HEENEY MUST WAIT TILL AFTER TENTH ROUND FOR CHANCE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6664, 18 July 1928, Page 7

HEENEY MUST WAIT TILL AFTER TENTH ROUND FOR CHANCE

May Knock Out Tunney Then, Opines Manager "TOM DIFFERENT BOXER NOW,” WRITES BROTHER Per Press Association. GISBORNE, Last Night. "If the battle goes past the tenth round Heeney stands an excellent chance of knocking Tunney out.” This is the considered opinion ot Charley Harvey, Heeney.’s manager. This is the first expression of opinion that has come from -what is referred to as Heoney’s board of strategy. Firsthand information of tho progress of the New Zealander's training operations has been received by wireless by Mr. Ivan 6’Meara from A. F. Sise, an American amateur,, who also quotes from a letter he receiver! from Jack Heeney, who, with -the other brothers, has joined Tom's camp; s; Alt Getting Excited.

"With only 12 days before the big day when Tom will battle at the Yankee Stadium, we are all getting a little excited,"l wrote Jack Heeney to Mr.; Sise on Saturday. "It makes no difference to Tom, however; he just goes' on ip the same old way. He has been taking things fairly easy, but'to-day did his, work, in the open for the first time. He sparred three rounds with a giant named Balf Smith, who stands 6ft s}in and weighs 15st 101 b. He also sparred three rounds with Paul Swedorski, doing what was probably his best work-out since he started training. "It has been a wonderful thing to my brothers and I to see the elaborate training arrangements, and we find it hard to realise just how different a boxer, Tom is to when WC last saw him. "For to-night five huge electric lights of 1000-Watts, each were erected over the outdoor ring and 100 people gathered to applaud Tom’s efforts. The idea of working in the open was to get him used to the power lamps that will bo used on the night of the fight, present Only Matters.

“Tom has been,very pleased to have us with him, but of course is completely wrapped up in his work. I asked him what he was going to do after the fight,-but he only grinned and said that there was time. enough to think of that when the fight was over.’’ Further light on Heeney’s training nctivities is revealed in ‘ the following dispatch from' the Boston Herald on Sunday morning, which was also transmitted by Mr, Sise: — ; “In .the deepening gloom of the night with automobile headlights flooding the scene, Heeney wont back to his training grind last, night, after loafing for 24 hours. The challenger boxed in an outdoor ring -under , the flare of special lights in the presence of a small crowd from the neighbourhood. Heeney skipped, shadpw boxed, and punched the bag in. an/6ld. barn, where the spectators began to gather shortly after dusk. “ After the New-Zealander had finisnod his bag punching a heavy robe was thrown' over his glistening shoulders, and he elbowed -his way through the crowd into- a field where an outdoor ring had been pitched.' Several changes are to be made in his staff of sphr-boys. Starting to-morrow, Osk Till, a middleweight, who once trained with Tunney, v will join the crew. Harvey, Heeney’a .manager, also plans to bring a fast lightweight into the camp to speed up Honest Tom in the remaining few days of his training. Jay Lawless, the. Newark light-heavy-weight, will also join the sparring staff.. Rosy Routot and Jack Dessmoz departed last night. Tom can do th« Distance. “ The first expression of opinion from one Of Heeney'« board of strategy concerning the New Zealander’s chance against Tunney came from Charlie Harvey last night on his arrival in camp after an absence of several days. . v “ ‘lf the battle goes past ten rounds/ said Harvey, ‘Hefeney stands an excellent chance of knocking Tunnoy out. Tunney has had only two fights in three years, and both against the same man and over ton rounds. All Tom’s fights in 'the last five years, except those In this country, have’ been over 15 or 20 rounds. Wo know that Heeney can go the rounds and keep up his strength arid speed, but there is some doubt concerning what Tunney can do after stepping through ten rounds at a fast clip.’ ” Dempsey May Come Back. A cable from New York is to the effect: Mr. Tex Rickard states that if Tom Heeney beats Gene Tunney at the forthcoming bout, the next fight will be held in- London. ' ‘' He believes that Jack Dempsey would come back in an attempt to regain the title from Heeney in kiondon. ■’ -:r LOVERIDGE OUTPOINTS COOMBES AT TE AROHA. HAMILTON, July 17. At Te Aroha, in a professional boxing match last, night Loveridge (New Plymouth) beat Coombes (To Aroha) on points in ten rounds.