BOXING.

NZ Truth, Issue 172, 3 October 1908, Page 3

BOXING.

(By "Ring-sider.")

Our amateur stoushists who took part m. the Australasian championships at Brisbane recently, , speak of being entertained royally, but m the ring matters do not appear from their version to have been so satisfactory. They all agreed that Fenn-Lusher, the Sydney lad, should have got the verdict over Cantwell, oE Queensland, m the final- bout of the Bantam Championship. Tim Tracy has been buckling down for his clash with Jack Griffin m Ohristchurch next Thursday. Tim, who goes southwards this evening, is confident of. having another- scalp dangling at his belt before he returns home to resume his boot-belting labors. J. Tancred, trainer of Doss Burns, has some promising amateur talent *m hand at his Petone quarteis, _aiid by the time next season's local championships come along he should have-some good-'uns on the market. His lads are frothing for a scrap already. The "New Zealand boxer, Charlie .GrilUn, has figured m a couple of bruising fights .m New York, but ha was adjudged loser each time. His first affair was with Leach Cross, who outweighed him several pounds, and the papers said Griifin was outpointed. Next Griffin met Matty Baldwin. A New York writer said : "It was a battle for blood all the way, and the going was about as tough as one would want to see." Baldwin scored cleaner than his opponent all through, and at the wind-up of six rounds Griffin bad a badly-

bruised? face and reddened -.rib's.. ThecroWd yelled to Baldwin "to get* in and finish .him, buU Griffin freshened again, and the ■ pair were ' m a wild swirl of figiiting -at the gong. It is admitted, tha-t Griffin pulled even so far as the final round was concerned, but the majority opinion 'had it that he was clearly outboxed m every !' round that preceded the sixth.

A few weeks back a niatch was on the -tanis between Jim Griflih and Arthur ■Cripps, but this has now fallen through, and Griffin is asking for another crack' at Bill; Lang, backing up his request with an offeroif'a £50 "side bet on the Battling Nelson, who defeated Gans, the .negro, for the second time, a few weeks ago for the light-weight championship ol •America, is a Dane, haying first seen the light m Copenhagen 2(» years ago. Heis,san' inch taller than Guns, but both. are ; i^e same weight almost to an, dunes— i)s£ ..71b/ Up to this latest fight Nelson bad a of SO battles and nine defeats, ■while Gans jtvad only lost five times out of 154 engagements. ■ .

. Their two hard and strenuous but "ondecided'" battles fully bear out wJia-t many. , of lie American critics said months ago; . concerning their own champion, Abe Air tell, and Owen Moran, the little\Lontton•er. They seem to be so evenly matched t;in every particular that neither can score fa point on the other, although for their second match last week many oE "the : ;heads" were tapping Englishman. . ! Frank Thorn, of Westralia, met Sid. 'Sullivan, of Sydney, "on September 22 for »the feather-weight championship o£ - Australia:. Thjprn was favorite. At the conjplusion of -the 20-round mill -Jim Barton j&npunced THorn the victor;. r anjjd r hoots sand howls, during which 'some dastard 'fired a missile at him. The decision/ 4ayf "The Sportsman,' ? was an absolute--■ly just one. Ttforn won with a big mar.gm;'of. points to spare. The only questionable matter about the bitterly-con-testsd battle was Thorn's trick of grip-;, $*&£ the back ofSuily's neck, and upper-; cuttittg him. The refereee cettoinly^bould'' haye/warned Thorn forterisTat the -first, and disqualified hipi at the second. „ But he didn't. He blundered certainly But taking the fight all through; he,? gave a decision which was : rtjh'e only one that could he given. ThornWon undoubtedly.. Referecing fights, easy ,aS it seems, isi evidently a game that is :>not aU beer anil skittles. . ManaSjratU' Boxing Association are, leavings no . isjane s unturned to make their, forthcoming, -contest a sucejass. Bob Holto.. is, we iear, training hard and is confid-, ent of turning the tables i& his return match with' Tim ,Tracry. Patrols wtta were present at the last contest m Palmerston North will be deEglrtied toheartnat -tEe -Mairawatu Association have been, lortunate m again obtaining the services. -pf -jllie Ja m es Bros., two lads -who? gave; sucli' a splendid esiibitton befars,!: showed -Oiat ttiey kapw aU •{&© points ' of the game. Their esMMtidn is alone, wofth gqmg a . long way to see and' should pirove an exeel&nt addition^-the-already attracfive ; programme, . ' r ,