THE SPORT OF BOXING

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1929, Page 4

THE SPORT OF BOXING

DONOVAN IN ACTION AGAIN AMATEUR TOURNEY AT HAWERA LIST OF FIXTURES IN PROSPECT. Saturday.—Tommy Donovan v. Tommy Griffiths, at New Plymouth. Oct. 19. —Tommy Donovan w. Hector Leckie, at Stratford. Oct, 31. —Amateur tournament at Ilawcra. Oct. (late).—Johnny Leckie v. Billy Grime, at Napier. November.—Tommy Donovan v. another (probably Grime), at Wellington. * « W Another recent defection from the ranks of the Lily whites is Bill Carey, amateur lightweight champion of New Zealand. With Art Collins (Australia), Carey appeared in the ring at Ashburton, and challenged the winner of the Leekie-Leslie contest. # * # # The decision of the Hawera Boxing - -Association to stage all amateur contests in its tournament on October 31 should meet with the approval of boxing enthusiasts. In comparison with other districts the Taranaki honour and glory ■ brigade are well treated, but that is as it should be, for after- all associations are formed for the purpose of fostering amateur boxing. * * # . #■ The protracted argument between Johnny Leckie and the Otago association has been settled by the council. Otago claimed that it had Leckie signed up for three fights, with the right of another three, but Johnny claimed that he could fight for whom he liked. The council upheld Leckie when it decided that there was nothing in the agreement to preclude him fighting under any other association. * # # .* Billy Grime, ex-triple champion of Australia, is ’ due to arrive in the Dominion on October 22 to light under the auspices of the Napier association, which has secured the services of Johnny Leckie as an opponent. Grime suffered the first knock-out in his career at the hands of the southerner and is anxious to wipe out the stain of that defeat. Form plays some strange pranks, for subsequently Grime defeated the American, Pete Sarron, who had previously knocked out Leckie. Wellington is also getting busy and making every endeavour to stage a Donovan-Grime clash Taranaki associations, wake up! ■* * % #

In a little more than three weeks the welter champion of New Zealand, Artie Hay, has had three contests for three wins. At Auckland he skittled Charlie Purdy in five rounds and a week later secund a somewhat lucky decision over Peg. Trowern at Stratford. Artie then set out after - big game and tackled Lachie McDonald at Auckland with the middleweight title at stake. Hay knocked the tough Scotsman out in twelve and is now a dual title holder. * * # # The result of . the,contest came as a big surprise to the majority of the spectators, as Macdonald was believed to be a hard man co stop and Hay has hardly the reputation .of an anaesthetist, although his right is a dangerous weapon. Macdonald went berserk at the start, and tried to summarily end the affair in the first few rounds. Hay, however, is a hard man to put down, and he was too wily to block with the vital points of his anatomy, the hefty smiles of his op- . ponent; he preferred to take them on the gloves. A wound above the eye that streamed blood freely, inconvenienced Hay for a time, but after the eighth he definitely took control, with lefts to the face and solid rights to the head and body. In the tenth Hay dropped his man for the first time, and the southerner was on the boards again in the eleventh. With Macdonald’s strength sapped, IJay went in to finish the fight in the twelfth, and after Macdonald had thrice been forced to assume the horizontal position the adjudicator intervened and Lachie stated after the fight that he thought he had had too long a lay-off. # # # If the Hawera association <is sirccessful in definitely arranging its star bouts for its coming tournament, then it is doubtful if, outside the finals of the New Zealand championships, such a galaxy of amateur talent has ever appeared before a Dominion boxing audience. The association has secured the services of seven provincial champions and two run-ners-up in the New Zealand championships. H. Thomas, the Wellington lightweight champion and nmner-up to W, Carey in the New Zealand lightweight championship, has intimated that he is available to meet that brilliant Tara- | naki lightweight champion, L. Christensen, New Plymouth. An endeavour is being made to match E. Griffin, holder of the Taranaki middle and light-heavy titles, with L. Walker, the light-heavy-weight champion of 'Wanganui, A. Duggan (Hawera), provincial welterweight champion, has been matched with Alex Day (Taihape) who, under the name of James, was defeated in the final of the New Zealand lightweight championship two years ago by Ted Morgan, ex-ama-teur welter champion of the world. In the bantamweight division M. Childs (Stratford) has been matched with Hayward (Normanby). Spavin (Hawera) has been matched with Talbot (Elthain), and Litchwark (Hawera) with Brereton (New Plymouth). * * # *

