BOXING

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11252, 3 July 1922, Page 3

BOXING

CARPENTIER AND LEWIS. BLOW THAT WON THE) FIGHT. £75,000 MATCH WITH DEMPSEY.

(By Fred. Dartnell, in London ‘'Evening News/')

There has been a lot of discussion as to whether the blow which knocked out Lewis at Olympia was a foul or otherwise. Some folk might think that .Carpentier was guilty of a little sharp practice in hitting wnen’his rival's attention was distracted by the referee's admonitions. Lewis himself was the more to blame, however, in not acting up to the rule, which says that a boxer may protect himself at all times. It was surprising that a man like Lew** is. who has been reared in the American school, where fighting wits are so sharp, should neglect an elementary principle of the game. At the same time one would have preferred that Carpentier, with so much of the physical odds in hie favour, had won the fight without quite such insistence on the strict letter of the law. If the Teferee, when breaking the hold, had walked between the two ,figters the situation would probably not nave arisen; but this is quite apart from the actual result, which would hot, I think, have been different. It wa® only a question of time, I feel sure, before Carpentier wouldi have found his way with that dreadful right to tho Britisher's chin. SEEN ON THE FILM.

Naturally, the French party resent the charges of foul play. Deschampe accuses of having been the first to clinch, but his view does not coincide with my own impression, which that within haif a minute from the start Carpentier got his loft arm gripped round the right of Lewis, and that the referee cautioned him for the action. The butting of the head, too, by Carpentier wae a very regrettable action. The film of the fight rereals the final stages very clearly. One sees the Tefereo making desperate attempts to separate the two men, and when succeeds, obviously admonishing the fighters at the same time, there is the fatal side-glance in hi 6 -direction by Lewis, the dropping of the guard, and the lightning flash of the Frenchman's rignfc hand, followed by the collapse of Lewis.

As Deschampe truly remarked, "No boxer who fights Georges can make an elementary mistake and survive." Carpen tier himself thinks that Lewis made a tactical mistake in his rushing infighting tactics. but it was the only chance of the smaller man. Much the same condemnation was handed out to Carpentier for his methods against Dempsey, but ho knew then that it was hie only chance of upsetting the enormous odds against him, and ehould giv* credit to Lewis for adopting the only possible tactics, even although they failed, as did his own at New Jersey. MAY MEET NEXT YEAR. Dempsey was entertained at a lunch, at which Carpentier and Lewie were both present. The American left Southampton for America, and his manager, Jack Kearns, stated that he and Deschampa had signed a provisional contract for the two boxers to meet in Europe on or before June, -1923. Europe, of course, means London at the present rate of exchange, and, furthermore, it is said that a purse of £75,000 will be offered, two-third© to go to the winner and tho remainder to the loser. It remains to be seen- bow the sporting public will regard a match which was proved to bo unequal a year ago; but it was interesting to learn from Carpeti tier's admission that Kid Lewis was the next best man to Dempsey that he had ever encountered.

Dempsey says he has'’had a great time ovc r here, but lias to get back to America in view of possible matches. There is a talk of him giving Jces Willard another chance, and also him meeting tn© negro, Harry Wills, at Montreal on July let. There is no doubt that Dempsey is a great fighter, but hardlv convincing as a boxing critic. The statement that Carpentier hit Lewis with everything but the corner-post and everywhere from the ankle to the elbow® is a prcciou© bit of American embroidery, and I’m euro its translation would makes Georges smile.