IMPORTED TALENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19133, 30 September 1936, Page 4

IMPORTED TALENT

SYDNEY WELTERWEIGHT lIARD-HITTINCi PLUTO THREE GISBORNE FIGHTS Hearing a close family resemblance to his brother Cyril, who fought in Gisborne a few weeks ago, Bill Pluto, a hard-hitting welterweight from Sydney, to-day received introductions to a number of sporting enthusiasts in this district.

He arrived in town last night, accompanied by Mr. It. Gallagher, a close personal friend who will act as trainer to Pluto during the latter's stay in New Zealand. The fighter is under engagement to the Gisborne Boxing Association for three fights during October and early November, and is looking forward to seeing something of the other districts of New Zealand as well. Born in Western Australia, and inheriting fistic talent from his father, who was a noted professional of his day, Bill Pluto has been living for a .number of years in. Sydney, where he .erved his time with the Granville Engineering Company, by which he is employed to-day. lie carries with him a reference as to his character from the manager of the works, and his job is kept open for him to resume after his New Zealand visit. "An honest worker and a first class sportsman" are terms which figure in his introduction, and there should be no doubt of the success of Pluto's visit to Gisborne, his personality having registered an excellent impression among those who met him to-day. BOXING IN SYDNEY Discussing his career with a Herald representative, he made no secret of the fact that the boxing game in Sydney, for men. of his weight, had been a little fjiuiet lately, probably on account of the plans for a battle between Jack Carroll and Barney Ross for the world welterweight championship, which match was to be staged in Sydney, but which according to to-day s message, has been cancelled. Pending the issue of that contest, the competition among welters in Sydney is not heavy, and the chance of coming to New Zealand was welcomed by Pluto, as he is a strong believer in the axiom that a fighter keeps in good trim by fighting. A cleau-cut physical specimen, Pluto fights at 10.4, a shade under the ring weight of his brother Cyril. He is regarded in Sydney as having more ringcraft, and his possession of a healthy punch which has decided a number of his contests is a real asset in the eyes of the Sydney sporting public. An abstainer from alcoliol and tobacco, he makes physical fitness his principal concern, and has never entered the ring in anything but good shape. In earlier days he and Cyril Pluto took part in cycling races, but he gave up that sport earlier than his brother, an incident to which he attributes his lighter build from the hips down. BROTHERS' BOXING ABILITY Naturally Bill and Cyril Plut.o have never met in the ring, but critics in Sydney base a claim for Bill Pluto's greater boxing ability chiefly on the outcome of a recent series of battles. Not long ago an American negro named Jones, prominent in the welterweight class, drew with Jimmy Day, another outstanding welter, and later beat Cyril Pluto in eight rounds, while Day drew with Cyril in their latest match. Bill Pluto accounted for Jimmy Day in nine rounds, by the knock-out route, and on this showing he is accorded second place to Jack Carroll among the . Australian-born welters. In view of the cancellation of the Carroll-Ross match, it is likely that Bill Pluto will be .offered a big New Year engagement in Sydney, but he has plenty of time to fulfil NewZealand engagements, and particularly those with the Gisborne association, before returning to his headquarters. Claiming that he has carried along many a man whom he could have accounted for in short order, Pluto nevertheless has 14 or 15 knock-puts in his record, and his big-boned wrist certainly suggests bitting-power. He has been assured of plenty of sparring material during his stay in Gisborne, and, of course, those who enter the ring to give him work will never feel the real weight, of his punch. He is to start sparring in Gisborne about Friday evening, and will concentrate on roadwork during his mornings. "That's one way to see the country," he remarked. "There is a lot I want to see in this district, which is about the most interesting I have visited."

In Sydney Pluto writes for sporting publications, and also makes regular radio addresses on sports and training methods. He has done a lot of work for community causes, and when it was suggested to him to-day that he might aid this evening's Savage Club concert programme, in aid of tho W.E.C.M.R. Band funds, he readily assented. He will give an exhibition of training methods during the first half of the programme, and later he will be seen at the Opera House, where he will be among the audience for the professional wrestling contest.

W. ROBERTSON'S FIGHTS

TAUMARUNUI & TAIHAPE

Finality has been reached in connection with two'fights for Watty Robertson, the 'Gisborne, welterweight, who will meet McMahon, one of the New Zealandcrs who beat Cyril Pluto during the latter s recent visit to the Dominion.

The first of the Robertson-McMahon matches will be fought in Taumarunui on October 17, and a week later the pair are to fight a return match in Taihape. Robertson's opponent is obviously one of the toughest of his class m this country, having beaten both Cyril Pluto and Fisher, an English boxer of much ability. Both Robertson and McMahon are bound to be in the running for a match with Bill Pluto, under the auspices of the Gisborne association.