BOXING

Southland Times, Issue 20963, 21 December 1929, Page 18

BOXING

(By Self-Defence.) FIXTURES December 26.—Johnny Izeckie v. Tommy Crowle at Palmerston North. December 26. —Lou Bloom v. Jack Jones at Westport. December 27. —Billy Grime v. Pete Sarron, l at Auckland. January I—Pete Sarron v. Johnnie Leckie at Napier. January (soinetimt) —Johnnie Leckie v. another, at Gisborne. A body blow. 8100m —Jones contest. Izical association drops a bundle. Pete Sarron wins from Billy Grime. Same old story—fighter versus boxer and former won. The return bout at Auckland on Boxing night will be a big draw. Lou Bloom Is to meet Jack Jones again, at. Westport, on the 26th. The American should go a deal better than he did here. As this is the final appearance of these notes before the festive season, Self Defence takes this opportunity of wishing all boxers and supporters of the game a merry Christmas and a most happy and prosperous New Year.

PROFESSIONAL MATCH JONES v. BLOOM. AN UNINSPIRING CONTEST. The professional lightweight contest between Jack Jones (Wales) and Lou Bloom (America) drew a meagre attendance to the Municipal Theatre on Monday evening. A much larger crowd was expected but on such a fine night, one could hardly expect the people to forsake the open air to come inside, even to watch the two overseas leather pushers. The association will sustain a loss over the match. Jones (9.7) was. first to enter the ring, and he looked very fit, many thought a trifle lean, but to use a popular term, he was a ball of muscle—he proved it later. When Bloom (9.9) appeared there was a decided contrast between the pair. Bloom is stockily built and carries plenty of flesh on a solid frame. His tanned body, giving him a well-trained appearance, was in striking contrast to that of Jones, whose skin was a nice healthy pink. When they stood together Jones was the taller. He appeared weedy alongside Bloom but carried a well knit frame- on thin legs. They squared up, Jones almost flatfooted but he showed plenty of agility. The bout opened tamely, neither man making much play although Jones kept, poking out his long left to the head. Jones had an advantage in reach and used it well to keep Bloom out. Bloom seemed intent, on smashing a hole in Jones’ midriff but the Welshman took many solid rights without, flinching and came back for more. Bloom occasionally shot a right over the heart then moved it smartly up to the jaw and these were the tactics employed over the

