SPORT OF BOXING

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1929, Page 14

SPORT OF BOXING

' AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS. To-night and to-morrow.—Taranaki amateur championships, at New Plymouth Opera House. To-morrow— Sammy Shack (U.S.A.) v. ‘ Bobby Delaney (Australia), at Dunedin. „ , , August 29. 30 and 31.—New Zealand amateur championships, at Greymouth. September (early). —Tcd Morgan (cxworld’s amateur welter champion) v. Artie Hay, at Auckland. September 19.—Johnny Leekie v. Bobby Delaney (Australia), at Palmerston ■ North, probable.

Thrills in plenty ,arc promised at the New Plymouth Opera Houses to-night, when tho elimination bouts in connection with tho Taranaki provincial chains, pionships will take place. Thorough attention by the controlling body to even smallest details ensures there will be . no hitch in tho proceedings, and fans will have placed befote them in undeJayed sequence the hugest series of bouts ever staged by the Taranaki Boxing Association. To those inclose touch with the sport it is unnecessary to mention that this gathering will undoubtedly outstrip all previous efforts. To the uninitiated, or those who have not access to the ‘'inner circle,” the assurance is here given that the standard of the province’s amateurs is 100 per cent., a state of affairs brought about by the success of Tommy Donovan and the' efforts of these young disciples of stoush to emulate the deeds of the Waitara demon. : .The entries disclose a wide range , of, styles, methods and ability. Following closely upon the heels of Quality (the reps, of all-round effectiveness), stalk Artistry, Aggressiveness, Durability, Elusiveness, and the undignified Novice. Quality " reigns supreme. Even infinite Artistry, or pure cleverness unallied to other essentials, must bow to King Quality, for he possesses command over forces to meet every contingency. Aggressiveness, attack as defence. A tough proposition surely? But of- what avail when opposed to Quality? Little or nothing! For his attack will be met. by clever defence and the ability to turn defence into attack, and with his only weapon torn from him what has he left—impotency. The subservience of brawn to brain! On a lower plane still we have Durability. He cannot succeed where such as Artistry and Aggressiveness have failed. Courage and a shock■ftbsorbing system are poor opposition—but greatly admired. ' His portion is usually the plaudits -of the multitude, for all love a game loser. “Discretion is the better part of valour” is the motto of Elusiveness. He Jives to fight another day. The. antithesis of Durability, he is as unpopular as those above him are popular, for -on his pedals alone he relies in the arena. A veritable shadow this chap but as an ingredient to a “slug” evening he is a dismal failure. History records that certain persons in days gone by have through some misdemeanour become “elusive,” ultimately to be “nailed”, and either hung to the cross-arm or guillotined. Elusivencss unsupported by something more effective in the ring is a misdemeanour. We sigh for the “good old days!” And the Novice? He comes to the arena, pallid, unnerved, makes an attempt at bravado by skittishly leaping over the top strand, glimpses a Bea of faces —and almost faints. A glance at the occupant of the far corner is not reassuring. What enormously long arms tho fellow has; and bulging muscles, square jaw and shaggy chest. Surely the brute is a professional world’s champion; he should be barred as an amateur, But there is hope. That large

plaster ceiling decoration directly over his head does not appear too secure; it might fall in time. Or that pool of . water on the canvas at his feet might cause him to slip and break his neck, or —gong —dong—dressing-room! * And so the great game goes on. In these amateur championships as in no other fistic event the patron gets a fair • share of everything: Quality, artistry, aggressiveness, durability, elusiveness and the novice. This is a great opportunity which many are looking forward to, and popular prices are further encouragement.

The Taranaki amateur championships eommftce in the New Plymouth Opera House to-night. # * * # Through failing to make the necessary weight Eddie Parker lost his lightheavy title to Jim Broadfoot at Auckland on Monday night. Eddie won the contest on points but he could not beat the rules.' 5 « * # # Lachie McDonald is keeping in trim with the hope of future engagements. He will now probably have a tilt at Jim Broadfoot for the light-heavy title of the Dominion. * # * The matching of Yankee Sammy sTiack and Cornstalk Bobby Delaney by the Otago Boxing Association, with a New Zealand referee officiating, provides an international flavour to the contest to be staged at Dunedin on Saturday night. The winner will be matched with Johnny Lcckie. * # # * Jackie Fields, Chicago, is the new welterweight champion of the world, having been awarded the decision on a foul over Joe Dundee in the second of a fifteen-round championship battle. Dundee was outclassed and floored twice in the second round before he was dis qualified. •s # # # “Babe” Herman, American junior lightweight recently left Australia for South Africa, where he has a guarantee of £4OO for a contest with Willie Smith, In Johannesburg. After this match Herman is off to Soulli America, where he is to receive £-2000 for four fights in Buenos Av res. « >» # * The most recent arrivals in Australia, the English team of boxers, have opened their campaign auspiciously. Harry Corbett, ex-featherweight champion of Europe, won his first contest in Sydney against American Low Bloom, the latter being disqualified in the twelfth round. A young brother of Harry’s, Dick, greatly pleased Brisbane fans when he handcd out an artistic facing to Herb. Darkle. # # * After many, many years Joe Dundee has been forced to meet a logical contender for his welter title, and suflcrcd defeat on a foul at the bands of Jackie Fields. Joo was not a great champion hut he wily and hid behind the weights to evade a title bout. Tie has suffered defeat several times since he annexed the title. Jack Thompson, the clever Negro, skittled Dundee in two rounds in non-titular contest and was in turn by Fields. Al Mello, the Boston also held two decisions over

