A BOXING BUDGET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 13, 20 February 1914, Page 2

A BOXING BUDGET.

SOME CHRISTCHURCH MATTERS. OTHER NOTES AND NEWS. Although the boxing season v f 1914 in Christchurch is still some time off, there are already indications that it will be a good one. Many boys have started preparations for it, and some likely-looking lads presented themselves to the committee of the Christchurch Sports Club on Wednesday evoking, to make known their desire for matches. The committee of the Sports Club seems to be working oh a sound policy, and to be keenly alive to the necessity of doing something more to help sport along than merely holding tournaments at odd times. ■ . One matter , that - favourably impressed one .at Wednesday's meeting .was the kindly and yet effective way in which the chairman of the/committee gave advice to some of the boxers. For instance, there wt> two lad's earned the committee's disapproval—- : One by breaking faith with the commitand the other by giving indifferent displays in the ring. To both of them the chairman firmly but tactfully pointed out their shortcomings-, and it certainly will be no fault of the chairman or. the committee if the two boxers referred to do not mend their ways. This interest in the boxers themselves was refreshing to One who has found too much lack of interest taken by associations in other parts of the Dominion in the doings of the boxers in their districts. . v NEED OF A BUILDING, With boxing in Christchurch; controlled by an enthusiastic body, -it is regrettable that more tournaments are not Jield in the city each season. However, the fault does not seem to rest at the doors of the Sports Club, fcr. that body is. handicapped by the lacks of a building in which tournaments could be held, and which could be used whenever the club desired. The club has to take : a large amount of '' pot-luck'' in securing buildings for tournaments. What it needs is a hall of its own, but that requires considerable financing. I understand that the club has a section of .land*lying idle* < Are ' there not enough real sportsmen in the city and its surroundings to give the the financial assistance required - for ■ the erection of a building in which the grand sport of boxing can be fostered? ; A CLEAN SPORT. ..Sportsmen should; not forget the, excellent conditions under wliieh. boxing is carried on in New Zealand. The ious associations in New Zealand, are not wealthy enough to enable- them to import world-famous boxers from other parts,,.and to show the public the greatest boxers of the day, but they do provide enjoyable contests in excellent surroundings. The control of what boxing we do have is better than it is in any other part of the world. ; 'Fake" fights are practically unknown, and the contests are conducted in a manner which does much to place-boxing on its proper level as one of the finest .sports of modern times. Careful control by men who engage in the government of the sport purely for the love of it, and do not receive any pecuniary benefit whatever from it, is keeping boxing "clean" in New Zealand. If the general public would appreciate this properly, and give the clubs and associations the practical sympathy which they deserve, boxing would take its proper place in the life of the community, as a splendid exercise and a wholesome sport. MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. Discussion Over the world's middleweight championship still rages unabated in America, the country most concerned. Neither England nor France can put for : ward a middleweight of championship class, while in Australia Eddie M'Goorty has eliminated Dave Smith, from the running. So the only men left. in the

dispute are- Americans, but they are numerous enough to keep the fuss going strongly. Eddie M'Goorty claims the title, and although fight fans in the United States are dubious of his ability to make the weight limit at the ringside, he seems to have the best claim. But there are others hot on his trail.- Jimmy Clabby, Mike Gibbons, Jack Dillon, Geo. Chip, Bob M'Alister, and Battling Levinsky are all trumpeting their claims. The last two of these, however, have not demonstrated their claims sufficiently yet. M'Alister has yet to "clean up" enough good men to warrant his coriiirig forth as a championship possibility, arid Battling Levihsky 's ability to eoriie under the middleweight limit is doubtful. But, stay; there is another man who has come into the running, and he is Leo. Houck, the Pennsylvanian, who was outpointed by Dave Smith in a six rounds "no decision" affair aji Philadelphia in Nqvegi-

!ber, 1912. Houck has come into the limelight by a recent performance against George Chip, but I shall discuss presently. Of the bunch, Chip is most in the public eye in America nowj and he has even been accorded the title of middleweight champion of America. This he obtained by effectually settling the pretensions of Frank Klaus, the "Pittsburgh Bearcat," who not long ago was ha'led by English critics as the master of the modern art of in-fighting. Klaus has met the inventor, or discoverer, of the "delayed punch" twice within the last few weeks, and twice Chip has knocked him out. Exit Klaus from world's championship pretensions! When the last mail to hand left America Billy Papke was still talking of fighting Chip, but Papke is looked upon as a back number, and his talk is passing practically unheeded.

