BOXING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13157, 21 April 1906, Page 8

BOXING.

1 have received from M. W. Richards a letter challenging Mat*'day, the amateur heavy-weight boxer of Auckland, for a trial bout of four or six rounds, to take pise*? sontevrhera about the 10th of May. Richards, who is a fireman on the s.s. Taviam, would be willing to make it- for a club night. The Management Committee of the Northern Amateur Boxing Association deserve a word of praise for the eiforta beimg made to popularise boxing along healthy lines in Auckland, and for the further improvement shown in the conduct of the recent carnival, the result no doubt of experience gained at previous tournaments. With the exception of the dress circle. His Majesty's Theatre was well filled in all parts, and it is pleasing to heat- that the carnival was a success financially, as the association authorities have from time to time launched out pluekily in providing patrons with attractions above the average, and not always with the hoped-for results, as the compulsory postponement of the first- carnival, owing to a technical breach of the regulations, involved the association in considerable monetary loss. Their perseverance has. however, been rewarded, and I think we may now look forward to the establishment of the sport in Auckland on a sound basis, and to exhibitions of boxing such as will claim the support of all interested in a clean and healthy pastime. __ J. Godfrey, amateur champion of England in 1903, made his first public appearance in the colour, and the English featherweight made good his claims to be regarded as a boxer well above the average and a good sportsman. He was opposed in the ring by .1. Gosling (Wellington), New Zealand's "feather- champion, in a sixround bout, and the display was scientific and clever: in fact, quite the best exhibition of basing to which we have been treated since the revival of the sport ie Auckland. The bout had not proceeded far before it was clear that in point of science the New Zealander had met his master, and the decision of the referee (Dr. Gowlland) in favour of Godfrey met with general approval. Toe Englishman did not make much use of his right— probably saving it in anticipation of serious business towards the end— made great use of bis left, getting in some dean, straight hits, and showed himself remarkably good in footwork, and avoiding punishment threatened by Gosling's heavy and wicked swing.-. Although outmatched is science, Gosling lacked nothing in pluck, and it was no disgrace to him to find tne decision against him when opposed to a man of Godfrey's calibre. It must not be forgotten that the sport was only quite recently re-established in New Zealand, and that our boxers have not beer. .vWcr-fcd ,T?->:oy opportunities of master:-:;'; tho scisriceoi 0~-xiUg, owing to the war;, of capable- i.r,i'.x*c" We have the mi.ftr.al, and the pobsn una «kill will follow. Quite the most pleasing feature of the Godfrey-Gosling bout was me fairness with which both men boxed. A. day or two after the carnival I had a chat with Godfrev. and was pleased to learn that he intends taking up bis residence in Auckland. He returned to Gisborne on Wednesday last, and will come back to Auckland about three weeks hence, employment (be i- a carpenter by trade) having been found for him here. The Englishman was greatly pleased with his treatment by the authorities of the Northern Association and others—including Messrs. Keenan, O Connor, Trudgeon, and Professor Potter—during- his stav, 'and asked permission through these columns to return thanks for kindnesses shown tc himself and his companion, 1. Hoxby, a request I readily granted. Returning to the carnival, I may say that in addition to the Godfrey-Gosling bout, there were other interesting contest?, wbicn went to show that with a little more coaching those concerned should quite hold their own when opposed to the amateur exponents of other parts of the colony. Those included the Blewden-Maloney bout for the light-weight championship of Auckland, the O'Griff-Gault bout, and the promising exhibition given by Wrack, who is only 15 years of age. O'Griff and Gault went at it hammer "and tongs, sacrificing the scientific side somewhat, evidently with the object of getting in a " knock out" blow. The BlewdenMaloney bout created a lot of interest, and opinions as to which would win were pretty evenly divided. Blewden, however, soon established a lead, and kept it right through.