. Greatly, handicapped. by height, weight and reach, “Battling” Siki - had little chance against the conqueror of Leekie, Pete Sarron, but he exhibited great courage in the face of terrific punishment and lasted the whole fifteen rounds.

With his baggage labelled “Home” the American welted, Meyer Grace, recently slipped aboard the Aorangi and departed from tho Commonwealth. The departure came in the nature of a surprise to Sydney Stadiums who had the .American •contracted for two more fights in Australia. Grace’s action may cause him to suffer an indefinite suspension in America. In his contests in Australia he fought with marked success, knocking out Jack Carroll and outpointing Ted Monson, while he was very popular with the fans.

111-luck seems to be dogging the footsteps of Tommy Griffiths. He sailed for Sydney- with Leekie and was knocked out by Billy McAlister after having defeated him in New Zealand. The feather champion of Australia, “Cocoa” Jackson was an easy thing for Tommy, but in his next essay he suffered a technical knock-out at the hands of Ern Connors. And Connors subsequently lost to and drew with Jackson. Griffiths then returned to his native heath, Dunedin, and was matched with Tommy Donovan at New Plymouth and Ern Connors at Wellington. Donovan had a breakdown and Connors received a' fractured jaw in a mill at Wellington. Thus poor Tommy is still on the shelf.,

Sammy Shack, a classy importation from the United States to Australia, has met with only varied success in the land of the kangaroos. Experienced against front : rankers and with a great record, Shack failed to produce his true form in Australia.

Like so many importations, the climate made him lethargical and lackadaisical in training and he found it impossible to get properly fit for any of his contests. He lost to Billy Grime, Bobby Delaney and “Cocoa” Jackson in Australia, each fight on points. However the climate of New Zealand should be more to the American’s liking and he should avenge his previous defeat at the hands of the Australian.

As game as a pebble is the only way to describe Ern Connors, who recently was outpointed by a fellow Cornstalk,' one Bobby Delaney, at Wellington, and was roundly hooted by an ignorant rabble in the back benches. Connors stopped a solid thump to the jaw when sparring prior to the contest and subsequently an examination disclosed that he fought throughout the contest with a complicated fracture. It will probably be three months before Connors "will be able to fight again. x *

The recent downfall of Johnny Leekie at the hands of the American tornado, Pete Sarron; dropped like a bombshell in fistic circles in New Zealand. There were those, including “Referee,” who dubbed the Dunedin boy as a coming champion —one who would bid fair to emulate the deeds of those other world’s champions from New Zealand, “Ruby Robert” Fitzsimmons and Featherweight Billy Murphy. Since that hectic affair'at the Sydney drome of “stoush” many have changed their opinion, but “Referee” js not one of those. Leekie will come again and before many moons will again be busily engaged in upsetting the fistic calculations of the kingpin pugilists of his division.

The eijd of the Leckie-Sarron light was was dramatic, writes Jack Elliot. The gallant little New Zealander, who had been out on his feet for the last three rounds, was punched from pillar to post in the thirteenth. He took it all like a Spartan, and never stopped making some sort of an effort to return punches. But he was exhausted by the punishment he had taken, and right swings floored him for eleven seconds before the end of the round. Dazed and weary*, Leekie awaited the count on one knee; at “nine” he climbed up an imaginary ladder, but the fatal “ten” just beat him as the bell rang for the end of tho session. Sarron dashed forward and threw his arms around tho man he had battered for thirteen rounds, and, amidst a tremendous volume of cheers from the huge crowd, the men hugged one another like brothers. There was more than one tear in the eyes of the fans,, especially those who knew from experience what an effort was required to stand up undei* the punishment tho gamecock from New Zealand had taken from the American.