BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1923, Page 13

BOXING.

“Jack Dempsey emerged from the battle smoke of Shelby a rather easy victor,” esays au American writer. "But tl.e glory and' the praise and the laurels hove been showered upon Gibbons because of the game light he made, because of his splendid courage and because this smaller, lighter man, went 15 rounds with an ‘irresistible’ world’s champion—and was on his feet at the end.”

Coloured boxers are applying some novel handles' to their names. An announcement in an American paper brought to light the fact that Tiger Flowers would hook up with White Black. The effect must have been morbid —almost funereal. This Flowers Dirson apparently is no wilting lily. He won a bout against Tut Jackson and walkeel all over the Jamacia Kid soon afterwards. * * # * The new feather-weight champion of Australia, Bert Ristuccia, is IB years of age. Surely, to gain this distinction at that age is a brilliant performance. When h© met Ern Baxter at Melbourne he had appeared as a professional only three times before. Baxter had won the title from Billy Grime, and Ristuccia, after completely eclipsing Ernest in points, knocked him out with a left-hand punch to the body in the tenth round. It was not a brilliant contest, and fell far below championship form. Yet credit must not be taken from the ex-amateur, for he did what was required of him in decisive fashion. Both men are southpaws, and they box with right hand and foot advanced. It is a stance that looks awkward. Ristuccia’s appearance was not that of a fighter. His skin is pink, his face oval, and his eyes large and dreamy. Bitt once he starts he boxes confidently. * * # * A left hook is a valuable punch for any boxer to have in his kit-bag. Algy Daniels, the Tasmanian middle-weight champion, has it, and with it he secured a victory over Jim Dale, at Melbourne. The contest, was scheduled to go 20 rounds, but it was over in the fourth, when the referee intervened to save Dale from further punishment. The opening was mild enough, and the men were feeling one another until suddenly Daniels jumped in and hooked the left to the jaw. and Dale was knocked cleanly off his feet. He took the count of “eight'’ and rose dazed. Daniels rushed him and planted well-directed blows to head and body before the bell rang. Thereafter, until the close. Daniels used his left hook unmercifully on Dale. Clearly he has now earned the right for a fight against some of the top-notcher» in his division.