BOXING

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 30

BOXING

By CROSS-COUNTER.

Johnny Leckie will meet Teddy Green, the Australian bantam, at Napier on March 28. Green will be giving away weight. On April 9 the New Zealand University "championships will open at Wellington. A strong team will go forward from Dunedin, and the fixture should create the usual interest in amateur boxing circles. Nothing has been definitely fixed regarding the forthcoming bouts in Dunedin. A tentative programme has, however, . been drawn up, and will probably be adhered to unless the dates clash with His Majesty’s Theatre bookings. By his disposal of Tommy Barber at the Melbourne Stadium Norman Gillespie has definitely established hims'df as Australia’s best feather-weight. The interest roused in the contest augurs well for the fixtures arranged by the Otago Boxing Association.

Charlie Purdie is rapidly carving his way to fame on the other side of the Tasman, and he made a considerable addition to New Zealand’s holding on the boxing map by defeating “ Pbiov ” tones in a contest for the light-weight championship of Australia and New z<eala..u . .ie margin seems to have been a narrow one, but, speaking from the point of the loser, a miss is as good as a mile. “ Cross-counter ” learns that Barber, the loser of Saturday’s feather-weight championship fight, who will arrive in Dunedin for two contests at the end of '* < ay, has consented to meet Tommy Gr hs for a purse of £l5O and Johnny L xie for a purse of £2OO. The Otago Boxing Association is at present applying for permission from the New Zealand Boxing Council to offer the latter amount.

The tentative programme for the visit of the Australians is as follows:—The Gillespie-Leekie contest will be held in April, this being preceded by a contest Erie Harey v. Leckie, at present set down for April 2. Gillespie will meet Tommy Griffiths on April 14 and Leckie on April 28. In all, there should be six star bouts, but these are the only ones for which dates have been mentioned.

The only serious rival to Tex Rickards in the fields of American promoting is Humbert Fugazy, an Italian. This man’s name carries considerable weight, although it is unfamiliar to New Zealanders, and he has recently placed a contract for the construction in New York of a stadium that will cost 5,000,000d01. It will seat about 31,000 people.

“ The straight left with a sting to it is the best single weapon in boxing,” remarked Jii' Corbett to a New York pressman. “ Tunney proved that in both Dempsey fights. If anyone had hit me with a right hand I would have retired and taken up boxing lessons again; but a good left is harder to get away from, especially a straight left with some steam behind it.”

After being turned down by M'Aiister, Emerton, and Barber, Harry Dawson’s good pupil, Billy Melton, has decided to go to New Zealand, where the lad will receive more for one fight than would be his lot here in any two (states an exchange). It is not customary for lads from Australia to be accompanied by a manager, but the Dominion will depart from their general rule on this occasion. There is a possibility that the Australian team will use Tommy Harris’s rooms as its training quarters while in Dunedin. Harris, by the -way, is busy with a class of 10 or 17 pupils at the present time, and considers that the pastime is growing in popularity throughout Otago.

Referring to the Trowern-Miller fight in Melbourne, “Chip,” of the Referee, says: If Reg Trowern will cease his clinging and claiming tactics, and fight- more in i? e ?P en ’ the likeable young Maorilander should surely advance far uj> the pugilistic ladder, for he showed in his latest engagement against the popular and durable Robert Emmett Miller—the light-weight champion of Ireland—that he has the pugilistic goods—good boxing skill, the power of punching, and the will to fight In addition to outboxing a difficult rival he also outpunched him when the occasion arose. Reg won on points in 15 rounds. Considerable interest at present is centred on Heeney, but for the last week cabled reports of his doings and those of -tex Rickard have been conspicuous by their' absence. In the meantime Heeney is being effusively hailed by the English press, and has contented himself with an announcement that the fight with Delaney was the easiest he has had since his arrival in the States.” One cannot take tms statement too seriously. If the New Zealander really voiced such a sentiment, it is apparent that he is trying to sway public opinion with such weight that Rickard will be forced to match him with Tunney The Boston Traveller sums up the position well when it states: “ Heenev was picked to crumple before Sharkey and Delaney, Tex Rickard’s two leading heavy-weight contenders. Heenev his Upset all Tex’s plans. throughout the country are protesting against Rickard s decision to draw Heesey out of the running. The New Zealand Herald says: Ihe announcement made bv Tex Rickard that Heeney will not meet Tunney i j to understand. Some time ago definitely stated that Heeney was to fight Tunney, who is signed for only one bout this year in June, against the winner of the elimination tournament between Sharkey, Risko, Delaney, and Heeney. Another aspect of the ease is that the New York State Athletic Commission requires champions to fight at least once every six months, and Tunnev’s period of idleness .finishes this month Rickard expected to have both Sharkey and, Dempsey to meet Tunney, but Sharkeys qualifications are now considered at zero, and Demnsey has stated h e will not fight for another six months yet, and probably not then, as he is having trouble with a muscle in hie left eye. The whole situation appears to be governed by the financial side, and on that basis may be summed up Dempsey is a great drawing card and the others are not, even if they were opposite Tunney’s corner.”

