BOXING RING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19959, 30 May 1928, Page 16

BOXING RING.

TOURNEY AT NORTH SHORE. EXCITING BOUTS WITNESSED. NO CONTEST NEXT MONDAY. Amateur boxers, resident in the North Short boroughs were well catered for by the Takapuna Boating Club last week when a two-night tournament was held to decide the North Shore championships. Although a number of novices were in action, theu'e were also some experienced ring performers, who made things lively and willing. The idea of fostering the sport at North Shore is commendable, and the boating club showed it is well able to conduct tournaments. The lighting arrangements were excellent, and the ring was loaned by the , Northern Boxing Association. Members of the controlling boxing body acted as officials. Mr. Frank Burns' decisions were almost invariably well received. The naval group fighting was exciting, even if it lacked the fine points of ringcraft. The lads throughout fought from gong to gong, hitting with left and right swings Straight hitting was rarely seen, except with Yates and Ogden, who gave the most pleasing exhibition of boxing in this division.

Many spectators did not appreciate the naval "silent count" way of counting out a floored contestant. The method employed was that, always followed in the Navy. Contestants wear coloured sashes, and, after the judges' decisions are received, the referee raises a corresponding coloured flag indicating the winner. A point in these bouts that was remarked upon freely was the action of the referee in stopping the bout and calling upon the boys to "fight" if they were "boxing. It is understood this is customary in the Navy, but whether in the best interests of the sport it is advisable for boys to batter each other until they are unable to rise from the floor, or to win by scientifically hitting in points, is a point which should be given consideration. Heavy Punishment Taken. The spirit displayed by the boys conjured up thoughts of "our fighting Navy." Contestants hopelessly outclassed came up undaunted again and again to take heavy punishment. A number of these boys would do well if trained properly under a first-class boxing instructor, and in turn would be able to impart their knowledge to the others. In the elimination bouts of the group competitions Forrest and Douglas made a good showing, the latter possessing a heavy right, which frequently connected. At the call of time, Macintosh and King were even on points, and another round was called. Both hoys were showing signs of distress, and King was unable to fight on. Sieve and Briggs gave a fair display of boxing, but depended too much on swings. Steve's defence was good and his footwork saved him in the earlier stages. Briggs landed heavily to the heart in the second round, but Steve won a good fight. Yates and A ley gave an interesting display. Yates has a nice style. He punished Aley badly in tliQ first round, and in the second Aley was floored with a clean fast right cross. Aley's plucky showing received a well-deserved ovation. Weakness in Defence. The feather-weight, Moran, punished Church badly in the opening round, but his defence leaves something to be desired. He would do better to cultivate straight hitting instead of the fancy poses in which he indulges. Church ran Moran close, forcing him to the ropes frequently, but his footwork is not up to standard. The bout between McPhail and Manson was the best display ,jpf the tournament, I and one of the best seen in Auckland recently. McPhail's footwork was very good, and his right cross was frequently in action. The bout was willing throughout, and hard exchanges were constant. Manson did not have much opportunity to use his left, McPhail being too elusive. In the last round, however, he landed a number of heavy leads to face and body. In the finals of the naval group contests Bull proved too fast for Lindsay, and had him to the ropes with quick right 3in the first round. In the "third round the competitors hustled themselves over the ropc-s and out of the ring. Lindsay was willing harassed Bull with hard left jabs to the body, and gained the decision. Mackie used both hands freely and punished Douglas severely. Macintosh and Steve both used whirlwind tactics with heavy body exchanges. The pnee was too strenuous, and both were feeling it considerably in the last stages. In his final with Ogden, Yates was inclined to "flip" his left instead of hitting, but his right cross did good work. Ogden scored well with both hands throughout. It was a good display of boxing, Yates deserving his win. A Good Final Round. Moran and McPhail met in the final of the feather-weight championship. McPhail did not show his previous night's cleverness. Moran landed a number of right swings to McPhail's head in the opening round. The final round was the best. Moran badly mistimed his right swings, and McPhail was quick to take advantage of them. Moran is inclined to leave himself open. In the middle-weight contest Nixon's reach told upon his sturdy opponent, his straight left continually scoring to the body. Kis blows, however, lacked weight. He has a bad habit of clinching and hitting as he comes out o;i them. Shadbolt had the advantage in the close work. The light-weight, Conmee, had no difficulty in disposing of Gunn, who gave a plucky showing. Gunn went down in the first round to a hard head blow, which "would have kept a great number down for much longer than seven. An uppercut in the second saw Gunn again floored, but he gamely came up and had Conmee retreating under a shower of straight hitting. He opened Conmee's left eye hadly early in the proceedings with a fast left. Gunn's smother was not as effective as it might have been. Conmee is an experienced boxer, although he has not been seen in the Town Hall for the past, two or three years. TUNNEY IN VAUDEVILLE. HIS VIEWS ON CHAMPIONS. Tunney keeps achieving presa columns along totally new lines for a heavyweight champion of the world, says a writer in a South African paper. He has declined the invitation of the American Shakespeare Foundation to play " Charles," the wrestler in "As You Like It," but is willing to lecture on Shakespeare at Yale University. Corbett, Fitzsimmons, John L. Sullivan, Jeffries, Terry McGovern and Dernpsey all essayed the stage, but Tunney, after being persuaded against his will to try vaudeville, stepped out of the picture and has there remained. Other publicity has been obtained by his very correct dictum that a heavyweight champion has no ri?ht to retire undefeated, not giving h! u successor a chance to achieve full glory—or as much as remains to be gleaned. There is no credit in retiring undefeated. Tunney thinks that retiring champions merely announce they expect to be whipped in the next bout. The ever more dense puzzle is why should every other sport have so many leading "stars," while the heavy-weight boxers score only one at • time ? /•