‘PUNCHES LIKE BLOWS FROM STEAM HAMMER?

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6668, 23 July 1928, Page 8

‘PUNCHES LIKE BLOWS FROM STEAM HAMMER?

JACK SPARS WITH BROTHERPer Press Association. . WELLINGTON, Last Night. The following message from Jack Heeney, brother of Tom Heeney, was picked up on Friday night by Mr. C. R. Clark, of Lyall Bay, Wellington, (radio 2AW): — “I am sending you a last message before' the fight. AVe have had a better opportunity of judging Tom’s ability. In many things he is just the same old Tom, but in others he is a different fighter altogether. Having most of the time with him, of course we have seen him in action every day. Had a spar with him yesterday and got quite a shock at the improvement in him. "Tom was always pretty fast, but ho is like lightning now, and his punches are like blows from a steam hammer. He doesn’t wait for you to go after him like he used to, but is chasing his man all the time. He gets his blow in, too, and when ho lands they sting. "He is not only quicker in attack, but also in defence, and is mighty hard to hit at all. Even when you do land, you don’t hurt him. Ho is as Lard as a brick wall. . , . "This week he has been putting in ,a little more solid work in the gymnasium every day, sparring ■, skipping, etc. Tom is awfully interested in my sending this message, from him to the people of Gisborne: — ‘Jack seems to send you all sorts of news, just as if he were ringing on the ’phone. lam not much good at saying things, but I want to have a chip in on this wireless business. Tell all the old friends in Gisborne that Tom Heeney is not going to disgrace them. I guess lam pretty fit, and after the hard tussle ,I had v to get this far I am not going to bo beaten if I can help it. lam right after that title, and if I don’t get it it won’t be for want of trying; I am more fit than I ever was, and every fight I have had in America lias improved me. Tunney is a good boxer, but the old Maori horse isn’t so bad himself, and, ho can stafid :a lot of knocking about. It’s; just groat the way these stations are working to get the message through; and I would like to shake hands with all the operators and tell them bow good it is to get all this news to the people at home. 1 hope the next news will be that I am bringing the championship to Gisborne.’ ”