However, as things stand at present, Heeney s claims for the championship must be admitted, and I may leave ft y« ne T”P.ney himself to pen a review fiKhting blaeksnuth. Writing in the New York Evening Journal, Tunney

says: “One of the romances of the ring is the rise of Tom Heeney from absolute obscurity to more than a modicum of fame within a period of a year. Perhaps Heeney will object to thq statement that he was an obscure boxer only a trifle more than a year ago. If I am not mistaken, his only real accomplishment abroad was the defeat of Bartley Madden for the so-called heavy-weight championship of Ireland. If I am not mistaken, he lost to Phil Scott within the last two years, and Scott mo"st certainly was no triumph during his brief appearance in American rings early this winter. “In any case, there was nothing in Heeney’s record a year ago to hint that he might make an impression here. I remember noting his sloping shoulders in a gymnasium one day and thinking that he might have the makings of a hitter, but I remember, too, looking at his rather thick legs and concluding that probably he would be too slow for our heavyweights. It seems that I was slightly wrong on both conclusions. Heeney really is fast, but, unless his record here is deceptive, his hitting does not altogether measure up to those arms and shoulders. Understand me, I do not mean that his punching is inadequate. As a matter of fact, he gives a very fair account of himself m this department, but he is no killer.”

THE WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP. NEW YORK, March 13. lunney states that he considers Heeney h-s next “logical opponent” .He said: Heeney, in my opinion, is the winner of the tournament to pick the contender for the heavy weight crown Heeney has done everything Rickard asked. He has displaced every opponent, including Risko, Delaney, and Sharkey.

RISKO BEATS SHARKEY. NEW YORK, March 12. Johnny Risko, of Cleveland, secured a points decision over Jack Sharkey in a fifteen-round bout in the Rickard elimination contest to find an opponent for Tunney. Sharkey weighed in at 13st 91b, and Risko at 13st 1141 b. The bout started slowly, but Risko quickly began a slashing two-handed attack that won the first round for him. Thereafter Sharkey outboxed him and severely punched him, taking the next four rounds by the simple expedient of letting his opponent run into his punches. Risko took the sixth. . Both were hitting low. Sharkey delivered several furious uppercuts, while Risko frequently doubled his opponent witn vicious body blows. ’

With a determined attack Sharkey took the eleventh and twelfth rounds, and Risko the thirteenth. Both were bleeding from cuts over the eyes, and both had black eyes.

The fourteenth was even, but in the fifteenth Risko opened a tremendous attack, slamming his opponent about the ring, with Sharkey desperately holding on. Risko got the decision apparently for aggressiveness.

BOUT IN NEW YORK. NEW YORK, March 12/ At Baltimore Garcia secured a points victory over Billy Grime (Australia). Garcia scaled Bst 641 b and Grime Bst 131 b. Grime received an ovation when he entered the ring. The first round was even, but in the second Grime pounded the American to the ropes, and both men clinched repeatedly. It .was Grime’s round.

They fought the next round even, Garcia overcoming Grime’s weaving style.

Garcia missed with a hard right in the fourth and fell. They exchanged blows to the head and face. It was Garcia’s round. Garcia battered the Australian with heavy body blows, taking the fifth round.

In the fifth Grime was more cautious, and avoided close contact. Garcia sent the Australian to the ropes with a hard right to the face and two light lefts to the head. Grime put Garcia back _>n his heels with two upper cuts, and they were exchanging body punches in the centre of the ring at the bell. It was Grime’s round.

They fought the sixth even in a sharp exchange of body blows, but Garcia took the seventh, when, after trading punches in the middle of the ring, the American landed a hard left to the kidneys at the bell.

Garcia took the eighth when Grime apparently tired under heavy body and face hammering from the American. Grime took the eleventh, straightening Garcia with a hard right to the face, and following it up with a left. The Australian was fighting better now, and they were on fairly even terms. Early ; n the twelfth Grime for a time succeeded in slowing up the American, but Garcia’s body attack gave him the round, and he won the decision. CORBETT BEATS CUTHBERT. LONDON, March 12. At the National Sporting Club Corbett won on points from Cuthbert, the featherweight holder of the Lortsdale Belt. Corbett secured an early lead, which he maintained to the end. BOUT AT EDINBURGH. LONDON, March 14. In the middle-weight championship of Europe, at Edinburgh, Tommy Milligan (holder) was disqualified in the ninth round for hitting low against Alexander Ireland. HARMES BEATS SULLIVAN. SYDNEY, March 18. At the Stadium Billy Harmes outpointed Johnny Sullivan in 15 willing rounds.

