BOXING NOTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2006, 23 December 1921, Page 6

BOXING NOTES.

SIDELIGHTS ON THE BIG FIGHT. MURRAY PROMISES HARD BATTLE. People talked light in Palmerston all day yesterday and this seems to point to Hi'. fact '.nut th« eiiisa <>.. - tween Ees Murray and Hughie JDwyer, on Monday, at me Opera Rouse, is regarded as a match of more than usual importance, in some circles Murray is getting all the hearing, and other fans can see nothing but Owyer in the picture. Dwyer iias easej up to ' get the stiffness out after his recent ■ mill, but will resume work to-day. Em. Baxter, his trainer, gave a nitty exhibition at Kid Harris's gym. last night to a select few. On January ' 5 lie will meet Sid Stevens at Wanganui, Wussen at VV'airoa on January 17, and May at Whangarei on January 30. He will accompany Dwyer In ; an exhibition at the Mardi Gras at 1 Napier, and Dwyer will meet Stuarc Smith at Wairoa on January IS. Hughie Owyer is an exceptional type of lighting man. To see him in his street clothes one would scarcely suspect him of being the boxer he is. He bears not a scar from his many battles. He is soft spoken and modest to a degree, and getting an opinion from him is like prising open an oyster. In Murray he meets a man worthy of him. Murray writes: "Since I started boxing 1 have never been knocked down or have failed to go the distance in any light. I have never been cautioned by a referee or lost or won a light on a foul. The public are chary about paying to see boxers who arc noted for this habit." —lt seems that the Manawatn Boxing Association could not have been more fortunate in its selection of two men and two lighters. Owyer has eleven wins to his credit, six of which were knock-outs, and he has only hp-d two losses. As a New Zealand amateur Les Murray nad 12 lights, of which he lost one on points. Under the management of Have Smith, in Australia, he had 1 G lights, losing only one. The successes included the Sydney Hippodrome and Newcastle professional tournaments. The Sydney tournament had over forty competitors and Newcastle thirty. He knocked out Wall Robinson, Jack Lofty, Bill Campbell, Don Phoenix and Bert Blatch in 1 round; George Laviinge and Harry Hawkesworth in 2, and Jack Daniels in 3'»rounds. This will give some idea of the suddenness of his onslaught and the weight of his punch. jiJiu*. LES MURRAY ARRIVES.

Les Murray, with his trainer, Baxter, arrived from the Soutli last night. Interviewed, he said: "I'm feeling very lit and conlident. I know that Hughie Owyer is a very clever boxer and a very hard hitter, but if he knocks me it will be the first time it has been done. Both of us will have decided on certain tactics, but it is a question of one letting the other use them. He will lind that I will tight hard and be with him all the way."

Murray will give an exhibition at Kid Harris's gymnasium to-night.