BOXING.

NZ Truth, Issue 137, 1 February 1908, Page 3

BOXING.

' — ♦ . j XBy Upper-Cut)'.- ' ;A. L. McLean, who acted as the niauager for Jack Johnson, the coon bruiser, m Australia some time ago, \ is now the proprietor of the saucer biking track recently laid down at Boston. He is not nearly so likely to be assaulted and flattened out by his new charge as he was by his old. ' "Peeler" C. Stevens, whose wrestling bout with his fellow-copper Skinner was such a beautiful little side turn at the Godfrey-H-anley contest a few months ago, is hankering after honors m the fistic arena, and T. McGibbin 3su now putting him through his facings. Stevens should put some of .the heavy-weight cracks on their mettle when the time happens along for his debut at the newlocal championship competitions. It is understood that Stevens is aspiring for possession of the professional scalps of the big 'uns on Mother side, HJVLS. Powerful boasts of a couple of good heavy-weight boxers who are reported to have won many •victories, m the na.val fistic arena. The pairwas very anxious to get on a match here, but the time at disposal did not give the Boxing Association a chance of fixing up matters. It has been suggested that when the squadron next makes our port the Association should, engineer a competition for bluejackets and marines of the several warships. A good idea,'' and, if put into execution, should draw like a porous plaster, : J. Lane is turning out a pro-miss-ing pupil m Woodredge, who will sample the local light or middle weight, wares at next season's local championship competitions. In consideration of the fact that the time of weighing competitors m •boxing contests was not fixed m its regulations, the New Zealand Box,ing Council has adopted a new rule to the effect that competitors must *weigh m between noon of the day of the^ contest and the time of the contest. It was stated that the rule nv-as necessary m order that competitors might not go to the ring-side starved for the sake of keeping their weight within a few ounces. According, to the latest English papers, Jem Roche, the present champion of England, has challenged' Tommy Burns for the world's championship. Burns has no objecr t-ion to meeting Roche provided the size of the purse is all right. The challenge was not unexpected, as Burns's manager had been told prior to the Gunner Moir fight that if Burns won. 'he would have to tackle the Irishman. Sydney experts say it is quite on the cards that Jack Griffin may turn out a better exponent of "the noble art than either of his brothers—Jim and Charlie.