PUG PARS.

NZ Truth, Issue 852, 18 March 1922, Page 8

PUG PARS.

The success of the Hannah-Calloway flght at Nelson has convinced that association of the popularity of professional contests of this character, and it proposes to have more of them m the future. Veteran George Bush refereed the Cal-loway-Hannah fight at Nelson, and his appearance m the ning was the signal for a whole-hearted burst 'Of. applause, the Nelsonlans evidently not having forgotten the sterling work George has done m the past for both the game generally and the district m particular. Hannah's consistent sportsmanship m the flght with Calloway was the subject of general admiration. On the several occasions that Calloway slipped, the' Hastings man invariably stood well off and allowed his opponent to recover before resuming the flght. This is what popularises the game. ' Billy Preston ' was disappointed that Les Murray could not meet him under the Timaru Association. He Is willing to meet any lightweight m the Dominion.

The Nelson Association will show a good profit over .the Hannah-Callbway fight. It deserves to, for the staging of the encounter was a model of thorough admiration. Barney Ireland says J. Heeney ds sidestepping him as he has not accepted his challenge. Ireland has now got a boxing school at Waipawa and has several likely boys coming on. He is also training his brother. Harry, who wants to fight any feather. . , ' In the preliminaries at the Nelson tournament Nesbit (6.9) won from Weir (6.7). Nesbit has improved greatly. Whitwell (8.12; lost to Spiers (8.12). This was a hearty flght m which "Whitwell showed a lot of attack but Spiers /outpointed him m cleverness. Goodman (9.3) (Nelson) won from Olden (9.6) (Riwaka). Olden won the first round, but Goodman, . with good close work took the balance of the flght. .'..,._ v Digger Brown's success at Invercargill recently has . spurred him to greater efforts and he now wants a fight with Jack Heeney. Theo. Guddlng writes to say he is willing to accept Jack Clarke's challenge. An Auckland syndicate Intends holding a wrestling carnival on April 10, and a purse of £100 Is offered for a match between Clarke and Guddlng. Walter Ireland (Woodville) wants to challenge Lin, Robinson or Charlie Cann at fealtherweight " limit. Ha will fight under any association, the winner to take the lot; Failing either of these he will fight any other feather m New Zealand at a few weeks' notice. Ireland has not fought for some years m New Zealand, but he had a good record previous to the war. He has knocked out Frank Bliss, of Auckland; Anderson and. Mcßae at lOst. limit, giving away a stone m each flght. He fought, two draws with "Billy Shields," and won about two dozen fights with feathers. He was beaten by Frank Ellis and Billy Mack, both of Wellington. Les. Murray is out of the hospital and is now recuperating at Dunedin. The trouble was an internal one but Dr. Harrison, president of the Otago Boxdng Association, soon put it right. Murray will have to spell for a couple of months and then he will be ready to take on-Hannah, O'Neill and Preston. Paul Hannah cam© back from Nelson firmly of the opinion that the sports there are the best- ever. He and his brother,, who trains him, states that the Nelson Association could not do enough to make their trip . enjoyable. As soon as he ds well enough Les. Murray intends opening a boxing and physical culture school at Dunedin. He expects to have a big list of pupils. At Millerton on Saturday night G. CUrran and J. Carr fought a draw over fifteen rounds. The fight is described as one of the best that has been staged on the West Coast. Carr is now a lightweight. G. Pringle (Gisborne) has approached the Napier Association re a fight with Paul Hannah, but there is nothing doing as yet. The Coltman medal, given by the wellknown Wellington jeweller of that name, is now on show at Preston's gym. Norman McArthur, 'who will meet young Morgan shortly, is looking forward to the go. Bert Drake has him doing a lot of work and says his footwork is a feature of his boxing. Harry Holmes and Archie Bradley fight their return battle at the Brisbane Stadium • to-night. Steve Donoghue, the famous English horseman, is a first-class amateur boxer, and he regularly spars with the little champion Jimmy Wilde. H. Mcßae, the big heavy, was to be tried out against C. Rolfe, the English heavyweight, but Mac had to disappoint, as his profession kept him out of town. It ds hoped that the spar will take place next week-end. Cyril Whitaker is keeping himself fit at Crawford's gymnasium m readiness for Brian McCleajy, should any association match the pair. Alan Blake, of Crawford's school, is looking for stoush, and is willing to fight any featherweight m the Dominion. Syd. Smith, Crawford's crack lightweight, is also anxious for a fight, and will put them on with anyone his own weight. Two visiting pugs m F. Canute, of Hawera, and L. McGuire, of Eltham, sparred at Preston's school, while m Wellington, and the exercise they got at the school did them a heap of good. Billy McCann, from the United States, and Syd. Godfrey, meet at the Sydney Stadium to-night.