BOXING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 116, 22 June 1914, Page 2

BOXING.

HELPING THE GAME. By the Moeraki 011 Wednesday last a Wellington sportsman, Mr Albert Cohen, returned to Wellington jfrom Sydney, after being theye two months.* 'During that 1 ' 'tim£ he '<' saw a good deal of the boxing game, and met most of the principal actors in the hempen arena. I.

He is of opinion that the game here v says a Wellington writer) is a long "way behind the position it occupies on the other side. Allowing for the great difference in the population of the principal cities jn ( the Commonwealth and the Dominion, he still thinks there is room for great improvement here. If it was not for the restrictions in the Dominion he thinks that the game would be sufficiently improved and made attractive so that a, might be required 'to accommodate the: crowd; He interviewed 'all the leading boxers at present in Sydney from different parts of the world. They included Eddie M'Goorty, Jeff Smith, Jimmy Clabby, Sam M'Vea, Pelky, Kid Lewis, aud other lesser lights, through the acquaintance of Mr Lawlea&j ; the 'Sydney boxing eeribe. Smith's training quarters at Coogee Bay were visited, and the champion was seen in action preparing for the fight with Clabby. Mr and Mrs Jeff Smith expressed themselves as anxious to see the Dominion on their way.,back to "E'ngldnd, and M'Goorty would also like to pay us a visit. If sufficient inducement offered to thosip fighters, they would go into the ring here. Mr Cohen is at present endeavouring to make arrangements with the. "Wellington Boxing Association to bring them across. Kid Lewis (who holds the. Lonsdale Belt for • the ' English feather-weight championship) would also come. Kid Lewis-is a personal friend of Mr Cohen's and is a real sport and thorough gentleman. If men such as those mentioned could be brought together here, it would be a splendid advertisement, and.' would give'the game s good lift.' It-Wright be mentioned that in Australia the best class of people are to be seen at the Stadium; At- . the - dinner given to "Snowy" Baker at the Hotel Australia (to which Mr Cohen was invited), after his world's; tonx„. All t thp>. Speakers mentioned that R. L. Baker had done more to advertise Australia than 100 Ageflts-Geiieral; chairman was the Hon. R. D. Meagher. In his remarks he stated that nothing would, as a sport, c k qttfrti-y more than boxing. 'Mr Ldften nan not taken a prominent part in the game in "Wellington hitherto, but after what he lias seen in Sydney he has expressed himpleased to, give- the Wellington Association any assistance to push the sport on the Tines acLopted on the other eidkj '4 ;t •) •• ? fiHij 'i H : v< ■> With .help from the authorities m "Wellington, it. might be possible, for Mr CoflMtjMda : fieHool#ria-te ''Of* 'jsfV yaaireii 's,; assistance of the well-known promoter, toJ-Mpa&ep&iy • advancqii! featnei thmMEoult 'the Dominion. ' FRANK ELLIS WRITES.

the.,Weflingt on ~ felitlierwieiglit, says that he fjs k'^epm'^'vei^.'we|i' ancl "Ms !< ttone in the contests he^-ij&s: taken part in.£ : His ; '• — Draw with Togo Ly tfrlfi, *2O Forttitls, Brisbane; beat; 'Wfttty* l r $?IL d f> on points, Brisbane ville, 20 rounds teat George Taylor, 20 rounds, on points, Melbourne; beat -Cliff Thomas, 10 lounde, Sydney; lost to Jimmy O'Brien, 7 rounds, Sydney; beat George Lane, 3 rounds, Sydney; lost to Billy Elliott, 8 rounds, Sydney (in which contest he broke one of his hands) ; beat Billy t Ketchell, in half a round, Brisbane. Ellis has hopes of returning,to New Zealand bearing the title of feather-weight champion of Australia. Ellis truly says that one has to make good before the public in Australia will take ihuch notice of a boxer, because iat present the public are' seeing some bif the best boxers in the world in action. He considers that he has been very fortunate in getting into some of the best camps, and states that lie has thus been able to box with Matt Well?, Jeff Smith- Johnny Summers, and- Hoek Keys,, from whom be has learnt a lot of clever points'of the. game, ka 1 they all have! something new to shqw.;.-i&l.isj' is now waititfg for a match with some of the imported men. It has, been suggested that a match between Ellis dnd Hagerty \yould prove a big- drawing card; that is, if Hagerty could get'down within a few pounds of EllisWeight. : : j A BOARD OF CONTROL.

According !to "Cestus," ,6f the London "Sportsman/,' the movement toward the formation of a Board of Control for boxing is going slowly, but still is making progress. This is what ''Cestus" savs:— ■ :•.

"The Boa*rd of Control is", f am told, a certainty, and sure to come sooner or later. It is, all tfte same, travelling very nlowly, afad, in view Of what has been taking place recently, might be hurried up a bit. But there are to be no Pressmen on the Board, "which is right and proper, and just what I suggested when first the thing was mooted. To be chiefly drawn; from the National Sporting Club arid the Royal Navy and Army Boxing Association, the gentlemen constituting the boaid will bo men who know their busjnessf and will not be afraid to do., it ; Thje task will be herculean, anopposition is mentioned already. Asf'i said &ome time ago, certain - K promoters Will- be asked to join, but already soriite aite scouting the very idea pf dojiig. 8d J , ans. talking ruining on linesij From whstt I hear, it will ndt $e biu Jj&rriatiOiialJ concern, but &*Boarct of for*Gri»eat Britain. The' thing'is so far; in ijfc and all sorts of happenings may come to pass. "Without going'aq. far : as ; to suggieSt that k leaf shoulsfe taken out of the book of the New Yoj-k Boxing, Commission, I may mention jthat' recently Billy Joli, said by the Ai&erican Press' to be the 'King of Referees,' was called before the commission, jto say why: he did not stop the-Coffey-Flynn contest for alleged fouls. Joh's answer was that the men were equally to : blame, and: lie was exonerated*. "What a merry time is m store , for _a Board of Control tliis way if the-sanie course is-adopted, tor some llif sur referees do not aupeax to know

what constitutes a foul, 1 or wlifen ; such a thing is committed! A i fct'orj*: is; going round that' hot so long ago, |n>: boxing contest, A. claimed to ha,vp ; .to* sfpuied by B. ' The • men-.- ,'stoppedi the referee, turning,to * J3i<l hit you low?' 'Yes,' replied the Scrapper. This was enough, for the official, turning to the other 'B, you are disqualified' The v&jy latest, however, is foivtrhe referee,]: :jin a f disputed decision, to pander to. t]i6, Uovflers and give inpublia print the points he awarded each tyin. FiAcy Mr 13. J. Angle or Mr J.'H." DouglaS .doing such a thing."