BOXING

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12507, 24 July 1926, Page 17

BOXING

1 Pat Connors writes: “Some 30 odd , years ago there performed in Australia \ the greatest boxer .the world ever knew, i His uncanny cleverness delighted the 5 hearts of thousands of boxing fans, and caused them to sit up, rub their eyes, and gaze in wonder at the remarkable - human freak they saw in action. He • had no great punch, neither was he a • wild, rugged type of fighter. No, he i was just an exceptionally fast and clever boxer. His ducking was a treat to watch. His slipping was splendid, his footwork fast and brilliant, and his : > hitting clean and crisp. Vet nobody remarked on his lack of punching power, neither did they urge him to go m and fight like a cave man; indeed, . .they were quite satisfied to watch his ~ display of clever, scientific boxing. 1 wonder, if that self-same boxer was placed in the ring to-day as he was thirty years ago, what would our modern, or, at least, present day, critics say? I suppose they woufd use the same old cry: “He lacks a punch.” Yet “Griffo,” the greatest fistic marvel the world ever produced, and the boxer I refer to, was no knock-out artist. He depended on his boxing to win him fights, and nobody blamed him. \Vhy should they? * * * • “That great British lightweight,

Freddie Welsh, who wore the world' l CTown for many years, seldom, if ever K.O.’d an opponent. Yet he was never reprimanded for failing to do so. “The late Hughie Meaghan (ex-light-weight champion of Australia) was heard to remark after his contest with Matt Molls, the English lightweight: if I could have caught him. I mav have beaten him.’ Yet Wells was credited with having a punch. • t i , “Quendrenux, the French welterweight, said after his first fight with Tommy Fairhnll that he needed a bicycle to catch Tom. and who will say that Thomas did not pack a punch? “Paul Demsky, during his two visits to New Zealand, only succeeded once in putting over the sleep producer. Y T et in Australia Paul was considered a terrific hitter, and his record proves that he was. “Quite a lot of ink has been spilt lately concerning Charlie Purdv's lack of punching power. Charlie has' had 111 professional fights in this country. Most of the boxers lie has fought here met others in the Dominion. How many have been K.O.’d? Charlie fought Harry Casey. Harry fought the best middle-weights here. Has anv of them put him to sleep? Has Elmour, Stace, Murray, Jamito, Baxter, or Trowern been rocked to bye-bye by any of the boxers ill this fair land? Surely this should quieten people regarding Purdy. One thing, if he can't stop his man, they can’t stop him. • * * * “This talk about so-and-so lacking a punch is nil piffle. Everv boxer carries some sort of a kick. Some are very' true in their aim, otNars are lucky in landing it just at the right tick. *But 't is very rarely you see boxers in the lighter division ending a bout by the short-stop route. They are much too running and clever to leave their vital spots exposed. They are so keen on building up points that they trouble little about trying to put' over the dream producer.” Only two croquet lawns now exist in the London parks. One is at Clissold, and the other at Peckham Rye.