BOXING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144051, 22 March 1913, Page 8

BOXING.

(By “Upper Cut.”)

Snowv Baker, the new proprietor of the Sydney Stadium, has lately returned from Brisbane,, where he has been for some days trying to engage the crack aboriginal boxer Jerry Jerome to; pay a visit to Sydney, in which quest ho has been successful. Jerry arrived in Sydney with , Ins trainer (Lucas), and repaired immediately to the training quarters that, had been arranged for him by Mr. Keesing at the historic Sir Joseph Bauks Hotel, Botany, where many a former champion, “including; such men as Peter Jackson and, later on. Jack Johnson did their training work. After some cpiestidning (for Jerry is a most retiring fellow) the writer elicited the information that a£ a runner Jerome has knocked up an exceptionally good record. You can run Well ? he was asked. “Pretty fair,” came the reply. Have you won many races? “Thirty-two handicaps, mostly from scratch. * I beat Postle in a heat of one of them, giving him Byds. start in lobyds."”

Just here his trainer, Mr. Lucas, came on the scene, at which Jerry seemed'pleased, for he now remarked, “He will tell you all about it.”

“A T es,” remarked Air. Lucas; “Jerry can do anything almost in the way of athletic work; ’in fact, anything on land. But don’t ask him to get into a boat. If the only means of getting to Sydney, from Brisbane were by steamer ov ‘padding the hoof.’ Jerry would prefer the latter. He is a very fair cricketer and a champion jumper, being able to clear 22ft. in a running long jump. 46ft. in a hop, step, and jump, and oft. 9in. standing high jump.” As a horsenian I believe ho is very good ? “A’es; absolutely the best man. in Queensland at breaking-in youngsters. And if there is a man in the world who can ride a buck, you can take it from me that his name is Jerry Jerome.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the aboriginal is a fair athlete, and this is how he came to take on boxing: “There came a man to a town named Warrn, where Jerry was living, and challenged any man therein to fight in the good old-fashioned style for a' fiver a-sidp. Knowing that Jerry had settled the pretensions of one or . two. young ‘shrewdies’ who thought they couldtako a rise out of him, the latter’s friends accented the challenge.. and Jerry won his first important, or, hotter still, first properly-regulated, contest. . His first clove fight, of any importance was with. \od Foran. whom he beat in four rounds in 1907. He also beat Abe Williams in'a like number of rounds in the following year; and Max Pardella was knocked out in three rounds in 1508. In the following month he was beaten by a well-known heavy-weight in four rounds, in which it is,claimed Jerry was dosed, and as a result was dangeronslv ill for a couple of weeks after. “In 1509 he beat ‘Chewev’ Williams and Wilson, both by knock-out. He accounted for George Reidy in 1510, 'bdt lost on points in 20 rounds to Arthur Cripps and Ted Whiting in the same year. In 1911 he spent a busy time, for after being knocked out by Johnny Thompson in three rounds at Brisbane, Jerry had a .visit to Sydney for the first time, and suffered defeat at the hands of Bill Rudd, who put him out in eight rounds at the old Gaiety. On his return to Brisbane he won from Regan, Godfrey, Williams, and Scanlon. “Ho has since-been defeated by Roy Kenny, but turned the tables on the American in their retnrii- match; and also accounted for Bill Rudd when they met the second time, also Arthur Cripps; and has twice lost to perhaps the cleverest big Australian boxer, Les O’Honncll.” He Balzac, whom he beat in one round at Brisbane a few weeks back, claims that the blow was a foul one, and since then has expressed a strong desire to meet him again, hence the reason why Mr. Baker has busied himself in bringing them together. The Frenchman meanwhile has been attending to his training-very seriously, and makes no .secret pf the fact that he thinks ho will win, basing his opinion on the fact that Jerry’s style of fighting will suit him down to the ground.

Alf. Pooler/ the Auckland heavyweight. was beaten by Harold Ewers, of Australia, in a ton-round bout at the Svdnoy Stadium one evening last week. Following is Mr. W. P. Corbett’s, of the Sydney Sun, account of the contost:—Two “hopes,” Alf. Pooley and Harold Ewers, each much above the average, height, and Ewers at least a head taller than Pooler, figured in a ton-round bout which finds a place in everv week's bill, and for which Mr. Pakor gives a £lO purse.. Ewers had the recommendation of having been discovered by M‘Vea, with whom ho “worked” for some time, as sparring partner, npd Poolcy's sponsor was Mick Dunn, who had had the ambitious young fellow in hand for quite a goodwhile. Rain came down in torrents as the two big fellow's entered the ring, and the noise caused by that heavy fall of water completely smothered whatever announcements were made. Pooley forced all the time, and found Ewers readily responsive. Poolcv swung most--Iv, and aimlessly as a rule. Here and there Ewers showed a fairly good left, though one which should not he hard to beat. In the initial round Pooley’s right swing just grazed Ewers’ chin, and many in the crowd grunted “ooh,” ns is their habit when a close shave occurs. Then Ewers thumped a right over the left kidney. Few real points were scored and b.o advantage worth mentioning existed at the close of the first round. Poolcv continued to make play in the second round, but it was not effective' because Jindly judged, though be did wallop the bodv two or throe times, and swung the left to the jaw. Early in the third’Mick Dunn’s “bone” scored a double neatly. Ho hurled nVht to the ribs and brought it up to the iaw. Not much of the fourth round had gone when Poolov swung a left, which ’Ewers got inside with a short right driven straight to the* jaw. Down wont Pooley. “One. two. three,” counted Referee Marrc. and Pooley rested on hands and knees, plainly dwelling there to take as much advantage of the ton seconds’ allowance as possible. At “nine” Pooley was rising, and had stood up. when the referee cried., “You’re out!” I think Marre, usuallv n cool and capable official, rushed the “out” too nuidi. Poley was on his feet, and might easily have assumed the defensive before Ewers reached him. Though Pooley had been badly shaken. Ewers is not yet so much an artist at tho game that anyone could have at nil confidently pxpected him to finish his man before the round ended. The minute’s spell might have placed Pooley as well as ho was before being floored, which being tho case he must have had at least as good a chance of winning as his opponent. There was no man among the onlookers more disappointed at Pooley’s failure than that good judge. Mick Dunn, who thought there wore big possibilities for his protege. “If you saw him fighting in the gymnasium you wouldn’t think he was

the same man,” remarked the veteran, looking as glum as could he the while. Sayers then chipped in. Said he, “I have seen Pooley put up some great goes with Colih'lsell, and, clever though Pell undoubtedly is, Pooley always had him moving at his top.” The explanation no doubt, is that Pooley was nervously anxious, so much had been said about and so much expected of him, or was he stage-struck ?