OTAGO ASSOCIATION MEETS. The annual , meeting of the Otago Boxing Association was held on Tuesday evening. The president (Mr F. J. Campbell) occupied the chair, and the attendance was a small one, being limited to committee members. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, the Chairman said that during the year an alteration had been made in the constitution of the association, and the number of members had been reduced from 200 to 150. At the same time the subscription had been raised from £1 Is to £2 2s. However, the revenue had improved to the extent of £6O, and programme for the year had been such that members had received full value fon their money. They had enjoyed a really good season’s sport. The amateur tournaments were seldom financial successes, and were it not for the professional contests the association could not carry-on, but on certain occasions the amateur tournaments had been successful. The professional contests were held with the idea of educating young boxers, and giving them the opportunity of seeing really good men in action, while portion of the proceeds was used to send local boys to outside contests. During the whole of the association’s career no amateur boxer travelling from Dunedin had been obliged to pay his own expenses. This year the championships were to be held in Auckland in July or August, and a strong team was to be sent from Dunedin. The association ulso had in hand the idea of assisting boxing schools. This year a committee would inspect the local schools, and a sum of money would be expended for the benefit of a school. This would not go to the instructor, but would be used for the purchase of apparatus and for general improvements. The military authorities were to be congratulated on the manner in which they had conducted their tournaments during the year. The motion was seconded by Mr W. Esquilant, and the report and balance sheet were adopted. Mr George Davidson was re-elected auditor for the coming year.

As no new nominations of office-bearers had been made, the following were formally declared re-elected:—President, F. J. r ’ampbell; vice-presidents—T. Long, Dr Moody, W. Esquilant, J. Kilmartin; committee —J. Adair, P. Torrie, W. D. Wilson, V. Parker, P. Ruston, S. Brown. J. Finnerty, A. L.’ Brown, Doug. Patterson, P, Young, Don Patterson. H. Bowie; treasurer, F. Foster. A vote of thanks to the treasurer for his work during the year was passed on the motion of Mr J. Milmartin, who took the opportunity of expressing his appreciation of the way in which boxers had conducted themselves during the year. There had been no serious trouble, and the general behaviour of the boys had been excellent.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the president.

TOM HEENEY’S RISE.

Tommy Heeney’s rise to fame as a boxer in running for a fight with the world’s heavy-weight champion has surprised those who have followed his career. However, nobody is better able to visualise the improvement he must have made than Colin Bell, of Sydney. Colin Bell is a garage foreman who tinkers with carburetters and the like. Not so long ago he, too, was a boxer, and his victim on three or four occasions was Tommy Heeney. “ I just had to smile when I read the papers,” said Colin Bell soon after the news of Heeney’s latest victory came through. “ I don’t take much interest in fights these days, but when 1 saw that Heeney had. got a decision over Delaney, and that his next fight might be against the crack, Tunney, well, I couldn’t help smiling. But I says to myself : * Good boy, Tommy. Keep going.’ ”

Then Bell’s mind wandered back to Gisborne, and he recalled how he fought Heeney a draw there. But let him tell his own story: “I had three fights with Heeney, and beat him easy. He got easier every time I met him. I fought him to a draw in Gisborne first, and I beat him twice in Mackey. Queensland. Why, I never even got a black eye. I must have been 41 when I beat him the last time. He would have been about 26 then. He’s either 31 or 32 now.” The thing that gets me is how he’s improved so much. Dinkum, I can’t make it out. My idea is that fighters to-day are slipping—slipping to blazes. Why, Sam Langford would have taken on all these heavies in the same ring and towel led the lot of them. I can’t see Heeney a world’s champion, I’m bio wed if I ca i. Mind you, I’d like to. But you never know. Heeney is a big chap and as game as a pebble, and he’s tough too. I remember once I had both his eyes closed and his lips puffed, and I had a whole lot of sitting shots at him I used to knock him down, but I could not keep him down. And I had a pretty fair wallop. He’s the right breed, too. He’s got a bit of Irish in him Strange thing, ' his father is only a little chap. I don t complain about how things have gone. I was driving a bus in when 1 beat George Cook be last time Now I’m on m v feet, as the saying is. . . . Fancy Tommv Heeney getting all the big money. 01), well.'-. . “ But I couldn’t help smiling to myself when I read about it in the naners.”