It is doubtful if many fans enthused when the Stratford association announced that it had secured the services of Hector Leckie for the Waitara tornado, Tommy Donovan. The Dunedinitc, a cousin of the famous Johnny, practically only started on the road to fistic fame when he administered the sleep potion to Jim Cottcrcy, Pctone, in the fourth round. C'ottercll was well known by Taranaki fans to be not a very tough proposition to a hard hitter. Donovan accounted for tho Petonite in three rounds. But when tho news came through last Saturday that Leckie had knocked out .he Aucklander, G. Leslie, in six .rounds, it dropped like a bombshell into pugilistic ranks, and made many sit up and wonder just how good this member of tho Leckie clan was. Leslie, in his first professional contest, lasted the distance with Donovan at New Plymouth. The Waitara boxer on that occasion brought all his guns to bear on the Aucklander in an endeavour to maintain his reputation as a knock-out artist, but Leslie not only weathered the storm, but was fighting back at the finish. The Wanganui association next matched the pair, and again Leslie went tho distance. Donovan secured the decision, but there was little between them. Leslie then had a somewhat easy

victory over the Stratford boxer, Kid Smith, and travelled to Ashburton in the pink of condition. The New Zealand Boxing Council awarded the vacant lightweight title to the winner, who also secured the Truth Belt. Thus the Stratford association will have as one of its principals on October 19, Hector Leckie, lightweight champion of New Zealand. It has secured the services of two sensational fighters, both knock-out specialists, both scorrers of pretty boxing, and both, once the initial gong has sounded, bundles of super-charged energy. With two such terrific thunpsers in the ring anything might happen. It brings to one memories of the two new historical clashes between the American, Pete Sarron, and New Zealander Johnny Leckie. On the first occasion Sarron almost pummelled Leckie to insensibility, but the New Zealander made a wonderful recovery in the seventh session, and outslugged the American to win the most sensational fight seen in Australia since the days of Les Darcy. Next time the pair met Leckie suffered the ignominy of a knock-out • for the first time in his career. At times during that contest both were many times on the verge of failing, to rise in time, but Sarron outlasted the New Zealander, and knocked him out in the 13th round. The clash between Don-nan and Leckie promises ti be just as sensational. Incidentally, the contest should add many shekels to the coffers of the Stratford association.

’ The weights were announced at Ashburton as Leckie, 9.3 A; Leslie 9.5. Both j stripjKd in first-class fettle, and the * Aucklander set the pace at the gong. ’ Leckie was more aggressive and swung ’ vicious lefts and rights to his opponent’s face. In the second round Leckie hammered Leslie to the ropes and made him 1 sag at the knees with a solid left to the > point. Leslie was twice floored for eight in- the third session, rose unsteadily, but cleverly weathered th round in spite of Leckie’s strenuous endeavours to apply the closure. The minute’s spell was a boon to the Aucklander, who jumped out refreshed in the fourth and tried, in a brilliant effort, to swing the margin of points in his favour. The fifth was fought in much the same manner, Leslie back-moving and countering prettily. The sixth round opened with a sharp interchange of blows at the end of whichLeckie landed with a right to the jaw and sent Leslie down for nine. Leckie waded in, intent of rendering his opponent hors de combat, but Leslie smothered. Manoeuvring his opponent round the ring Leckie sought an opening. The opportunity came and wds seized with alacrity. A- feint with the left and a hard right to the point and Leslie fell across the ropes, sank to. the floor and took the count. He made a game, but ineffectual attempt to rise at nine. TO-MORROW’S GREAT FIGHT. . The stage is set for the clash between Tommy Griffiths and Tommy Donovan at the New Plymouth Opera House to-morrow (Saturday) night. Undoubtedly this is the greatest obstacle the Waitara man has had to negotiate during his brief but meteoric professional career, for Griffiths has been mixing it with those at the top for the past two years, and it is to his credit he has never yet engaged in a contest which has been described as a drab affair. His methods, like those.' of - the popular local pug, ensure clean and. crisp two-handed exchanges all the time. Tommy Donovan’s is. a-name To conjure with in fistic circles in New Zealand, and if circumstances- permitted his travelling to other districts there is ■no questioning tho fact he would become the greatest draw card in the land. So far as Taranaki is concerned he already fills the bill. But Grif. is much tougher proposition than any of the boys Donovan has punched into dreamland on his journey up the fistje ladder of fame. He is no ring sluggard who is thought of sufficient worth to stack against men of the calibre (and incidentally hold his own) of that great little Australian bantam Teddy Green, Englishman Norman Radford, Australian Tommy Barber, Billy McAllister and “Cocoa” Jackson, and last, but by no means least, our own “Fighting Johnnie.” Make no

mistake Griffiths cannot be held up as a soft snap for Donovan by any means. If Donovan' can send his opponent the way of other good pugs he has met tho he will have achieved something worth while. In connection with to-morrow’s contest arrangements have been made so that seats at the ringside, dress circle and stalls may be reserved at Collier’s. Country patrons are reminded that there is no extra charge for booking and if they ring- and reserve their seats there will be no risk of being turned away. Increased ringside accommodation has been arranged by the association.