Boxing

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 194, 18 August 1936, Page 3

Boxing

PLUTO v. McMAHON

When Cyril Tluto was approached some weeks ago to light Jack McMahon in Palmerston North, ho., assented, but did not sign the dotted line. The purse suggested at the time was apparently satisfactory, but in the interim, the local boxer met and severely trounced Kid i'isher, while Pluto had had only narrow, and by no means unanimous, decisions over the same Fisher. This evidently woke up the astute Australian, who demanded a bigger purse, as his opponent was no longer a nonentity, but a lighting factor, and one who should command a good following, so the M.B.A. had to increase the guarantees for the light on Friday night at the Opera House and then incur other 'expenses in constructing new stadium seating which will be able to seat comfortably GOO people on the stage. With a light of such importance the increased ringside accommodation should pay the extra guarantees and wipe oil the construction costs of tho new birds-eye-view seating, especially ad the prices to be charged are on a parity with the admissions for big wrestling bouts—a substantial decrease on important fight events in tho past. Cyril Pluto, tho welterweight champion of Western Australia, has a long list of lights at tho back of him; he has even been matched with and fought tho famous Jack Carroll in Melbourne, while in New Zealand he has not been defeated in tho ten lights he has had. Pluto is not only a boxing champion, but in the social side of life ho is a champion dancer and ping pong piaycr. These attributes help to keep him in form but on Friday night ho will find something more solid to hit than a little celluloid ball, and he ,will need all the lightness of foot to be on his toes w T hen the big Irishman lets go his broadsides. McMahon has never failed to maxe »i good fight; lie can stand lots of body punching, and as this is the Australian’s main method of attack, it will be interesting to see how’ it works out on someone that can take it. McMahon is a harder puncher than Pluto, docs not waste many punches and is as fit as a boxer should be for any important longdistance event, so tho public can be assured that their local representative will give of his best, recognising that a win over Pluto will find him on the map in the boxing world, and establishes his right to dictate what size purse he will light for. Not that Jack is avaricious; ho is not, but to beat a reigning champion always puts more value on a mail’s appearances in the ring, and the goal of every up-and-com-ing young boxer worth his salt. The box plans open to-day at Collinson and Ounninghamo’s.