first stages of the bout, although throughout most blows were concentrated on the body’. Jones was never afraid to mix it and was always the aggressor, Bloom appearing to fight without a great deal of ginger. Jones would lead lo the head then smash a right to the body. This went on for some time, but Bloom seemed content to wait and look for holes in his opponent’s armour. He found them and after letting Jones lead and drawing his right, he would smash home a left then a right to the body -—and there was weight behind them. To a man not in the best of condition, this attack would very’ soon have worn him down, but Jones took it all and was always a worker. About half way through, Jones found he could get inside Bloom's swings and took many of them on his shoulder and upper arm. His footwork too, was speedy and thus, combined with clever ducking got him out of many corners. In fact the ducking of both men was a feature of the bout. Jones never appeared at a loss and was always busy, but he was made to miss a great deal. However he never stopped trying and in the close work worked harder than the American. The latter's body soon showed the effects of the Welshman’s attack although Bloom was not distressed by it. Jones used a nice left when at close quarters and Bloom had hard work keeping it out. Bloom, when he found his swings were not effective, changed his methods and got in telling rights to the head, occasionally tearing in a nasty rip to the body. He proved at times rather hard to hit, and at other times was badly whacked. He was always cool and is a cold calculating kind, the type of man who won’t lay down until he is really beaten. On occasions he showed glimpses of the form which has made his name famous and then we were treated to something really clever. He hit cleanly wiih plenty of weight and made Jones’ efforts lo hit him seem ludicrous. But he soon dropped back into his lethargic method again. All through the latter stages of the fight, one kept looking to Bloom to “wind up and do his stuff,” but it was not forthcoming—until too late. This was the last round and he gave Jones a good lacing. Beautiful lefts and rights found their mark with great precision, either the head or body, and had Jones not been in the best of condifion he must have failed to weather the storm. One wished (no antipathy to Jones) that Bloom had opened up earlier in the bout, for there is no doubting he is clever and clean in his work. But he will not. be i>opular with Dominion audiences unless he changes a whole heap. He evidently’ does not care what the crowd thinks —he is there to fight. Dour and stern —he never smiled all night even when in his corner —he gives no quarter and asks for none. After two “incidents” Jones proffered the friendly hand but it was rudel.v pushed aside. Bloom was doing most of his attack to the body and was early’ warned to "keep them up.” A few rounds later, he planted a low one on lo Jones and was warned, but it appeared to me as if Jones himself pushed the blow down in his effort lo guard it. Bloom apologized and offered his hands to Jones who shook them like a real sportsman. Had they been refused one could not have blamed Jones—his own had been treated with disdain. It was by’ no means a good exhibition of boxing, but it was an interesting bout without any cause for excitement or enthusiasm. The familiar “finish him” was absent and never once had the referee, Mr Lindsay to commence a count. Bloom had a penchant for backing into the ropes and working from there. Once Jones rushed him and the pair went back over the top rope, finally hitting the floor, Bloom underneath. The American was helped back rubbing his head but it did not appear to affect him. In the last round again the pair went through the ropes between the lop and the middle, one, Bloom again underneath. This time however, Jones thrust his glove behind Bloom’s head and this saved him from coming into contact with the floor. Jones' action was highly commented on by a few at the side of the ring who noticed his prompt action to prevent, what, might have proved a bad bump for Bloom. Jones was a prime favourite with the audience throughout the night and his win was well received. The pair meet again at Westport on December 26 and if Bloom can show some of 'the form he displayed in the final round, he should be able to reverse the verdict. Neither man had a manager with him, the local trainers E. McNeil and W. Crowley with assistants from their schools, being in the corners of Bloom and Jones respectively. For men with the records of these two, something good was expected, and frankly we were disappointed. THE PRELIMINARIES. In the first preliminary, 11. Calder (Greenhills) 8.8 met W. Nisbet (Nightcaps) 8.10 in a featherweight bout. Neither lad showed evidence of a great deal of experience and they were not very’ eager to mix it. Calder waited for Nisbet lo lead, try to slip it and I hen get in, but he failed. Nisbet had a good advantage in reach and he made the most use of it to plant a left, to Calder’s face. The latter had great difficulty in keeping it out. When Calder found his waiting tactics were of no avail, he should have immediately sought for something that was, and he would have done a lot better had he gone after Nisbet and kept coming in, endeavouring to offset the latters advantage in reach. Nisbet started off by using a long straight left to good effect, and then using a right to the body. Calder remained on the defence, with his chin well tucked in behind his shoulder—a good habit. His chief weapon was a right to the body, but there was not enough weight in it. Early in the second session, Calder smartened up, and went, for his opponent who showed great agility in getting out of range, but even so Calder connected with a humming right and opened Nisbet’s eye. Had Calder gone on with his attack, he would have stood a good, chance of securing the verdict but he held off and for a time both lads seemed afraid of one another, Nisbet not using his reach and Calder deigning to wait. When Nisbet leads he leaves himself very open and had Calder been a trifle smarter with his feet he could have taken heavy toll of his opponent’s body. Neither boy hit very cleanly but with more experience should improve a lot on Monday night’s display. They have the right ideas.

The lightweight bout between R. Kitson (Invercargill) 9.10 and I’. Keilor (Invercargill) 9.12 was quite a good affair. Kitson, who has been off work with an injured hand took the ring at short notice but there was not a great deal wrong with his condition and for this be is to be commended. Kitson has shown remarkable improvement this season and much of the credit for this must go to his trainer, Shackdl Hughes, who has developed him from an unorthodox rushing fighter to an opponent to be respected. The pair met previously at Ohai where Kitson won and he prevailed again on Monday, though many were quite prepared to give the verdict to Keilor. The latter has a very nice cool style and should do well at the game. He weaves nicely-and puts a lot of weight behind his punches. He lias a nice left hook, while he can also put over a neat straight one. His right cross to the head takas some keeping out. His feet are nicely placed and he moves about with a minimum of effort. In close, he favours his left hand a good deal, playing it to the head in a series of short stabs. With careful coaching he should go a long way. Kitson for all his apparent bulk, moves very smartly and caused his opponent to miss a good deal, although several straight lefts found a resting place on his mouth (evidently not relished) while he as yet has not much idea of stopping a right swing. Kitson is fortunate in being able to take a lot of punching and still come up for more. He is never beaten and there are few gamer amateurs than him in Invercargill today. He does his best work when he is at close quarters. He has very little chance of ever being a great boxer, his arms are too short, but he can fight and will take a few smacks to get in close and when he gets in —he works overtime. He will always be hard to beat for no matter how often you hit him, he will always come back and offer a resistance that one must give him great credit for. Many a good clever novice has met his doom in meeting a man like “Firpo” —their hearts have been broken. They give him a boxing lesson then he comes back and fights all over the top of them, giving them no chance to use an undoubted superiority in cleverness.