BOXING

Otago Witness, Volume 1851, Issue 3809, 15 March 1927, Page 57

BOXING

By CROSS-COUNTER. THE ÜBIQUITOUS JAMITO. Silvino Jamito is still going, strong in New Zealand, and, although he has collected mostly the loser’s end of the purses, he must have made a good deal of money, for he has had a remarkable number of fights in this country, and all within a comparatively short, time of one another. The explanation for this is tlfat he is a most popular boxer—a fighter rather than a boxer—and he can always be depended upon to give a fine, sporting, and spectacular display. The Frenchman, Jansen, seems to be a man of the same type, and if that is so, it is small wonder that the Palmerston North correspondent waxed enthusiastic in the writing of his report. This contest, incidentally, was one of the Filipino’s few victories. Jansen is said to have a sounder defence than Jamito, and it is reported too that his footwork would do credit to a particularly agile cat. Jansen’s attack consisted mainly of left hooks to Jamito’s body. Towards the end of the fight the boxers threw caution to the four winds, using both hands to hook to body and face. If anything, J..mito’s blows found their mark more often than Jansen’s, but the latter had more weight in his gloves than his opponent had. Both were well spent at the end of the fight. The decision was well received. Jansen, however, managed to turn the tables at Blenheim, although the fight was a very closely-contested one. It was also quite up to the Jamito-Jansen standard —that is to say, it provoked keen enthusiasm. It seems on this occasion to be a victory of science over brawn. THE HEAVY-WEIGHT CHAMPIONz SHIP. In the past a beaten world’s champion has invariably slipped back into the ranks of the great majority of boxers, but with Jack Dempsey things are different. He is the fortunate possessor of the faith of Tex Rickard, and the famous boxing promoter still believes that Dempsey is the greatest draw card. When, after three years of idleness, Dempsey was battered by Gene Tunney, Rickard said: “Gone is the man who broke attendance records for boxing matches. Tunney will never draw the money Demp-

sey did.” Since then the promoter has reasoned, that the ex-champion is not a back number. A movement is on foot to match him with Jack Delaney, light heavyweight champion of the world, and conqueror of Paul Berlenbach, as a preliminary to a match between the winner of that contest and Tunney next September. The idea, of course, is to match Dempsey again -with Tunney if at all possible. Tunney’s views on the matter suggest that he will not oppose a return bout. “As to my future,” he said, “ it is still early to say what I plan to do, but this much I realise —this championship is not something which is mine alone. It is a prize for which every man has a right to contend. It is not myrt’ight to deny any worthy contender the chance to win the title which I now hold. Nothing would please me more than to give Dempsey a return bout. “ The question of Harry Wills is one which needs mature consideration. There are so many angles to it. It would be great for international sport if the next challenger would come from Europe or South America. There are many coming fighters outside of the United States, and maybe one of these will develop into a Fitzsimmons, who will rise to a point where he can challenge iny championship. England is the possessor of a glorious history of ring heroes. There is no reas in why some young Englishman of to-lay cannot equal the glorious ring prowess of great English boxers of the past. “Although the immediate goal is iv>n. and I am the world’s heavy-weight champion, my work is not finished. First. 1 must continually strive to make myself worthy of the championship and keep the laurels of the championship unsullied. 1 feel a great duty has been imposed upon my’ shoulders, as well as the honour, because it is my theory that the boxi.ig game is worthy of the support, of the best people of the world, and those of us who believe the game is good at heart must

continually' strive to keep boxing at a high standard and interest the best of the world’s manhood in this art, which has come down to us through the ages , as the supreme test of physical prowess.” TWENTY ROUND BOUTS. The English journal Boxing, whi ’i claims the largest circulation of an- sporting journal published in the world, is a staunch . defender of the 20 rounds championship bout. Editorially, it attacks the movement for shorter contests: “We have ourselves watched a number of six-round contests which have been far more tedious than any one of the majority of the 20round affairs which are now alleged to be too long drawn out,” says the paper. “It can be agreed that the old school of Philadelphia boxers were popularly supposed to be express speed merchants, and it- may be _ conceded that the six-rounds contests which were the longest permitted in Quakeropolis were, as a rule, sizzling affairs. But —and it is a big but—one had to notice that when these Philadelphians came to Europe they were found, with but few exceptions, to be slow and somewhat tedious, for the simple reason that they were asked io travel.over 20-round routes. They were afraid’ to slip themsellves over any stage of the distance to which thov were unaccustomed. ._ . It was notorious that the Philadelphia six-round fighters secured their popularity by dint of continuous fighting, and that they made their contests non- ■" stop affairs.” It is asserted by Boxing that a boxer who aspires to be. rated a champion can as readily train himself to . travel at full stretch over 20 rounds as he can over 10 rounds. Tedium is not due to the extended distance. The cause is to be sought in the trainr • camps. HERE AND THERE. The Otago Boxing Association is not in a very comfortable financial position. During the past season it has lost £3OO, and there is now about £6O on the debit aide of the balance. Ths association intends, however, to frame a new set of

