BOXING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20892, 5 December 1929, Page 4

BOXING.

By Cross Counter,

The return contest between Ted Morgan ac d Phil Stone has been definitely fixed lor December 26, at Westport. When the pair met in Wellington, Morgan won by a knock-out, but Stone was ahead on points. The return contest should draw a good house.

fommy Milligan, of Scotland, ex-Euiu-pcan middle-weight’ champion, and challenger • for the world’s title, may visit Australia before the year is out, Tim manager of the Sydney Stadium has cabled to Milligan offering him generous terms for five contests.

Amongst the passengers on the Californian Pacific excursion steamer Malolo, is James J. Coffroth, famous for years as the greatest fight promoter in America. Amongst the fights lie promoted was that at San Francisco in 1907 between Tommy Burns and Bill Squires. When the . Otago -..Association booked Johnny Leckie for three engagements a * IP 'V of indignation went up (says “ Cestus ). The New Zealand Council’s aid «’ as called upon, .and the result was that the Otago Association cancelled the contract in disgust. Since that happening we read of the Taranaki ‘Association having a call upon’ Donovan’s services, that the Wellington Association has booked up Sarron, and that the Napier Association will have first call upon Leckic'a services now that he has decided to take up ms residence in Napier. But I haven't heard any howl about all this. Is there one law for North Island associations and another for those of the south? Coming with such a reputation it was uo wonder that there wag a full house at the Majestic Theatre to see Tommy Donovan, of Waitara." make his Trst appearance in the South Island (sar-s the Ashburton Guardian). He met Feeler Leckie. of Dunedin, light-weight champion of New Zealand, and won on a kaockthe fifth toind. Taken all round, the fight was disappointing, there being Only a few really lively exchanges between the two boxers. The knock-out came as something of a surprise, and it appeared that Leckie was not as fit as on other occasions he has appeared in Ashburton. Donovan, who weighed in at O-Oi. has fought 15 professional fights, and has lost only one. Leckie entered the ring af9.2i, slightly, overweight, though the £lO penalty was not demanded by Donovan, as was annnounced "officially.” the first and second rounds went to Donovan, and the third and fourth to Leckie, and the Taranaki man was piling up points in the fifth when the bout ended.

. Although the American National Boxing Association, which represents 33 vtr Commissions. deprived Mickey Walker of his world’s middle-weight title because _of his non-compliance with the association s rule requiring all champions to detenu their titles at least once iu six months. Walker proceeded along hi b business quite unconcerned. He picked upon Ace Hudkins for a contest for the title, and. then proceeded, or rather his manager did, to look around for a State that could meet his financial demands and at the same time was outside the jurisdiction of the National Association. California was selected, and a Los Angeles promoter agreed to stage the fight after the Walker party had consented to reduce their extravagant demands bv about 50 per cent. The fight, which took place on October 29, and was over 10 rounds, was a fast and furious affair all the way, with Walker on top in practically every round, •

■ One can only wonder at the unsatisfactory state of affairs .with respect to worlds championships, and bonder as to how much longer they will be permitted to exist. Take the case of Teddy Baldock, the English bantam champion. A match was arranged with Al. Brown, the 1 anama negro, to take place in New York on September 17. Baldock went over, but Brown was in Europe.’ The date was put forward to October 3, and then, just when everything looked all set. Brown asked lor a further postponement. This BaJdocka manager would not concede, and the party returned to England in disgust. But, lo and behold, about a week or so after reaching home a cable came through stating that Brown’s manager had appealed to the New, York Commission to take action to compel Baldock to fight Brown. The commission decided to take no action pending Baldock’s return to America to fight Kid Chocolate on a date between November 15 and December 15. It boxing were run in America on sportang lines instead of commercial lines the position with respect to .world’s champibhships would be vastly different from what it is.

The fight between Genaro and Ernie Jarvis took place at the Albert Hall, London, on October 17, under the promotion ot Mr Jett Dickson, the Paris promoter, who was refused a permit by the British Board of Control .on the grounds that he was not a British subject, but ignored tl|G boauL. The original match was between Genaro and Johnny Hill, and was ad\ ertised as for- the world’s fly-weight championship. The sudden death of Hill forced the promoter to find a substitute, and he selected Jarvis, mainly because a u-n , Previously he had only lost to Hill by the narrowest of margins, and because of his fine showing while. in the United States. Genaro is recognised by the American National Boxing Association as the world’s fly-weight champion, but the New York Commission says the title, is _ vacant, • and lias called for an elimination contest) the competitors to inelude J. Brown, of England, who, bn October 12, knocked out Bert Kirby in the third round in a match for the British fly-weight championship and the Lonsdale Belt. Though the English press referred to the match between Genaro and Jarvis as for the world’s championship, it will not be considered as such by the New lork Commission, which is the big voice it* th c e „ U ?i ted states. The contest went the lull lo rounds, and Genaro won on points.

Brought from Australia to New Zealand at the expense of the Northern Boxing Association, Billy Thomas beat Artie Hay, of Hasting?, The contest ended in sensational circumstances in the eleventh roifnd, when the Welshman was awarded the fight on a foul. One of the features of the match was the splendid recovers’ staged by Thomas in the interval between the ninth and tenth rounds. In the-ninth round Hay landed solidly with a right, to the jaw, and the Vi cjshman was groggy .for the greater, part or tho round. Tliree tunes the visitor was sent to the eauvas, twice for long counts, end the crowd began to reach for their hats. Thomas was still on his feet at the gong, however, and when he came out of his corner at the start of the tenth round his brain had cleared and he was able to box his man. At the time of the unfortunate ending in the eleventh round. Hay was going after a knock-out, and it looked more than likelv that he would get it, for the Welshman was again showing signs of t!v> punishment he had taken. The round had not been going long before the pair came together near the ropes. Ihere was a scuffle and Thomas appeared to be half-thrown and half-pushed to the floor. The Welshman struck his head heavily on the boards and then lay on his back. No count was commenced by the referee, Mr Dick Meale, and there was uproar as all eyes were focussed on Thomas. The Welshman was able to stagger, to his feet, but was apparently in no condition to carry on. After reeling about on the ropes, he said that he could not stared up, and_ the referee then raised the 'Welshman's right glove aloft as a signal that he had been,awarded the fight on a foul. The verdict was loudly cheered.

“If Dempsey had fought me when I was in my prime, I would have hung up my gloves if he had gone past the ninth round”—thus Jack Johnson, boastful negro ex-champion, in an article in the Sunday Times,. “ I thiuk he was the most highly-overrated fighter who ever Imld the world’s championship. He was a slugger, pure and simple. And he wasn’t even a gool slugger. He had Firpo down seven nines in one round and couldn't keep him down. .Ho had Millard down five times in one round and couldn’t keep him there. He hit Timney seven punches on the ropes at Chicago, and Tnnnev got up and was strong enough to pedal away from him. Aon can’t expect an old-timer to rave over that sort of slugging. Yon modern followers of boxing claim that Dempsey was a ercat slugger, a knock-’em-dcad puncher. We veterans must be pardoned if we laugh up our sleeves. We remember punchers who would knock vou dead in a punch. Why, listen here while I tell you about slugging that was slugging and sluggers who were sluggers. Take Bob Fitzsimmons, for instance. You take him because nobody else could. Kow brother, there was a puncher. When Bob hit you, you stayed hit. He never had to knock anybody down seven times to keep him down, like Dempsey. When Fitz flopped them the first time, they never got np. He hit that hip Peter Maher one punch and started for his corner. Martin Julian, Bob’s manager, yelled from his