FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1930, Page 4

FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION

A WORTHY TITLEHOLDER. JOHNNY LECKIE'S FINE RECORD. Boxing enthusiasts remember a time when a mere boy in his tettns, Johnny Leckie, took the ring—one in his novitiate, unknown, unheralded. In the opposite corner one Berryman. The boy is nervous, but a flurry of blows reminds him his business is to light; ami light he does. With a will and with skill his workpianship and ultimate victory pleases the house. In a while the boy becomes widely known. “A champion ill the making,” the scribes opine. And so, from victory to victory lie goes, sweeping the board at amateur championships and rarely meeting with a reverse. “The nearest approach to Jimmy Wilde I have eVer seen,’’ wafe Mr. Earl Stewart’s (the famous referee) Opinion of Johnny when he attended the championships on one occasion to select representatives for the Olympic Games. “An ideal combination of boxer and fighter and one of the best nine-stoncts. since Billy Mui-phy,” added Mr. Stewart. High pl-aistt, indeed, for Billy MUrphy Wais’ it world’s champion. Leckie did no ; make the trip to the Olympic Games hilt decided to turn professional. Since he made his decision to forsake amateurism Lfeckie has engaged in 36 contests. Among others Erie Harley, Australia, a clever boy, Billy Melton, Australia, Norman Gillespie, Australian featherweight . chainpion, Teddy Gi-cen, bantam champion of Australia, Archie Hughes, Australia, Norman Radford, Britain, Tommy Barber, Australia, Charlie Glassqri, Australia, in his earlier b’outs weie forced to submit to the Weight arid frequency of his flying gloVttS. He lost a decision to Tommy Barber (a verdict that caused much controversy), and was ruled a lesser scorer than Charlie Glassoh after a spell. Offered returns for iiicrative purses Barber and Glasson would have none of Leckie and left hotfoot for Australia to take advantage of the fact that they held decisions over the youngster who by his deeds in .the riim wiis attracting attention .'oversea*. It is significant that neither Barber nor Glasson was considered as an opponent for Johnny when he riiade the trip to Australia shortly afterwards. Early last year it was that Leckie crossed the Tasman well credentialled, but even his most ardent admirers did not anticipate that hys faultless footwork arid control of hands would be sufficient to so effectively cope with the tdp-riotcliers who were at that time available in the featherweight division ih Australia. His first bout; that with that great boxer Grime, brought him faille. In the fourteenth round the referee decided Grime was well beaten and incapable o$ further defence.

BOUts with clever Claude Wilson he won by clear margins and in Australia arid New Zealand the lad Leckie was acclaimed at his trite worth. “Wonder Boy,” “Fighting Johnny,” and, greatest of all, “The Little Darcy,” were nickliaihes bestowed upon him by the newspaper critics and fans. Then came his greatest effort. He stepped into the rin<>- to exchange buffets with no less a person than Pete Sarron. Johnny won a bout that is still spoken of in Sydney ris a ring epic. Commenting on the contest, a prominent critic wrote: — “The boy, for such he is, was opposed to Pete Sarron, tough as teak, and With skill sufficient to take decisions over near world’s champions in his homeland, U.S.A. The manner in which Leckie in the early rounds i’oUght toe-to-toe with his doughty opponent, was battered almost to insensibility during the middle stages, only to make a sensational recovery and valiantly. box his .way to a splendid victory, has indelibly stainped upon him the hall-mark of class.” Tile “Little Darcy” is a nickname bestowed upon Lepkie by Australian sports writers, and it gives some idea of thb place he has won in the hearts of the Australian boxing fraternity, for the Australian is ever trudging of his praise where it is unwarranted;

Leckie possesses all the essentials necessary in the make-up of a champion. Of ability to rissimiliate punishment he has ample; the neatness of his footwork would find favour with the most fastidious. That there is no “yellow” Streak in him lias been demonstrated. Allied to the above Leckie has the kinick of skilfully blending the .science of the sport with the ability to fight. In a return with Sarron, the New Zealander went down, colours flying. From a heavy blow in the second round he was almost knocked out, and the effect of the blow was apparent throughout the fight, which ended in the 13th round. And, incidentally, that fight was postponed on account of Johnny’s contraction of influenza. But Leckie was greater in defeat than in victory, and lie won an enduring place ill the history of the ring by his wonderful display in the face of overwhelming odds. Stlidiuiiis, acting upon the advice’ of its medicos, released Leckie, and he returned to his homeland, still a sick nian. At Dunedin after a few weeks’ spell lie was matched with Sammy Shack, a bout lie won well. But for some mouths that followed lie was sorely beset by illhealth, aiid his sitppottprs feared he had seen liis best days. Further grounds for' their fears came with Leckie’s defeats on points by Tommy Crowle and Billy Grime, but ’it is a long lane that has no turning, arid with the exception of the unfortunate influence Sarron -wields over Johnny, he has of late months performed brilliantly; winning by knock-outs over Gleh Leslie, Tomhiy Donovan and Teddy Nelson, and won a. points decision over Sammy Shack. Leckie holds the featherweight cllanipionsliip of New Zealand, han done so for the past two years and a-lialf, and to those ri-lio know his unassuming and straightforward manner,- Ills Cleveland aggressive methods in the ring, lie is a fine, a worthy champion.