Now Houck has come into the field. Recently Chip met Houck in a six rounds bout in Philadelphia, and Houck climbed all over Chip. The latter was not knocked out, but from accounts he was defeated decisively. So Houck was hailed as a, championship probability, and he, Chip, and Jimmy Clabby were h*ikl to be the only real contenders for the title. Even the claims of M 'Goorty and Dillon were dismissed with a caution, for it was held that neither of them can weigh in at list 41b at ringside and fight well enough to dispose of the others. But Houck's victory oyer Chip needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Of the two Chip is the one who has demonstrated his championship calibre over the championship distance. Houck has fought few Contests but six-rounds affairs for a long time, and so he is keyed up to making the pace hot for that distance. In a twenty-rounds bout against men like Chip and Clabby he probably would crack up. So, until the clever Clabby emerges-fiSSm' the western parts of the States and gets away with some of the eastern middleweights of class, Chip may be considered the man most in the running for the world's title. There is, of course, Jeff Smith, who is now in Australia, looming on the horizon, but he has to prove yet that he is a first-class fighter at list 41b.

A MELBOURNE INCIDENT. > \ Much disapproval was expressed m Melbourne at the, verdict iii, favour of Nat Williams, the 'Englisir lightweight, in his contest with v 'Herb'M'Coy. Accounts to hand indicate that M'Coy had rather the better of the argument, although he did not get the decision. Incidentally, the decision led to trouble between M'Coy's trainer, Sam Gray, and the referee, Ernie Fullalove. Gray spoke to Fullalove when the latter was returning to his dressing room immediately after the fight. It is stated that he made certain statements reflecting upon Fullalove's honesty. Fullalove consulted the management cf th© Melbourne Stadium, .and secured tp take any steps he thbught'lftdvisable. ',: 'The next thing ..was a solicitor's f letter to Gray demariding a ; f.ull^ apology .through the Melbourne papers. was- threa-tened-with legal proceedings if} he failed to apologise,vbut. what;>happened then is not yet known on this side of the Tasman.

GLOVE TAPS. The clash Jeff Smith Eddie M'Goorty, both of America, will take place at the Sydney Stadium on March 14. Milburn Saylor, the American lightweight, who startled Australian fight fans by knocking out.Hughie Mehegan and then Morey, will face Herb. M'Coy at the Sydney Stadium on March 7. There will be a boxing tournament at Greymouth on March 21, at which some Christchurch boxers will compete. In an amateur lightweight bout, L. Penrose will meet Mussen, a ' West Coaster. Peter Cook and Jim Hegarty will be the principals in a professional lightweight clash.

Alf Bromwich, the professional lightweight, formerly of Paeroa, who spent some time in Australia, and then returned to New Zealand to be defeated by Hegarty and Maxwell, is now living at Taumarunui, where he has a boxing school. Bromwieh is seeking a match, preferably with Cook or Hegarty. As was anticipated, Jeff Smith's left hand is not strong enough - yet to allow of his meeting Dave Smith tomorrow, so a contest has been arranged between the New Zealander and Jules Dubourg, a French boxer who recently arrived in Australia. The weight limit is list 91b for each man. Dick Cullen, the American lightweight, who spent some time in West Australia, met Frank O'Grady, v of Victroia, in Sydney a few days ago. The contest was of 20 rounds, and it ended in the referee declaring a draw.

There is a likelihood of L. Penrose being able to gratify his wish to enter the ranks of '. professional lightweights shortly. J. Thomson, who is nowadays engaged in teaching some of the youth of Christchurch to box, is anxious to meet Penrose in the squared circle, and it is possible that the Christchurch Sports Club will schedule the match as one of its early attractions in the coming season. is also anxious to have a crack at Withie, the hefty Otago welter, but Withie's views on the subject of a professional match with Thomson are unknown yet. Some really good boxing in the New Zealand University tournamnet, to. be held in Christchurch on Easter Monday, may be anticipated. Victoria College (Wellington) will send down a good team, as has been mentioned in THE SUN 'during the week. Now it seems that Auckland is likely to send a goodly set of boxers down. If the Auckland 'Varsity College sends its best men down, there should be '' something doing" without a doubt. Rod Standen, the well-known Australian lightweight, has been coaching the members of the Auckland University College Boxing Club for some time past, and he has proved a very efficient instructor. In Stewart (middleweight) and M'Lean (heavyweight), the Auckland College has two particularly good amateur boxers. A. L. C.