THE SPORT OF BOXING

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1929, Page 4

THE SPORT OF BOXING

DONOVAN MEETS HATTON BIG CONTEST IN NEW PLYMOUTH. FIXTURES IN PROSPECT.

(By

“Referee.")

Boxing fixtures in the near future are: — To-morrow. —Charlie Purdy (N.Z.) v. Wally Hancock (Australia), at Sydney, for Australasian welter title. Saturday. —Wanganui amateur championships. Saturday.—Tommy Donovan v. Matt Hatton, at New Plymouth. July 15.—Syd. North (Australia) v. Cyril Hurne; Jack Crowley v. Jim Cotterell, at Wellington. July 17.—Hawke’s Bay amateur championships, at Napier. July 17. —Bert Brown (Palmerston North) v. Bobby Delaney (Australia), at Palmerston North. . July 20. —Tommy Donovan v. “Kid” Smitli, at Stratford. July 26.—Southland amateur championships. July 29—Tommy Donovan v. Bobby Delaney (probable), at Wellington. Augiist 12 and 13—Wellington amateur championships. August 29, 30 and 31.—New Zealand amateur championships, at Greymouth.

Manager-trainer of boxers, Pat. Connors, returned to Wellington by the Marama from Sydney recently. With him were Lachie McDonald and Tommy Griffiths. Purdy, of course, was not one of the party. He is in Sydney still, under new management, and is reported to be preparing for his return contest with Wally Hancock. Lachie McDonald left for the south on the day of his arrival and will have a short letup. In Sydney he was beaten by Niven and Jack Haines.

Last week it was thought that the Wellington Boxing Association would make an endeavour to land Bobbie Delaney to fight Tommy Donovan after the former had honoured his engagement' with Bert Brown at Palmerston North. The date for the Palmerston North mill is July 17; Wellington’s date is July 29. Eleven days difference. For obvious reasons, the W.B.A. will probably proceed to make arrangements direct with Australia and bag one of the likely boys in Sydney first hand. Ern Connors and Tommy Doble are both good youngsters who should be capable of filling the bill.

When Sid. North fought Tommy Donovan at Napier, he carried into the ring a bronze Buddha, thrust upon him by an admirer. Most boxers are very superstitious, but not so Sid. North, In fact, such little reliance did he place in the Buddha that he forgot to take it out of the ring when the mill was all over. However, it was found after the scrap and was returned to its original owner, who, by the way, is one of the fair sex. She is a little concerned about' Sid. and has since made him a present of the mute heathen, conditionally that North takes it into the ring with him on Monday when he meets Cyril Hurne. Patrons will, therefore, not want to ask any questions when Sid. lugs the bronze fellow into the ring on the occasion of his mill with the Wellingtonian bantam.

The Taranaki Boxing Association, in matching Tommy Donovan with Aucklander Matt. Hatton, has provided for the delectation of its patrons what should prove to be the best contest seen in New Plymouth for many years. The Aucklander has gained considerable pugilistic repown by virtue of successes over Delaney, Black, Carrol, Taylor and Boyle. He dropped a decision to Johnny Lcckie and fought a draw with Australian Steve Hughes. In losing to

Leckie, Hatton lost to one who should be, with judicious handling, the future feather champion of the world. As an amateur, Hatton compiled an exceptionally creditable record, accounting for such good weilders of the padded fist as Charlie Purdy, Jim Broadfoot and Whittome. There is no doubt that Hatton is the most logical opponent for Donovan, and the match is one that practically every major association in the Dominion has been endeavouring to arrange. Donovan’s meteoric rise in the pugilistic world has been in no small measure due to the judicious manner in which the Taranaki Association has matched him. In dropping a decision to Australian Sid. North, Donovan had the first setback of his career, but as it was on a foul and at the time he had the Australian in a state of semi-coma it is a decision that should not affect the Waitara boy’s future. Tommy defeated G. Leslie at Wanganui on Monday night far more decisively than he did in their first meeting at New Plymouth. He is at present jumping out of his skin with physical fitness and is ready to give the fight of his diminutive life. Hatton, also, has trained hard, and is fortunate in having a first-class mentor and good sparring partners. The Aucklander will arrive in New Plymouth to-morrow.

To whet the fans’ appetite for the star attraction, the association has arranged the following preliminaries:— Mancer (Eltham) v. Turner (Waitara); Carr (New Plymouth) v. Sheehy (New Plymouth); Furze (Waitara) v. Goodwin (Oakura); Russel (Waitara) v. Gardiner (Kaponga); J. Sheehy (New Plymouth) v. Talbot (Eltham); D. Roebuck (New Plymouth) v. Mulvaney (New Plymouth).

A wonderful young pair of fighters, fierce as wild-cats, with the ring gallantry of duellists of old, are Sarron and Leckie, says Jack Elliott in the Sydney Referee. A return match must take place. The fight last Saturday week was the sort of affair I would gladly witness every night. ■ It contained all the pleasantries of the noble art; the contest was fierce from the first second to the last, and the tactics of both men as fair as can be. The fans screamed and cheered with delight, as each man smashed away with only one intention—a knock-out. And the crowd roared with pleasure when the game little lad from New Zealand recovered from two knock-downs—in the seventh session—and, after a minute’s rest, came out and punched his way to the honours of the next round. After spending three minutes hurling devastating punches, the men would smile at one another as they crossed on their way to theii- corners. They fought as fighters should fight—in fairness and without feeling. A return bout is strongly indicated, from the point of an attractive match,- and in fairness to the American.