SOME BOXING NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 49, 3 April 1914, Page 2

SOME BOXING NOTES.

OPENING THE SEASON. So far as boxing in public is concerned, the boxing season of 1914 in Christchurch will open to-morrow evening, when several contests and a wrestling match will be held in Mr F. A. Hornibrook's physical culture institute, Gloucester Street. The tournament is one of a series which is being organised with a charitable object—the proceeds will be given to the Summit Road Association for the improvement of the Summit Road. Permission to hold it has been given by the Christchurch Sports Club. The boxing contests will be between feather-weights E; O'Connor "and A. T. Scott,;, middleweights W. (Jhiffen and -S. Manson, and heavy-weights F. Upham and JV Fraser; In the wrestling match, J. Hetrick and J. Sloan will contest; the light-weight championship o|" Canterbury. ( The programme should provide a • very good shilling's worth. A statement that Jeff Smith, the American who had such hard luck in having the decision in his contest with M'Goorty awarded to the latter, is a natural welter-weight, ha& brought him a challenge from Matt Weljs for a contest with a weight limit of lOst 101b. Wells's manager has deposited £IOO of an offer to wager at least £2OO. Smith's reply is not known yet. Frank Thorn, the .and clever Australian —he is a South Australian by birth, btit started his boxing career in West Australia and fought most of his subsequent battles in Melbourne and Sydney —seems to have regained something like his old form. He thoroughly outpointed Alf Morey in Brisbane a few days ago, Thorn winning nearly every one of the 20 rounds. Les Darcy, the promising West Maitland (N.S.W.) welter-weight, knocked out Bob Wliitelaw in five rounds at Maitland recently. Lee Johnson, the negro featherweight Who accompanied Tommy Burns and Co. to Australia, fought a -20rounds' draw with Victorian Charlie Simpsoffin Melbourne. Johnson proved himself a good and clever fighter, but Simpson fought the fight of his life. One Stephen Black,., an ex-champion amateur middle-weight of South Africa, who has been doing much writifig on boxing matters for the London '' Daily Mail'', lately, has been ing, in the last few weeks, some of his limitations as an-authority on boxing. In a "Daily Mail" article he accused the United States "and Australia of supplying the greater number of fakers in the ring. Where did Stephen Black obtain an experience of Australian boxing that would justify his accusation? Echo answers, Where? Of course, " Snowy " Baker, who was then in London, strenuously repudiated the assertion in a letter to the "Daily Mail." "Snowy" also offered to meet Black in the ring and demonstrate whether "fake" is the distinguishing character of Australian boxing. Australia is coming right to the front in the determination of the world's middle-weight championship. -With Jeff Smith, Dave. Smith, and Pat Bradley in Sydney, -and---Jimmy Clabby to arrive there soon, the.R. L. Baker management is booming a series of great elimination contests for the title. Clabby's departure from San Francisco was delayed, and consequently the programme had to be re-arranged. It is now as follows:—April-11, Eddie M'Goorty v. Dave Smith, weight limit list Gib; April I.'! (Easter Monday), Pat Bradley v. Jeff Smith, weight list 41b.- The present intention is to match the two winners, and to le't the man left on top meet Clabby after his arrival. Clabby is to leave America on Monday next. There is, however, one adjustment to be made before the middle-weight title, can* really be settled. It will be noticed that Bradley and Jeff Smith will meet at list 41b, the championship limit, but M'Goorty and Dave Smith will fight at Hit 61b, which goes to bear out the contention that M'Goorty is barred from the championship by his weight. So M'Goorty will have to come down to I.lst 41b before he can claim to be still a factor in the decision of the championship. A. L. C.