"Boxing."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13655, 25 July 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

"Boxing."

Prize-fighting, says the " N.Z. Times," is illegal, therefore thecontests that were witnessed at the Opera. House recently could not have been in the nature of- prizefights. A prize-right is a contest in which the principals come to an agreement (usually after an enormous .amount of preliminaiy verbal sparring and newspaper "talk") to right for a, stake ami a greater or less proportion of "the gate." A boxing contest i» identified as such when the competitors carry gloves ou their hands, when a purse to the winner is the sole incentive, and when the contest ie organised and carried through by a' Boxing Association. Boxing is a very tine exercise. It calls into play physique, nerve, endurance, self-control, and a number of the higher attributes. Ideally an exhibition of the sport should contain a, preponderance of these elements. Ideally, also, a boxiug competition should be judged on points. The compt»....or who shows the most activity, resource, staying power, and skill over a given number of rounds should get the plaudits and" the purse. He should be able to walk out of the ring with his faculties unimpaired, and take nourishment in the customary wa}\ But, we have the ipse dixit of the authorities for saying that that system is impracticable. Even amateur boxing requnes a " gate," ■ and to get a "gale" there must be an audience, and to obtain an audience there must be blood, a, discreet but adequate amount of blood—but still blood. The %ht, or rather, box, must have one quality to recommend it. It must, above all things, be "willing," : and if " willing " boxing in any. way resembles prize-fight-ing it is palpably not the fault of the organisers, but merely an idiosyncrasy >f their patrons. Purely us a concession to the latter' the system of judging by points has been elimiuinated, and a method of decision by "stousll" substituted. (Our readers will forgive these s eeming!v uncouth phrases, but they are fragrant of " the ring," and, therefore, cogent as well as adequate). Ho „ that when boxing j s stripped of superlatives, it is only saved from prize-fighting . by a thin partition, namely, the glove within which the horiiv hand of the "willing" contestant is deftly concealed. Now there, is another ' thin partition. It is located above the upper shelf, .and is designated the " au.iaieur status. S u , armed with his gloves and nis amateur status, the boxer comes into the arena. Shortly afterwards there'is much shuffling of feet, swing of arms and glaring of eyes, ami the contest for the purse has begun. Looking over the thin partitions, the casual observer seems to see a prize-fight. But there are the gloves, and the eminent citizens in the foreground, and he knows that tlie . raiinVr blows, the blood,. the fasfclolosiinr eyes, the yaw-looking skin and the. militant shouting oUne uni-egencrate amongst the i-pecta-merely, incidentals to an elevating exhibition carried on under unexceptionable auspices.- He, realises that he is a privileged wiltiess: of., a. 'display- of the " manly art ■ , such- as the newspapers recount with notce ,of ; admiration. - And when the, approving yells ; of :the ■ onlookers announce that; Binein has got. Smashum'-up against' the ropes and is f < dealing " .'the coup ;de\ grace,' and he sees..the Matter's maniiriata' form!,; being \ careiully . taken ■■*■ up

and curried off Mi© mailing after an indulgent umpire lias carefully " counted liim ou(," lie realises with pride that the old bad days of prize-fighting have' gone for ever, and that elevating amateurism has come, to stay. And when he reads next morning that n number of ship's firemen have been had up for brawling for nothing, and using their boney lists on one another's lineaments lo the great disquiet of his Majesty's lieges, and have been fined in substantial amounts with dungeon alternatives, he ra : ses his eyes'in thankfulness that he is living in a. civilised community where sport is tarried on on proper lines, and where \be (fighting which is allowed is carried on in a rational and legitimate manner without undue ostenalion, without unnecessary uproar, and, above all—with gloves !