BOXING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16942, 17 January 1923, Page 8

BOXING.

THE M’CLEARY-M’QUARRIE MATCH. VIEWS OF MR DOUGLAS. (Special to the “ Star.”) DUNEDIN, January 16. The trouble regarding the result of the M’Quarrie-M'Cleary boxing contest for the heavy-weight championship of New Zealand has not yet been cleared up, but an opinion obtained from Mr John H. Douglas (father of the well-known cricketer) who is touring with the English cricketers, goes to show that the referee s ruling must be final and that the attitude taken up by the Otago Boxing Association is perfectly correct. Unfortunately Mr Douglas is confined to hospital in Auckland owing to an accident he received on board ship during the voyage to New Zealand. Tt may be mentioned that Importer of the game all over the world, Mr Douglas has been intimately connected with British boxing since 1874. He has been president of the Amateur Boxing Association of England for fifteen years, referee of the National Sporting Club of England for twelve years and president of the World's Federation of Amateur Boxing Association since its foundation. Mr Douglas is still a referee of the National Sporting Club. It will be remembered that when the contest took place at His Majesty’s Theatre the master of ceremonies (Mr 8. >S. Myers) announced at the end of the eleventh round that M’Quarrie had broken a bone in his hand. Some confusion ensued and the timekeepers failed to strike the gong at. the end of the minute interval. M’Quarrie. however, insisted on going on with the fight, and the referee (Mr Kilmartin) told the men 1o "box on.” In the thirteenth round M'Cleary was knocked out and the referee awarded the fight to M’Quarrie. M’Cleary subsequently appealed to the Otago association against the fight, being given to M’Quarrie, maintaining that- he had won the contest at the end of the eleventh round. The Otago association dismissed the appeal on the grounds that the referee's decision was final. M'Cleary then appealed to the New Zealand Boxing Council, which declared the contest, “no fight " and ordered that the stake money should be equally divided between the contestants. A lot of oorrespondenoe has since taken place between the local association and association o £ r, ° e, ' ninE . the matter, and the that M’Quarrie won the fight and'that’the council had no right whatever to interfere. JS* following Questions from the Otago mixing Association were placed before Mr Douglas; u) Should any unforseen circumstances arise during the duration of a dur, "« «■<! minute’s spell beeen the rounds has the referee to use his -own discretion in dealing with it 3 tha , t ™ und <>r optll stand suspended until the referee orders " hot ever’ f 3) th « referee’* opinion final in eveiy case when be acts alone? Mr Douglas replied as follows: “ j am in receipt of your letter of the 3rd inst fov p l eaßetl to give you all the inU(«t?nn on i 1 can - Presuming that tho com. tion, notwithstanding the New- Zealand Amateur Boxing Association is not affilii.nfomld, such parent association, then the referees decision is the correct one. and tt tis own initiative Tull power to deal with any incident that may occur fins'/ 1 ® a e b n°- ut -. Tl, ° "rferee-s decision is final and subject to no appeal, therefore (he answers to your three Questions someth a f rmat, ; ve ' 1 Amateu l ; th ßoxV S l*o "'“'nV ° f ,*& P° f i thG A Wor . ,d ’ p Federation of Amateur Boxing Associations.