rules and to increase the membership fee to £2 2s, while the election of officebearers will be on the same lines as those followed by the Dunedin Jockey Club. The 0.8. A. is endeavouring to arrange a match between Jansen (the French boxer) and Trowern. The New Zealand University championships will be held at Easter. Tom Harris has a large number of boys in training, and Otago will be well represented in the boxing competitions. — The Waitaki schoolboys are taking a keen interest in the sport, and Tom Harris has a school of 80 lads in training. There is some promising material among them. “His colossal confidence was as fascinating as the amazing unorthodoxy of his ringcraft,” says a Melbourne -writer of Billy Grime. “In the United States Grime should act as a tonic, for certainly no boxer like him has ever been seen there. And if he succeeds in inducing one of the world’s champions to agree to a contest. it is by no means unlikely that a world’s title will return to Australia. All the visiting American wrestlers gave Grime every chance of beating America’s best in the feather and light-weight divisions.”

Brian M'Cleary is anxious to get into the game again, and is willing to meet any man in New Zealand, £ but -would prefer Eddie Parker in a match -for the championship, which Parker holds. M'Cleary lias been in steady training for some considerable time, and at present is down to 12st 121 b, or about half a stone off his figl-ting weight. « The defeat of Van der Veer, the Dutch champion heavy-weight, by Bertolazzo, at Milan, Italy, has caused as much surprise in European boxing circles as the defeat of Tiger Flowers by Micky Walker at Chicago recently. Tommy Milligan, middle-weight boxing champion of England and Europe, and a Lonsdale Belt holder, took the belt with some of his luggage in it down to Brighton recently. When the party stopped the ear for lunch at an hotel, Milligans’ henchman brought in a suit case, and was requested to leave it with the hats and eoats. He was horrified, exclaiming, “I daren’t leave it out of my sight. There’s the Lonsdale Belt inside!” Oik of 'the party, who had not seen a Lonsdale Belt at close quarters, asked if he might be allowed to see it. “Certainly,” said Milligan. “Open the bag, Willie.” And when the bag was opened the boys began to laugh. Small wonder. Instead of the noble emblem of enamelled figures on plaques of gold there were Milligan’s dressing gown and his pyjamas. The bag containing the belt had been left on the luggage-carrier of the car for any sneak-thief to purloin at his leisure.

GRIME BEATS PURDY. * WELLINGTON, March 10. Billy Grime (Ost OJlb), triple Australian champion, beat Purdy (Ost 841 b) on points in a 15-round professional boxing contest. The judges disagreed, and the referee gave his casting vote. Grime had to fight for all he knew. Purdy employed an impenetrable smother to Grime’s deadly right. Grime, howevec, was- better than his man for the greater part of 15 rounds, planting his blows quicker, more snappily, and on a firmer target. Many considered that Purely had won. The verdict met with a mixed reception. HIGH PRAISE FOR PURDY. WELLINGTON, March 11. “ Purdy is as good as any light-weight I have met,” said Billy Grime, featherweight, light-weight, and welter-weight champion of Australia, at the farewell function tendered to him by the Wellington Boxing Association to-day. “He has a lot to learn yet; but he has not had die opponents to learn from. He is a boxer purely and simply; but he is not a ’puncher. As you know, I have fought a lot in Australia, but I have never met a man there whom I could not hit with my right hand. I hit Purdy with my right in the first round last night, but I could not land on him after that. If I could have ended the fight in two or three rounds I would have done so, but it was beyond me to do so. Charlie Purdy ought to be a good puncher. He has the build, but I don’t think he has ever learnt to punch. He should, and if he does then he will beat the best.” Grime concluded by stating that he was going to America in quest of the world’s championship, and that he would fight at Wellington on his return.

HEENEY BEATS FITZSIMMONS. WAIROA, March 12. In a 15-round professionad bout here lash night Jack Heeney (Gisborne) defeated Bob Fitzsimmons on k tsqhnwvU knftek-out in the thirteenth round, the stopping the fight to save Fitzsimmons from further punishment Throughout the whole bout both boxers traded solid punches, toe to toe. The Wellington man’s left eye was closed in the earlier stages, and Heeney inflicted terrible punishment in the last few rounds, Fitzsimmons earning great applause for his wonderful gameness. It was easily the most willing and exciting professional bout seen in Wairoa. The Gisborne boxer’s ringcraft and fitness were much superior, gradually wearing down Fitzsimmons’s resistance.

CONTESTS IN AUSTRALIA.

SYDNEY, March 13. ' (Received March 13, at 5.5 p.m.) Moore knocked out Alf Stewart in six rounds. Up to the middle of the sixth round Stewart was easily leading on points, and then the American, with- a stinging blow to the jaw, dropped the Australian, who on rising was again dropped, and counted out. MELBOURNE, March 13. Billy Samuels beat Pat Petty in a nine-round bout.