THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1931, Page 6

THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHTS

SCHMELING AS BOXING CHAMPION CARNE'RA’S READY CHALLENGE. ('By Eugene Corri. —Special to News.) London, July 9. It is impossible to say when, and against whom, Max Sehmeling will defend the heavy-weight championship of the world, which he has incontestably probed his right to hold. Mr. Jeff Dickson is hopeful that he. will he able to stage the German and Primo Camera, either in Berlin, London or Paris, some time in September, but we are told by the manager of Sehmeling that the champion, who has left New York for his home, is already under contract to 7 have his next fight unrde the direction of the Madison Square Gardens people. I. should say that it is nearer the truth to say that Sehmeling has made no definite plans. That is, at least, the view of Dickson. Sehmeling, in the absence of unbreakable ties with New York, would much prefer to fight 'before his own folk, who would assuredly not countenance any such rules as those which governed his contest with Stribling. And he would be wanting in patriotism if he were not consumed with a desire to show hiirze'lf before his countrymen as the indisputable champion of the world. As was to be expected, Camera, was the first in the field with a challenge, and, when I come to apply myself to all things having to do with the title, I am bound to say that he surely fits the role of a fully qualified contender. I agree that Camera has yet to be tried highly, that his triumphant march through the States was made possible largely because of the feebleness of’the opposition, but, look where we will, we may not find one of such tremendous possibilities. There can be no doubt that' Camera, considering his severely limited opportunities, is more than an apt pupil. GIANT AN APT PUPIL. I can recollect few big men who have rudiments of boxing. He even gives style to his ways, for he stands correctly, uses his left hand as though it were natural for him to do so, and, remembering his extraordinary bulk, is unusually fast on his feet. Whether .against a scientific fighter he would forget the text-book, which he seems to have studied assiduously, may only be conjectured, yet I have the assurance that not only has he learned to discipline his body, but his mind also. And there is this to commend him. He has not, as was feared, taken on added weight. As a matter of fact, he is lighter by a stone, if not more, than when he first came to London, and in every regard is in a better shape. A fight between him and Sehmeling, my American friends say, would not be sufficiently attractive in their country. They have not been convinced that the Italian is wholly competent to fight for the title. Maybe. But I have not the least doubt that such a fight staged anywhere in Europe would be a. howling success as a business proposition. Surely all Germany would flock to see their champion. As yet the Germans have no more than a vague idea of what he can do; that is, they have not seen him in action since he ventured to America. First-hand knowledge of him begins and ends with the bouts he had at home. Those who have not seen him, since Gipsy Daniels knocked him out, must find it hard to appreciate that he has, under the most difficult conditions, beaten the world, as represented by the proved and accepted best heavy-weight of America. And if Sehmeling were to dispose of Camera, he would be considered to have removed the greatest menace to his position, certainly a fighter who more surely than any otly>r has burned himself into popular imagination. j see that Jimmy Johnson, who looked after Scott at Miami, is to put on a fight between Mickey Walker and Sharkey at Brooklyn, and we may be sure that he will pull the strings for all he is worth to have the winner matched against Sehmeling. Johnson is quite a force in America, where for years he has bcen ; known as ...“million words Jimmy” and, whoever is winner on July 22, he would have the bosses with him to a man if he insisted that Camera ,must .vyait. •’ • A POSSIBLE “SECOND DEMPSEY;” •j'.;;'- hu.,u!'. 5 ’ •• ■'' '■' '• ‘ It is surprising, but none " the ! less a ■fact, that Sharkey has still' aii enormous following. His considerable public take the view that he is more to be pitied than blamed for fouling. Sehmeling last summer, and they will not have it that he deserved to have been ruled out at Miami, I am quite certain that if Jack Sharkey were a Britisher he would have long ago been thrown overboard. However, he is soon to fight'Walker, and, if he is beaten, Jack Kearns will tell the world that in Walker he has a second Dempsey—the very man to win the title back for America. And knowing Kearns as I do, I think he would carry conviction throughout the States. In any event we must not take any of the cabled stories of the immediate plans of Sehmeling for granted. It' would not surprise me in the least if he took a year’s rest. He would be strikingly unlike the majority of previous title-holders if he returned to the ring this autumn. The probability is that he will be influenced by his coun< try’s welcome, and what Germany most desires in the modelling of his program- ■: me. If it be Germany’s wish that he ; should defend the title at home, that should be enough .to ensure Sehmeling as big a fortune he might hope to reap in the States. And the weight of money tells. J • As to Stribling I am bound to say "that I was not prepared for his defeat. He won me oveu to him when he was here, and there* was his long and varied experience to commend him. No fighter within recent years has so persistently tried for a place among the world-beat-ers, and none, when the grand opportunity came, could have more signally failed. I refuse to believe that he had gone stale. So to 'believe would be to deny the credit dtie to the German. It is but fair and proper to say of Sehmeling that' his establishment as the first fighter of all the nations is complete. The confession which we all make—, that there was seldom a period when ■ heavy-weights were less formidable —is, not. to be meant as a disparagment of Sehmeling. He has done more than could have been reasonably expected. I hope to see him in the ring, and against Camera, before, the winter comes.