BOXING

Southland Times, Issue 21425, 20 June 1931, Page 15

BOXING

(By “Self-defence.”) June 20. —Tommy Donovan v. Joey Thomas, at New Plymouth. June 22—Tournament, at Invercargill. June 26.—5. Byrne v. Jim Broadfoot, at Hastings. June 29. —Jack O’Malley v. George Cook, at Auckland. July 1. —Harry Johns v. Tommy Donovan (lightweight title), at Hawera. July (some time). —Cyril Hume v. Knuckley, at Hastings. August 5, 6 and 7.—N.Z. Championships at Ashburton. Local tourney on Monday night. Tommy Donovan meets Joey Thomas tonight. Bagrie v. Prendergast should be a great mill on Monday night. The champion will be harder to beat this time. This will be the third meeting between the pair and as each has a win to his credit, Monday’s bout is invested with more than ordinary interest. McFarlane and Jack should be a bout worth witnessing. McFarlane’s ruggedness may offset Jack’s cleverness. Those who witnessed the Tutty-Mosely bout here last month are keenly awaiting the return on Monday. The tournament promises to be a big success and the draw in the special bouts looks like a good selection on the part of the association. Spectators look like having a fine night’s sport. Entries for the novice class closed last night and the draw for the special bouts is as follows: McFarlane v. Jack; Prendergast v. Bagrie; Galt v. Spencer; Mosely v. Tutty (Gore) ; Pasco v. Kelly (Ohai); Campbell v. J. Kelly (Bluff.) Jim Jeffries is following in the footsteps of Jack Dempsey, and has announced that he is open for refereeing engagments. The former "Wild Bull of the Pampas,” Louis Firpo, who knocked Jack Dempsey out of the ring in their world’s title bout, is now said to be worth over £600,000.

Max Srhmeling is guaranteed £160,000 to defend his world’s title . against Bill Stribling. Stribling is on a percentage. Seats are from £5 ringside to 8/- in the outers. Mickey Walker, world’s middle-weight champion, made over £lOO,OOO, but most of it slipped through his fingers. Then last month the divorce courts took £50,000 from him; and now Walker intends to fight for another £lOO,OOO. Two contests will take place in Taranaki within the next three weeks. On June 20 the return Donovan—Thomas bout will be fought in New Plymouth, while at Hawera on July 1, Harry Johns, lightweight champion of New Zealand, will defend his title against the featherweight champion, Donovan. Last time these boys met, Tommy managed to pull a narrow points’ decision. Mr Ned Perry, of Wellington, has been asked to referee both contests, and it is likely he will accept. •

When the council of the New Zealand Boxing Association next meets, a matter that will probably come up for consideration will be that concerning the disqualification of Pat Connors. On June 19 it will be a year since Connors was “put out” by the council, and at the time the disqualification was imposed, the council statecj that the case would be reviewed at the termination of twelve months. Pat took the council’s decision with commendable complacence and it will cause no surprise if the disqualification is duly lifted. The Dunedin trainer Tom Harris has now connected with him six boys carrying a New Zealand championship. They are Alan Campbell, New Zealand professional heavyweight champion; Bert Lowe, New Zealand amateur welter-weight champion; T. Dovi, New Zealand 'Varsity welter-weight champion; Dudley, New Zealand 'Varsity lightweight champion; Lowndes, New Zealand 'Varsity bantam-weight champion; and Hartnell, New Zealand 'Varsity heavyweight champion. Nobody became enthusiastic at the West Melbourne Stadium qver the Billy Grime— Freddy Welsh contest on May 30. Fond memories must have raced through Grime's mind as the bout was frequently counted out by the fans. There he stood participating in a twelve rounds’ fight on a mixed bill in a tabernacle of thump where he used to receive for his end nothing lets than £3OO and a “cut” which often soared to £5OO odd. Grime received half a thousand pounds in his last appearance in Melbourne prior to Saturday night when he faced Fidel La Barba two years ago last March. Grime beat Welsh on points. A series of important boxing contests will be staged in New Zealand in the near

future. Jack O’Malley, Australian heavyweight champion, will meet George Cook, light heavy-weight champion of Australia, at Auckland shortly under the auspices of the Northern Boxing Association. It is probable that overtures will be made to O’Malley by the Timaru Association to meet Alan Campbell, New Zealand heavy-weight champion, at Timaru. It is also likely that the Otago Association will bring Ambrose Palmer, Australian middle-iveight champion, to Dunedin to meet Campbell in the near future, with the prospect of a return bout at Timaru. The Timaru Association has first call upon Campbell’s services, but will probably waive its right conditional on the return match being arranged in Timaru. Tommy Fairhall, exrwelter-weight champion of Australia, will meet Fred Parker (Timaru) at Timaru on July 2 in a fifteen three-minute round bout. George Wright (Christchurch) will meet Dave Richardson (Timaru) at the same contest. Frederick Musson, a young man employed at Mr R. Musson’s bakehouse in St. Asaph street, and well known amongst amateur boxers in Christchurch, collapsed and died while training at Mr A. Thompson’s boxing school in Alcester street early this week. Musson, who was aged 22, and single, had been shown a certain blow by the instructor, and was in the act of imitating it when he collapsed. Dr R. W. Anderson was summoned, and found that Musson was dead. He had taken no part in the actual fighting during the evening, it is stated, and had not been training long before his collapse. There had been no blows struck during the demonstration. Frederick Musson was a brother of J. Musson, the Christchurch boxing instructor, and a nephew of his employer, Mr Richard Musson, with whom he had been living. He was born on the West Coast, but was educated at Riecarton School. His parents are in Australia. Musson had taken an interest in amateur boxing for some years, but had never entered competitive ranks. .Despite the fact that Bobby Blay came to New Zealand and conquered all opponents (except Thomas), and succeeded where so many others (including Llew Edwards) had failed, Australians are still featuring Edwards as . a better scrapper than Blay, and the latest issue of the Referee styles him as Vthe very best of our feathers.” He is also termed “The Victorian Flash.” Here’s a chance to make money—Edwards and Blay matched in New Zealand. What a draw! The real name of “Young” Llew Edward, by the way, is Mic-k King (says an exchange.) Tommy Griffiths, Johnnie Leckie's old stable companion, is training again and anxious to get contests. He is prepared to fight anywhere for a small purse, in an endeavour to show that he is not through. Griffiths was a good man until his disastrous trip to Australia, and it may be remembered that before that he was offered a substantial sum to meet Fidel La Barba, one of the world’s best feather-weights, in Sydney a few years ago. He let the chance slip, and soon after his return from Australia dropped out of the game.