THE BOXING RING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 639, 16 April 1929, Page 13

THE BOXING RING

Notes From Far and Near

By

"LEFT COUNTER”

A little over £4OO Avas JohnnyLeckie’s share for his light with I Grime. Hector Leckie, avlio has had a long spell fro mthe ring, would like to light : Tommy Donovan in a 10-rounder. No Matches for April Not one bout has been, arranged, so far, to take place in New Zealand this month, but this is due no doubt to many of the associations holding annual meetings, and the consequent delay in fixing up matches. Even so. it is unusual to find a month Avithout a contest arranged in some part of the Dominion. Could He Beat Donovan the ability of Tommy Donovan he is Matt Hatton. The Auckland leatherAvcight Avould certainly give Donovan a run for his money if they were brought together. The pair should make a good dratr for some association if Hatton can get away from his business long enough to fight. A Difference of Opinion . “Cestus,” boxing writer of the j Christchurch “Star,” maintains that Donovan and Taylor should not have been matched. He says: “Except a 1 man is a long way above the average he should not be allowed to compete ovit of his class. Donovan is a bit above the average feather-weight, while Taylor is just an average bantam.” in reality, Donovan may be a bit above the average in his class, but he has yet to prove it. He has not yet met anything above a fifthrate feather-weight. Tajdor may be an average bantam, but lie is more than an average fly-weight. He proved that when lie Avent so near to getting the decision over Teddy Green, flyAveight champion of Australia, at Napier last year. Green is also rated high among the bantam-weights in Australia. But that is beside the point for the moment. Taylor Avas quite Avilling to fight Donovan, but it can be taken for granted that he did not expect to be roughed all round the ring. A spectator of the bout told me that one clinch lasted for two minutes, during Avhich time Taylor Avas pushed and pulled all over the ring. Taylor is the only active fly or bantam-weight in NeAV Zealand. Why should he be prohibited from lighting just because there are none of his OAvn class about? ►Such a prohibition Avould be most unjust. And again. When Billy McAllister, ban-tam-weight champion of Australia, A-isited NeAA’ Zealand to meet Johnny Leckie, I do not remember a Southern voice protesting against the match. Even had McAllister entered the ring Aveighing nearly nine stone, as lie did against Taylor, he Avould not have been doAvn to fighting Aveight. Bst Gib, and a a fit opponent for Leckie. Although the McAllister-Leckie match did not e\'entuate, it Avas arranged and Avould have taken place but for Leckie’s injured hand. Still, I do not remember “Cestus” protesting against it—a bantam -Aveight champion meeting a feather'-Aveight champion—even though McAllister proved to be nothing extraordinary as a champion when pitted against Von Roedon, a third-rate American bantam-weight.

The annual meeting of the Northern Boxing Association will be held in the Chamber of Commerce on Monday, April 29. New Zealand's Johnny Leckie bids fair to become a great draw-card, and some critics state that he will take La Barba's place. • "Kid” Smith would like to meet ! j either Boyle or McCartliy for £2O and j expenses, a cheap match for a small association. Charlie Purdy is more than anxious j to have another shot at Jack Carroll and wants to have the latter’s Australian welter-weight title at stake. Purdy •would also like to have a light with Jack Roberts, conqueror of Kid Johnson and Willie Smith. Wellington’s Good Position . The financial statement of the Well- | ington Boxing Association shows that assets exceed liabilities by £2,588. The total receipts last season amounted to £4,291 and the amount paid out in purses was £1,756. Wellington has a name for generosity and it appears to pay better the tight-liandcd policy of some associations. Leckie’s Next Fight | Johnny Leckie has been matched to j i fight Willie Smith at Melbourne next 1 | Saturday evening, according to a letter j received from the A’evv Zealander in j Auckland last week, but fans are won- ; dering it', after Smith’s defeat by } Roberts last Saturday, the bout will j eventuate. It is difficult to say, as very often matches scheduled to be fought in Sydney or Melbourne on a given date are postponed and the New

Zealand fan Avho looks eagerly for the j result does not know Avhat lias happened. The bout between Smith and Roberts Avas originally scheduled to be decided on April G and no more Avas heard of it until the result came through, shoAAing that it had been decided a Aveelc later. It is possible that if Smith does not fight, the bout may go forward Avith Leckie facing j another opponent.