BOXING

Southland Times, Issue 20201, 11 June 1927, Page 19 (Supplement)

BOXING

(By “Punch.”) Novice tournament this month. Purdy has his second Aussie win. j Latest world's champion —Welterweight Joe Dundee. Tuesday June 28, will be a night for local novices. Johnny Leckie will make his professional debut against Harry Gunn. McKnight’s fierce fighting finds favour with Brisbane fight followers. Over in Sydney Charlie Long belied his name and made short work of Fred. Brock. The New Zealand Boxing Council has donated £lO 10/- to the Olympic Council funds. Old-timers in the ring game and trainers met in Dunedin recently to think up ways of encouraging boxing. The coloured boxers, “Sunny Jim” Williams and “Tiger” Payne, are billed to meet at the Sydney Stadium The recent wins of En Zedders McKnight and Purdy in Australia should put them in line for bigger and better fights. The Victoria Hall, hitherto sacred to music-lovers and dance devotees, will be the battleground for the next meeting of the local leather-pushers. McDonald and Casey met again at Wellington on June 20. Casey has now fulfilled his residential qualifications so that McDonald is liable to lose his middleweight title. Bert Spargo, Australian boxer, has accepted a part in the excellent American boxing play, “Is Zat So?” He will take the part of John Duffy, the chauffeur, left by Sammy Green. Enthusiasm in matters pugilistic must be at a low ebb down Bluff way. No word of their annual meeting to date, and a Dominion championship meeting looming three short months ahead. The New Zealand Boxing Council has sent out an appeal to all associations to assist the widow of the late Roy Overend, who died in Namier following a bout with Tommy Griffiths. The council headed the list with £25. A peep behind the scenes at the methods pursued by the prominent world heavyweight boxers of to-day: Tunney, Maloney and Sharkey have spent most of their time working for speed and effective punches that jar, but rarely stop a rival. They work on the theory of constant hammering, rather than one big smack. They are not willing to take the gamble of the one big shot that may lead to heavy trouble if it misses. Jack Dempsey is feeling a trifle hurt. He invited Gene Tunney to partake of break-

fast as his guest, but the world’s heavyweight champion declined. It wasn’t that he was frightened of poison in the coffee or powdered glass in the poached egg, but he explained that it might “look funny.” There are plenty of people who prefer to think that the world is crooked and would easily seize, on such an affair as a DempseyTunney breakfast as proof. The middleweight champion of the world, Micky Walkter, has arrived in London from U.S.A, to fight Tommy Milligan, ■ British middleweight champion, under C B. Cochran’s management. Walker, whether he wins or loses, is reported to be receiving £23,000, which is a record for Europe. Milligan, the challenger, receives £4500. It is yet undecided whether the contest will comprise 15 or 20 rounds. Walker has not yet fought a 20-round battle, and probably will insist on 15 rounds. Another fatal end to a boxing match was reported from New York last week when an American lightweight named Adams died after a match with the world’s lightweight champion, Sammy Mandell. According to the American sporting writers, Mandell, a good boxer, couldn’t put a dent in a pat of butter with his heaviest punch. This opinion as to Mandell’s punching ability is unanimous, so it would appear as if Adams’ death, like that of the late Roy Overend in New Zealand should not be credited as an example of the dangers of boxing. The boxing season will be officially opened for Southland on Tuesday, June 28, when the Southland Boxing Association are staging a tournament for novices at the Victoria Hall. The battleground is a new one, but, seeing that just on 500 enthusiasts paid their way into last year’s affair and the Victoria Hall can comfortably accommodate that number, there is no reason why the S.B.A. should follow precedent and continue to contribute towards the borough’s finances when a smaller—and cheaper building is available. Entries in all classes are invited. Another world’s title changed hands when Joe Dundee out-scrapped Pete Latzo last week and gained the welterweight title. Joe is no relation to the veteran featherweight Johnny Dundee, who is an Italian. Latzo has not held his title very long, his win over Mickey Walker last year upsetting the calculations of most of the Yankee sporting writers. Walker won the title from Jack Britton in 1922 and on losing it went up one and took “Tiger” Flowers’ middle title from him. Latzo has been outfought in several no-decision bouts recently, so there should be a host of challengers after the new’ champion. If the S.B.A. take advantage of the opportunity that has presented itself to create more interest in boxing around Southland through the coming Dominion championships, there should be a boom in the leatherpushing sport shortly. The material is here, in the country townships as well as in the town, and the Southland and Bluff associations have a golden oo-

