BOXING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10756, 30 April 1913, Page 3

BOXING.

In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. of the V> flliuf.it 0:1 Hosing Association on April 22 tho chairman, Air M'Yilly, said that he did nob do so with much pleasure. Ile> thought the Position thoy found themselves in after_ a very strenuous year was a matter tor very sinroro regret. In 1910 the credit balance was £519 l.s, in 1013 it was £172 His. Ho was of opinion that the Association had put on too many lnauhe.-; during tho year. Only ono competition, lliu amateur tourney, had showed a profit. lie advised the com-mit-too to go back to the old policy of four or five competitions annually,

Following is something about Petty Officer Curran, the Irish heavy-weight, who has just arrived in Australia under engagement with the Sydney Stadium management:—-Mat Curran, the fighting bluejacket, _ more generally known as " P. 0.," should be the incarnation of pugnacious excellence. Charged with the virility of youth, possessing the instant efficiency and airtight trigger initiative taught by the Royal Navy, imbued with the fighting spirit of tho Irish, and enjoying extraordinary physical development, he looks lit enough to overcome something more substantial than flesh and blood. His personality is aggressive—standing sft i-Oin in his bare feet, his fighting weight is 14st lilb. He has a chest development of 46in, and a reach of 77in, an inch longer than Johnson's. The shoulders of tho man look like two ledges of reck. His face is rugged'leoking, to put- the matter generously. Curran should be glad that he is in the game. if only for the fact that boxing sometimes puts new and unsuspected features 011 a man. If his appearance is aggressive liis conversation is not.

In dealing with tho opening night's boxing in connection with the Nc-w South Wales amateur championships, W. F Corbett. writing in the " Sun," made tho following remarks concerning the much-discussed question with respect to the proper position for a referee to occupy during the progress of a bout: "Arthur Scott, as referee, officiated from out&ide the ring, probably because amateurs are more amenable to discipline than professionals, but the change was agreeable to the mind and the eye. "Whv can we not always have it that way? The referee at the National Sporting Club, London, does not find it necessary to be with the men, excepting on rare occasions, and then only for a moment or two. Professional contests were controlled from without the ropes in those great days of Australian boxing round about a quarter of a century back." Judging from the foregoing, Mr Corbett declares himself an advocate of the out-of-the-ring position, just as I am myself. I never could see the necessity for the referee being in the ring to adjudicate upon a boxing match; but, when boxers are permitted to make special rules to govern their contests, and the promoter is complaisant in that direction, and when the contest is a boxing bout in name only, being in reality a combination of boxing, wrestling, hucging butting, etc., conducted under the all-in rules, then I am prepared to admit that very likely it is necessary for the referee to be" in the ring. But when it comes to a real Simon Pure boxing contest, under a proper code of rules, then I must say that for the life of me I cannot see why a third party requires to be in the ring. In New Zealand, the official who cannot control a boxing bout from outside the ropes is out of place as a referee. After giving side by side the class weights in existence in England, Australia and New York, Mr TV. F. Corbet t. iii the Sydney "Sun." writes entertainingly on the weight question, and concludes with the following remarks:—The New York Commission worked on a decimal basis in fixing their bantam, feather, light and welter limits. There is a difference of 101b between each, then a jump of 131b is made to the middle-weight mark, and 171b to what is called the •• Commission" boundary. I prefer "Commission," or any other term to " light-heavy-weight," _ which, being a combination of opposites, never did appear right to me. Springing nearly a stone m one and more than a stone in another of the heavier divisions was unavoidable. and not too much. There is only a trifling variation between what now binds English boxing in a weight connection and the new American rules. To my mind, both scales might be improved, but sooner than propose that we embark upon the task of endeavouring to set the rest of the world right I rise to suggest that Australia should adopt the English scale, which is the better thought out. Margins are more fittingly regulated than those in the work oif the Now York people. The difference of (51b between fly-weight and bantam-weight. 81b between "bantam and feather-weight, and Plb between feather and light-weight- is a necessary sliding scale, which proves some thinking out. The lightest under lOst is not called upon to give away anything unreasonable. America's new discovery in the bantam class is "Ivid" "Williams, who recently had the best- of a ten-round bout with the French champion, Ledoux, and is now listed as the next opponent for Johnny Coulon. tho champion in the class. The pair have met in a tenround bout, with the honours going to "Williams.. Coulon has engaged in few contests of recent years. No one has challenged his right to the title, and

as he is independent, having carefully invested his ring earnings, he has taken things easy. The lime has arrived now, however. when he must either meet William.! or nvsign. V» illinins, by the way, is known as the •' Hercules in a capsule."