INVERCARGILL.

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 8

INVERCARGILL.

(By "Shadow.") •

Biff Jim Leckie is becoming a "snag" m the heavyweight division. Standing 6ft 4in. and weighting 12st 71b, Leckie is gaining m weight and strength almost every day, as waif as m boxing knowledge. He will show out well m the open classes at the next Open Tournament. Never m the history of Southland, and probably never m the history of New Zealand, has there been such a boom m boxing as since Fritz Holland commenced teaching m Southland. It is simply surprising 1 the hold the game has here. A large smile adorns the face of exchampion Fritz Holland these days. And no wonder! He has now over 400 pupils from 15 schools, and included m his classes are some of the most prominent public, men m Inver-, cargill. His classes are made up as follow: — Nightcaps 99, Gore 50, Wyndham 50, Winton 45, Mataura 35, Makarewa 2G, Mossburn and Lumsden 20, Invereargill 50, and Balfour 42. Record entries have been received for the Novices' Tournament to be held m Invereargill shortly. The Southland Boxing Association has nothing to fear m the future with so many boxers coming on. The S.B.A. intends staging some big pro. fights next year, and I understand the Theatre has been booked for January 2 (race night). Good professionals looking for a fight should get into touch with Secretary Jack Gilbertson. ' Fritz Holland now l?as two assistants on his -staff, both being very capable men. Fred Padget, who boxed under, the name of "F. Harvey, 1 ' is probably the best amateur welterweight ever produced by Southland, and as an instructor he is hard to beat. He commenced boxing under the tutorship of "Freddy" Jarvis, and was finished off by Holland. No doubt he will take part m a professional scrap one of these days. The; other assistant is Jack Humphries, who two years ago won the medal for being the most-improved boxer m Holland's North Island schools. Since then he has won 15 fights, and has lately been teaching at Mossburn and Lumsden. A real good man, too. The Novice Tournament on October 17 and 18 will be one of the biggest affairs of its kind ever held by the Southland Boxing Association- Great keenness is being displayed, • and teajns will be present from all over Southland.