portunity to stir up a revival per medium of tournaments in Tuatapere, Otautau and Winton. A succession of appearances in these townships should serve to bring a novice well forward in the short time now left and should go far towards instilling confidence in his ability—an essential ingredient in the make-up and one not easily gained in practice with one’s fellow pupils. Thirty thousand people saw a spectacular close to a vicious fight between Jim Maloney an Irish fishmonger from Boston, and Jack Sharkey, a Lithuanian at New York on May 20. Interest in the match was added by the statement by Tex Rickard that the winner was to meet Dempsey and that the winner of that match would fight Gene Tunney, the world’s champion. Maloney was favourite at 10 to 7. and weighed 14st 81b. Sharkey scaled 13st 101 b. Maloney never won a round, though he weighed 101 b more than his savage opponent. Maloney’s left eye was gashed before they had been fighting two minutes. Sharkey was flailing him like a trip hammer from the tap of the gong, and completely outclassed the bigger man right from the. opening. Just before the bell ending the first round, Maloney buried a heavy right under Sharkey’s heart. It was the only really hurtful blow he landed. Rounds two and three were featureless. Maloney went to the floor at the end of the fourth, but was up when the bell clanged. Sharkey used a crushing overhead right, just after the opening of the fifth, Maloney going down for six. Bleeding and battered, and groggy’ the Irishman reeled into another smash, but, by incredible will power, reached his feet at the count of nine. Sharkey stepped out to finish him, but the referee waved him back, assisting Maloney to his corner. Anyway the crowd looked at it they believed Sharkey had won the right to meet Jack Dempsey. Billy Grime, three times Australian champion, who was out-pointed by Doc. Snell in his first American fight, is leaving nothing to chance to make amends by winning the second time. While in Australia a close friend of Grime was the wellknown stage man, Teddy Arnold, whom Grime always looked upon as something of a mascot. Arnold has been -making a success of stage-managing and appearing at Fullers’ Newtown Majestic with the George Storey Revue Company, but for a while at least he will be known no more out at the suburban theatre, for he received by cable first-class expenses from Grime to go across to him in America. Teddy lost no time and left Australia the following day. Sid Buxton (9st 101 b), an English lightweight, made his debut before Australian audiences at the Sydney Stadium on May 28, when he met the American negro, Joe Hall (9st 1141 b) in a hectic battle of 15 rounds. It was generally supposed that the Englishman would not go the distance with the tough, hard-hitting negro, and there were some people who said the first round would be the last. It was no wonder, then, that the “house” stood up on its toes and roared with excitement as round succeeded round of fast, fierce and clever boxing. Hall started well, faded towards the middle of the fight, and came back at the end, but the excitement was most interne round about the sixth and seventh rounds, when the Englishman was fighting like a demon and handing out a lacing to his opponent. Boxing with an orthodox , stance, Buxton showed that he possesses a great straight left, and time and again he , thrust through the other’s defence with his ’ j weapon. As the bout progressed both j would come out from the corners cautiously, [ get to the centre of the ring, and then drag ■ the fans off their seats with hurricane rallies 5I of two-handed hitting. Towards the end . Hall was hopping about all over the ring, and the fight moved fast right up to the final gong. The verdict was a draw. , Purdy should find no dificulty in persuading promoters to match him now that he has t beaten Buxton so easily. i Charlie Purdy has been in Australia for over a month and had his first fight a > fortnight ago when he was pitted against - the crack Australian welter-weight, Billy ; Richards, and won on points. Previously, he was down to meet Bert McCarthy and - then Stan Craig, but the bottom dropped ' out of both matches. Purdy scaled 9st '■ 101 b and was too clever for Richards, who '• scaled 9st 1241 b. Early in the fight, Purdy was peppered about and looked like being ■ | knocked out. The New Zealander hung on grimly, and Richards ripped with both 5 hands to the body and heavy rights to the r head. After the third the Australian slowed down considerably, and was content to - stall around. Purdy livened, and scored I with a straight left to the face and a low 1 right to the body. He was allowed con--5 siderable latitude by Referee Wallis. Purdy hung on consistently. In the ninth, 5 Richards was infuriated through what he > termed low punishment. He cut loose and > rattled Purdy with a succession of rights. 1 The thirteenth found Richards again break- ' ing loose and fighting with both hands. For a while Purdy was in trouble, but towards 5 the later stages decisively outboxed Rich- ■ ards. Taken all round, Richards gave 1 a very poor display and only fought in ' i flashes. Purdy’s clever defence was ap- ’ Jpreciated, and in the final stages he sustained r his attack well and earned the decision.

