BOXING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20252, 10 November 1927, Page 5

BOXING.

By Cross Couktkb. LES MURRAY RETIRES. Les Murray, who for six years held the title of light-weight champion of New Zealand, has announced nis retirement from the ring. Murray has for a very long time been one of the most popular boxers in New Zealand —and, in fact, just before he left New Zealand to try his fortune in the United States, ho was easily the best draw in the Dominion. Hanging from his belt is a long string of scalpsmany of them big ones, too —won in good hard fights, of which a fair proportion were won by the short route, for Les Murray carries a solid punch. Many people will regret his retirement, for he is still in sound form, and it is safe to assume that bad he fought a farewell match in Dunedin or anywhere else there would have been little difficulty in securing a full house. An aggressive fighter, and scientific withal, his style has eanieu the highest commendation in New Zealand, Australia, and even in the States, where the public are, as a _ rule, hypercritical as far as boxing is concerned. The Chicago Referee, for that matter, has placed him ninth on the list of tho world s best light-weights. Les Murray s last fight in Dunedin was against the late Billy Chambers, whom he knocked out, technically, in the last round of a 15-round contest. , -n i He forfeited his title to Charlie Purdy by staying away from New Zealand ovci the prescribed time. As a trainer of youthful talent, too, Murray has done a great deal to revive interest in the game in Dunedin, and many University champions to-day owe to him their success in the ring. Murray intends to enter the motor business in Dunedin. Tom Harris has taken over his school, which he conducted with singular success during Murray s absence, and he will, no doubt, continue as successfully as he has done in the past. Although I am retiring,” Murray told the writer, “there may be a day when 1 will come back. I am still at the top of my form, and I do not propose to take life easily for a long time yet. Should ho decide to stage a come-back, there will bo many people who, remembering his past performances, will welcome his return. OLARRIE POCOCK. Clarrie Pocock (of Christchurch), who has lately turned professional has written to the Otago Boxing Association offering his services in a match against Broahfoot (Auckland), Artie Hay Vin Parker (Timaruj, Lowidgc (Wellington), Jack Heeney (Gisborne),, or W. Tyree (Wellington). Pocock, who is a middleweight, holds a decision over Lovendge whom he defeated in a. 10-round contest at Oamaru on Labour night. As regards Tyreehe stipulates that the Wellington boxer should make the middle-weight limit, as he docs not want any heavy-weight contests at present. MILITARY ASSOCIATION. Now that boxing has been established so firmly in the four chief military centres in New Zealand, and has proved to be a marked success under military B rom ° tlo “> it would be a good move (says a noithern writer) if the four centres were to pm together in the formation of a New Zealand Military Boxing Association, lb action would consolidate a movement that has become a very important part of the activities of those who control New Zealand’s citizen army. At every tournament held by the Christchurch Garrison Sports Association ample evidence is given of the popularity of the sport under the association’s control and of its value in popularising military training. Now there is to be held an interdistnet tourney between Wellington and Christchurch, and this should lead eventually to a New Zealand army boxing championship tourney. Such a tourney would provide an incentive for the boys and young men of the country to get into the manliest of sports under the best possible control, and if a New Zealand association were formed it should be possible to promote Dominion championships very soon. THE TUNNEY-DEMPSEY FIGHT. SOME NOVEL FEATURES. American exchanges contain some very interesting items in connection with tho recent fight for the world’s championship between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney. Every precaution was. taken to guard Dempsey against any trickery that might be used to affect his chances. Paul Lahay, his cook, guarded the pantry door at bis camp with a gun, and anyone who tried to tamper with Dempsey’s food would have had short shrift. Similar precau- • tions were said to obtain in Tunney’s camp. Two thousand five hundred police were assigned to duty in and around Soldier’s Field on the day of the contest. Among the novel features connected the fight were the advertisements in the newspapers by a British tourist agency announcing a de luxe aerial tour between New York and Chicago. Seventeen aeroplanes were used in what was said to be the first public aerial tour. For the sum of £125 passengers were conducted in modern cabin-cruiser type machines from Curtis Field, New York, to Chicago, and were provided with ringside seats, and accommodation for the night at a first-class hotel, returning to New York on the following morning. Extraordinary precautions were taken to prevent Dempsey’s whereabouts leaking out. Rooms were booked in his name in two separate Chicago' hotels, under pledges of secrecy, but in reality he was taken to a private house in a quiet corner of the city. The fight spectators were directed by 7000 attendants, superintendents by 2000 overseers, and over 1000 ticket inspectors. There was a special guard on duty near the ringside covering the' " millionaire ” zone—the most expensive seats. Outside the studium was a parking space for over 7000 automobiles. The benefit of a changed stance was demonstrated to Dempsey by his manager, Leo P. Flyn, during the course of a game of golf. He first made Jack drive the ball while standing on his toes, and then got him to stand flat-footed. Dempsey drove many yards further with the flatfoot stance and was persuaded to believe that pounds would be added to his punch if he stood the same while fighting. Rickard paid the State of Illinois 0 per cent, of tho receipts as 'tax. It is reported that Dempsey cabled to England asking permission to engage Tom Heeney ■ as a sparring partner. VOLAIRE RETIRES. Eugene Yolaire, the fine little Frenchman, who punched his way into the hearts of all followers of bftxing in his three trips to New Zealand, has retired from the ring. Volaire came to New Zealand first in 1920, and fought in Christchurch for the last time when he met Harry Casey in 1925. A generous winner and a game loser, ’Gene always gave of his best, and probably he is the most popular pugilist who has visited these shores in recent years. Were there more gentlemen like him in the game it would flourish (remarks a Christchurch writer). It is pleasing to record that he is in a good position in Sydney, and that retirement for him has not meant penury. ’Gene never goes to a boxing match these days. He explains that he has seen enough of P to satisfy him. HERE AND THERE. There is a possibility of Tommy Barber, the residential feather-weight champion of Australia, coming from Sydney to New Zealand for the purpose of meeting Johnny Leckie. He will probably be engaged by the Wellington Association if he makes the trip. Willie Smith, the South Afmcan bantam-weight,, who beat Teddy Baldock in London this month, won the Olympic championship at Paris, and shortly afterwards turned professional. So far he has au unbeaten record, amongst those he lias defeated being Johnny Brown (English bantam champion), Kid Socks, and Ernie Jarvis. It is no exaggeration (says a London paper) to say that young Smith outclassed all of them. Though not a knockout artist in the American sense, he i- a punishing hitter once he has commenced to wear down his opponents. It baa been stated that Smith closely resembles Jim Driscoll physically, and in his boxing method. He earned a lot of money by taking on all-comers who could be induced to go to Johannesburg to meet him, but he held on to his job as a clerk in the office of one of the I famous Rand mines, and did ais training of an evening. Seventeen years ago Jim Jeffries and Jack Johnson were thought to be pugilistic malefactors of great wealth, when they fought for Tex Rickard in Reno, Nevada. It required what then constituted a heap of money to bring Jeff out of retirement for the beating the black man handed him. Rickard sent the sport universe reeling and the rusty Jeffries into training when

