BOXING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19812, 2 December 1919, Page 7

BOXING.

BECKETT v. CARPENTIEII. . }3v Telegrapli—Presi Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received December 2, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON. November 28. Beckett and Cnrpentier meet next ! Thursday. The, contest is exciting extraordinary interest, newspapers publishing long descriptions 0 f Beckett's training at Southampton, where- the. public are lionising him. H 0 is confident that ho will win. little is known regarding Carpentier, who is training secretly at Sninmore. His party are fully satisfied with his condition, :m\ are equally confident of success. There- has been a groat rufili for seats, which are practically all sold at prices ranging from £',3 to'£3s'. Now only standing room is available at five guineas. (One of the reasons for the great public interest in this match is tho fact that tho winner is regarded as being the next opponent for Dump soy for tho world's championship. ""Beckett has caught the public eye largely owing to his decisive defeats of Bombardier Wells and Cioddard, and is regarded as tho most likely man that England has produced since the time of the late Charley .Mitchell, to regain the world's championship. Carpontier, who is the champion of Europe, has had only one engagement since the armistice, his opponent being Dick Smith, the English lightrheavy-weight. Though Carpentier won his form was considered to be considerably below that shown in prewar days, and in addition it was re- ■ ported that his general health was not satisfactory. .It was due to this, it is 1 stated, that ho sought an alteration in the date originally fixed for lus contest •vith Beckett.l