and 30 knock-outs. A lightweight, his one draw was with Cowboy Anderson, a first-class man. Legouri has been fighting almost a year, so has averaged a fight a week. Jack Kearins recently gave a talk on boxing over the radio in America. He rated Jack Johnson as the greatest heavyweight the world has seen. Apparently the relations between Dempsey and Kearns are strained. Kearns would have exploded had anyone mentioned Johnson’s name while he was manager of Dempsey. Going into the future (says a New York paper), if Von Porat should happen to win the mythical diadem of the heavyweight division he would bring to his rule quite as much culture, perhaps, as did Gene Tunney, the retired undefeated champion. Von Porat comes of fine Norwegian stock —it is even said that the blood of royalty flows in his veins; he has been well educated, both in scholastic subjects and social deportment,' and altogether shapes up as a cultivated gentleman of parts. The following is an extract from a paragraph published . in the New Zealand Herald, Auckland: “Professional boxing in New Zealand is at a particularly low ebb at present and it is time the Dominion Council looked into the question. Undoubtedly the main cause of the decay is the limitation of purses. AVith eight titles which could be held by different men, there are only three champions in New Zealand at present. This is a sorry state for a country renowned for the prowess of its youth on the football field and in other branches of sport. No attempt is being made to build up the professional ranks from the amateurs, and consequently there is a decline.” There is talk of a match between Primo Camera and the coloured fighter, George Godfrey. Even with Car'nera’s 20-odd stone, he will only outweigh Godfrey by two stone. Godfrey was outpointed by Jack Sharkey four years ago, but Sharkey needed the rope given him by his home-town referee to hold when any danger threatened. Godfrey was the dark menace to the world’s title when Jess AVillard was on the throne. He was taken to New York by “Tex” ltickard as a set up to fight A 1 lteieh, Rickard’s pet pupil for the title. Godfrey stopped Reich, and Rickard never forgave him. Godfrey never fought in New York until after Rickard’s death, 10 years later. Such was the power of the brilliant showman. The situation as far as Camera is concerned has not taken any definite tack as yet (says an American writer). It is positive, however, that the American ring directors, after he has shown in one or two more ports, will put an end to his boxing of set-ups. Camera’s manager, Leon See, appears to be over-careful with his charge. No doubt he is endeavouring to collect all the coin possible before being forced into meeting some American heavy of class, but there is no need for his present attitude. • Camera is big enough and strong enough, untutored as he is, to compete with our best. Commenting upon the report of the Otago Boxing Association the chairman, Mr E. J. Campbell, stated at the annual meeting last week that the association had discussed the matter of maximum purses several times, and had arrived at the opinion that the percentage purse was the best system to adopt. The boxers might be given 80 per cent of the net takings, this being a matter that would be brought up at the next conference. The constitution of the council had given grounds for complaint, it now being a case of Wellington v. the rest. The association felt that tliox headquarters of the council should be shifted each year to the centre in which the New Zealand championships were being held. No particular city had the right to elect members to the council, and it was felt that the association was not getting a fair deal from the Wellington people. In respect to the voting power of each association, he thought it should be governed by the amount paid into the New. Zealand Association. . Private advice received in Dunedin states that Johnny Leckie has renewed training in Napier, and expects to defend his feather-weight title against Tommy Donovan, at Napier, in May.

Although nothing definite has yet been arranged, it is understood that there is every prospect of the Sarron-Dono-van contest eventuating in Dunedin in the open-air shortly. Donovan has already promised the Otago Boxing Association his services. Another opponent for Donovun, who is being brought over by Otago, is Young Llew. Edwards, the classy Victorian featherweight. Wally Hancock, the welterweight champion of Australia, will meet Reg. Trowern in the Otago centre next Tuesday. Hancock, who is accompanied by his trainer, will meet Ted Morgan the following week. Commenting on Young Llew. Edwards’s second Sydney contest, in which ho outpointed Archie Hughes, the South Coast feather-weight, the Sydney Morning Herald states that Edwards was superior in his methods, and gaining a points lead early maintained his advantage. A fortnight earlier Edwards had met Bill Tyson, and, although tile A r ictorian had outpointed his opponent, the engagement terminated, in a surprising verdict for Tyson. Upon that occasion Edwards was more concerned in defensive tactics, although he outboxed the Sydney youth. Against Hughes, realising that hp might be the victim of a repetition of the previous judgment, Edwards kept to his adversary. He was cautious in the opening stages, | but throughout showed as a fast boxer, clever with both hands. Hughes, sturdily built, was at times inclined to swing wildly, hut Edwards brushed many of his leads aside. Hughes also had a tendency to hit whilst holding, and most of his connections were made at close quarters.