he offered a £20,000 purse for Jeffries and Johnson. The articles called for a 60-40 split, the winner taking the former per cent. In addition to this Tex tied up a bonus of £4OOO for eaqh man. Jeffries, for losing, counted up £12.000, excluding what he raked in on the moving picture rights—some £4OOO extra. Johnson, in all, benefited to the extent of approximately £20,000 —in other words, exactly a tenth of what Tunney will receive for his Chicago performance. Billy Daniels, iho Welsh holder of the British cruiser light-heavy-weight championship and Lonsdale Belt, was defeated by Frank Fowler, of York, in a match in London recently. The full 15 rounds were contested, but Fowler gained a dear-cue, victory after having furiously fought and forced his opponent all round the ring in most rounds. IS IT RIGHT? A ‘grudge” fight at Plymouth, England, between Bugler Lake and Frank Harvey, presented some entertaining features {says aa exchange). Dick Smith, the old cruiser-weight champion, was referee, and gave the decision to Harvey. As he had not disqualified both men, this was a reasonable decision, as Harvey had done more lighting than Lake. The referee was continually pulling the pair apart, there being little or no clean boxing during the whole of the 15 three minute rounds, li was practically a street fight, and in the tenth round the pair fought after the gong had sounded, first in Lake’s corner and then in Harvey’s comer. The referee was at a loss how to manage them. He tried to solve the problem by taking off his coat to it in the thirteenth round, but he succeeded only in ruining the appearance of a nice clean white shirt. This may bo all very well for those who wish to see what is popularly known as a “ mill,” but the public ring is no place to settle private quarrels. If, perchance, there is some feeling between the two boxers it should be kept to themselves an not bruted abroad to advertise the fight It is' this sort of thing that puts boxing in bad odour among those who are ever ready to criticise the game as degrading and brutal. “ Grudge ” fights should never be allowed—at least, not by respectable associations and promoters.