Much local interest has been manifested in “Doc” Snell, who gained the decision over Billy Grime at Los Angeles recently. Many have been under the impression that Snell was in the eliminating rounds for the featherweight championship of the world, but latest information shows that he was championship until he was defeated by Vic a contender for the junior lightweight Foley. Snell, it is stated, will never be a contender for the feather title on account of his weight. When he met Foley he was three pounds over the feather limit, and it can be assumed he stepped into the ring against Grime with an advantage of at least five pounds. Snell has had a sensational run of victories against the best nine-stoners of the Pacific Coast. Jimmy McLarin, Johnnie Fair, King Tut, Wildcat Carter, and Freddie Bonnillas are a few of the good men who have suffered defeats at his hands. A moving target—except when he elects to stand toe to toe and “mix it” —Snell is a pretty boxer. He has a peculiar style. Sometimes he weaves in and out; then he will go into his opponent and administer a body thrashing. He has a vicious right which he shoots straight from the shoulder, and this is evidently the blow which put Grime on the canvas four times. In spite of his cleverness, Snell lost a points decision over ten rounds against Foley. Foley was too clever, and, notwithstanding a seriously injured right himself undisputed contender for Tod thumb, he took nine of the rounds and left Morgan’s junior lightweight crown. After his fight with Snell Grime said conditions did not favour him. He fought in a stadium seating over 20,000 strange people and was not allowed to use mouthguards. To bind his hands he was given only one roll of soft bandage, held in place by 14in of iin adhesive tape. For some time Grime’s right hand has been slightly strained, and he missed the black tape used in Australia. Further, the kidney punch is allowed in America. Snell probably took full advantage of Grime’s strangeness to the blow and punished him severely when in close. The Australian champion has not lost his reputation over the fight, and he has yet to be matched in an elimination round for the feather title. It will probably be at least six months before he meets an opponent in a legitimate match for the title. A BLIND BOXER ATHLETE’S SIXTH SENSE. Although he has been blind for more than twelve years, Captain Gerald LoWry, formerly of the Irish Rifles, is to give in London shortly demonstrations of skill as a swimmer and diver, as a boxer in the ring and with a punchball, and as an athlete on the open track. Captain Lowry went to France in August, 1914, and was wounded two months later, being the first British officer to lose his sight. He was then twenty-four and about 6ft 2in in height. He chose osteopathy for a career, and was the first male qualified osteopath in England. In his spare time he has devoted himself to running, diving, boxing, and other games which he never took part in before he was wounded. He is a member

of the Constitutional Club, Northumberland Avenue, W.C.,and one of its best bridge players. To a Daily Mail reporter recently Captain Lowry said: — “I have come to the conclusion that eyes are not so necessary as most people think. During the last Iwo months I have been in hard training with the professional of the Bath Club, and I am told that those who watch me boxing find it difficult to tell who is the blind man. “My opponent weighs 14st 91b, and I weigh 13st 41b, and we hit each other good and hard. I had previously boxed with a man who had an artificial leg and had been afraid to hit out. I can follow every movement of my opponent by means of my ‘sixth’ sense and visualise everything he does. It is really making the brain see without the vehicle of the eye. “Until I lost my sight I did not know the full joy of living, and I want all the men who were blinded in the war to realise that they need not be helpless, but are just as good as men with the eyesight unimpaired.” Captain Lowry’s friends declare that he is the jolliest of companions.