DONOVAN TO FIGHT BLAY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1931, Page 9

DONOVAN TO FIGHT BLAY

NEXT WEEK’S BIG BOUT. It can be taken for granted that the stadium at Western park will be taxed very near to its capacity next Saturday to see the brilliant young Australian boxer, Bobby Blay, in action for the second time against the New Zealand featherweight champion, Tommy Donovan, of Waitara. Blay made such a brilliant showing oh his first appearance in New Zealand, when he so decisively defeated Johnny Leckie, of Napier, ex-featherweight champion of tlie Dominion, at Wellington a while ago, and aubsequen.iy defeated Donovan so convincingly that many enthusiasts Are wondering whether the Taranaki man on this occasion will be capable of epiphasising the claim that has been made by his supporters and old rival, Pete Sarron, th,.t .no boxer in the world can beat him twice. There are some who arc quite definite that here at last is one whose impenetrable defence, lightning short jabs, which come like the snap of a pistol, and flair for all-the-time fighting have provided a problem for Donovan which he cannot solve.

Only nineteen years Blay has already fought 21 15-rouhd contests in Australia, and of these he' has won 20, 11 of them by the short route. 'I he one battle he lost was to Bowden, on a foul in the fourth round, timt he . had his revenge by knocking Bowden out in the 12th round of the very next contest.

Donovan has settled down to serious training and despite the trouble he has experienced with a poisoned finger is reported to be in wonderful physical condition. In that state he is a very tough proposition. Nominations coming forward from Taranaki amateurs reveal that the. best talent is offering for the preliminary contests, and the tournament promises to set a new standard for boxing in the province.