THE BOXING RING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 662, 14 May 1929, Page 7

THE BOXING RING

The Otago Boxing Association, has decided to allow descriptions of its contests to be broadcast, a decision of interest to followers of the sport here, as many of the bouts staged by the southern body are of more than i passing interest. By defeating Cocoa Jackson so decisively at the Melbourne Stadium Tommy Griffiths has done much to atone for his failure against McAllister. Jackson is the feather-weight champion of Australia and a good performer although he has been left out in the cold as far as matches with the best imported feather-weights go. E!ky Clark Again The ex-European fly-weight champion, Elky Clark, has aroused much comment by commencing training after a long spell from the ring, and it is believed that lie intends embarking on a come-back campaign. The Scot made an unsuccessful effort to wrest the fly-weight championship of the world from Fidel La Barba but following the attempt, had to leave the ring owing to losing the sight of one eye. Unless he has regained the sight of that eye it is hardly likely that he will go as well as he did in former times should he again enj.er the ring. Northern Association’s Efforts The Northern Boxing Association’s proposed programme foi* Juns 3 is full of merit. The bout between Matt Hatton and Tommy Donovan is undoubtedly the best offering in New Zealand at the present time and a number of associations have been desirous of obtaining the match. In reply to a communication from the association Donovan said that he had contracted to fight at Christchurch on June 8 and would consequently be unable to enter into a bout in Auckland However the association has been advised that the Christchurch bout has been cancelled and it is hoped that Donovan will find himself able to fight Hatton. A technical difficulty is holding up the arrangements regarding Hurne. who it is proposed should oppose Taylor, but it is expected that the question will be settled at a meeting of the match committee this week. The association is to be commended on endeavouring to arrange a good programme at a time when good boxers are rather the exception than the order. If the proposed bouts take place ringsiders should be well repaid for attend- ! insr the carnival.

Notes From Far and Near

i»y

"LEFT COUNTER" -

A well-known trainer of boxers in England named Joe Knowles has died at the age of 92, quite a record as far as the boxing ring is concerned. New English Champion England expects great things from Fred Webster, who as an amateur won the ban:am, feather and light-weight championships and who has crowned his professional career by defeating the light-weight champion Sam Steward. Webster has only been fighting as a professional for a few months and English writers considered that he was flying rather high when he tackled the champion. However he has silenced his critics and he is in a position to meet the best in Europe. The Price of Success An idea of the difficulties besetting a foreign boxer in the United States can be formed from the following paragraph by an American writer. — Max Schmeling, the German heavyweight boxer who leaped into prominence almost overnight by reason of his knockout victory over Johnny Risko. the bouncing Cleveland baker boy, discovered that he owed himself money after his triumph. The reason is that Max found himself tied up to a regular queue of "managers.” each ■ with a different percentage “cut” into i his earnings. Schmeling onlj* went , through what is the portion of virt- • ually every boxer, American or foreign ' who comes into the big town seeking recognition. He is immediately surrounded by a bunch of wisecrackers who tell him that in order to break into the important money he must tie up with pilots who “stand in" with the powers that be. Of course the Boxing Commission is not a party to this deception, but many “green” boxers—that is. boxers who are not smart and therefore wise to city ways i —-soon find that they ha\*e pledged a I bit here and a bit there, until very I little, if any money remains for them after the parasites ha.ve had their pickings. Schmeling. in desperation. I even went so far as to journey to Washington, prior to his return to his | native Germany, to enlist the aid of the i German Ambassador in an effort to ; rid himself of the so-called managers 1 who had attached themselves to him. ! Of course he could not effect anything j through diplomatic channels, but he | made the attempt, nevertheless. When I Schmeling returns from Germany in | May to resume his march toward the ■ heavy-weight championship he will try 1 to iron out his managerial difficulti*' * .nrl eliminate all but one pilot.