BOXING AND BOXERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 November 1937, Page 5

BOXING AND BOXERS

THE STRICKLAND-NEUSEL BOUT NEW ZEALANDER CONSIDERED TO HAVE WON BUT DECISION AGAINST HIM LONDON, 21st October. Boxing is booming as never before (writes B, Bcnnison), Frimo Camera is here, and lie has been medically examined to decide whether li: is really "punch drunk” or lit to return to the ring. A decision has not yet been given. If he receives the opportunity to come back there is no doubt that he will draw the crowd. A DISPUTED VERDICT I shall always maintain that Maurice Strickland, the New. Zealand heavyweight, scored more points than Walter Ncusel in their widely-discussed and keenly-awaited light at Wembley. Mr Jack Smith, however, decided other- ! wise, and the tremendously strong | German was returned the winner amid a thunder of disagreement seldom heard at the ringside. Some ten thousand people looked on. Of them 95 per cent., judged by their roar of disapproval, had no manner of doubt that the gentleman in charge had made a big mistake. The noise and clatter, and the scenes which followed, hurt boxing hard, for while folk hooted and booed, there developed a free-for-all fight in the dressing room of Neusel, during which, it is alleged, the actual pugilists’ respective managers put up a very realistic little barefist side show. Both were rather the worse for wear after the impromptu battle. I cannot say at the moment of writing what action if any, will be taken by the Board of Control. To me it was all a disgraceful busines:, and the sooner forgotten the better. It is for Damski and Daly to settle whatever may be their differences. I am truly sorry for Neusel and Strickland. Now for the fight as I saw and read it. Until midway of the sixth of the twelve rounds over which the contest was spread, Strickland was as a man romping to victory. He had proved himself to be the cleverer boxer, the cleaner puncher; he was master. Then he was severely shaken by the kind of right-hander in which the German specialises that landed in the pit of his stomach. Strickland was obviously distressed, and was in sore need of a breather. In the next round he took more clouts than he gave, and, had he not been superbly fit, must have crumpled under the power of Neuscl’s blows to the body. I much feared he would be unable to shoulder the handicap of more than a stone which the German enjoyed. SECOND V.’IND

However, he found his second wind, ■ and added so generously to a lead he had built up that nothing short of a knock-out in my opinion could deny him the spoils. Neusel sensed the | position, and sent over a mighty swipe which connected with the jaw and down went Strickland to take a count of six. He pulled himself into the perpendicular only with difficulty. And, worse ' for him, his eye wa badly cut. Still, he managed to hold up, and, when the last bell went, he trotted jauntily to his corner entirely sure that he had won. When Neusel was acclaimed the win,ner, pandemonium broke loose. My score sheet was that Strickland at a conservative estimate won seven rounds: at the most Neusel took two. I have known Jack Smith for longer than a quarter of a century. I count him among my good friends. There is no referee richer in experience, and his integrity may not be impeached. But if in his analysis of the fight he did not arrive at wrong conclusions, I am prepared to confess that I am no judge of boxing. FUTURE PLANS I have inquired of both boxers how they propose shaping their immediate future. To date they have no definite plans. A story has been broadcast that Neusel would be a willing party to a second fight with Schmeling in Berlin. [A contract has since been fixed for a fight in Berlin next March or April], As for Stirckland, he intends to remain here in the certainty that he will be found profitable employment. “I am not broken-hearted,” he says, “because the verdict wefit against me. Only I cannot, and never will, understand how Neusel was made the winner. In all games, however, there is the unlucky break, and I am content to leave it at that. For what’s the good of having and nursing a grouse?” I understand that he has contracted with Wembley for two more fights. ' Possibly he will be offered an opponent 1 by Harringay. For myself I shall welcome a contest between him and A 1 ' Delaney, a young Canadian who has 1 done most of his fighting in the States. ; Delaney made his first appearance in 1 this country in the ring of the National ( Sporting Club last Monday against ‘ Harry Staal, the Dutch champion, who ‘ served as substitute for Pancho Villa, laid aside by an injured back. Delaney is a finished boxer and a 1 fighter of high degree. He was so much the superior of Stall, and punished him ( so severely, that the referee very, pro- 5 perly called a halt in the seventh ] round. lam told that Delaney, who 1 was brought over by the N.S.C. to ' whom he is contracted, has been loan- 1 ed to Harringay. I hope it is not true that Norman Baines is the only man to 1 be put against him. Baines in my opinion is not in the same class as Delaney. There was a time when I had hopes of Baines making reasonably good.

EASY.WINNER I expected infinitely more of Jimmy Purcell, the ' Australian welter, at Wembley, in a bout with Ernie Roderick, of Liverpool, who took the place of Kilrain, the British champion. He disappointed me enormously. He was so outboxed and outfought by Roderick, and was so frequently put on the floor, that the contest was stopped in the fifth round. Roderick was an especially easy winner. Dace Crowley outpointed George Odell in a li£ht-weight eliminator in ten rounds wearisome in their samc-

ness. Crowley was all for rushing and tearing: Odwel was fatally stereotyped. A hearty pat on the back for George James, a young Welsh heavyweight, for outpointing the more experienced Alf Robinson of Manchester. But this word in his ear. “You will be well advised to stick close to your lessons. You are apt to punch as from round the corner, and that will never do. You must learn to punch straight, and from the shoulder, before you can get far above the novice class.” Tommy Farr was given a welcome due to the hero that he is when he stepped into the ring of the Empire Pool to receive a handsome casket in recognition of his gallant fight against world’s champion, Joe Louis. Farr’s next fight will be for Mike Jacobs at Madison Square before the year. is out. I wish him well.