FIGHT PROMOTION IN AMERICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17177, 22 October 1923, Page 4

FIGHT PROMOTION IN AMERICA.

TEX RICHARD AND HIS TV AYS. (Special to the “ Star.’’) LONDON. August .9. Mr Eugene Oorri, the ** Star’s ” boxing correspondent, writes as follows : Until I took myself to Tex Rickard’s etaclium in Jersey City, on that July Saturday two years ago made memorable by the fight between Dempsey and C&rpentier, I could only see madness in what we in this country very properly describe as preposterously large purses. I still think that there will come a day when even so shapwd and daring a man, as Rickard will bugn his fingers because of his weakness fol “frenzied finance. ” But the financial facts of even his “ wildest adventures” are such that he may plead justification for paying any money for a fight ho has set his heart upon promoting. Listen! He guaranteed and paid 500,000 dollars to Dempsev and Carpen tier ; the erection of his stadium cost 650,000 dollars. Before lio sold a single ticket, he had put down a million dollars. And yet lie got out on the right side of the ledger, notwithstanding all the grafting—which you may take from me is a high art on the other side—to the tune of 200,000 dollars at least, plus his stadium? which for fighting purposes is probably the finest in the world. The net receipts totalled 1,552,000 dollar*. And when I was asked, “Can you beat, it?” I had to confess that I most assuredly could not- And so Rickard, when folk would lash him for inviting topnotchers to help themselves, smiles behind his jjrodigiously big cigar and asks “ Who says I am crazy?” Unlimited purses in America will ' continue to be the fashion so long as Rickard is in the business. His point of view is this: “ I am a showman, f. give the public what they want, and l make them pay for it. The moment I discover that people are shy to pay for the entertainments which I offer them I will pack up and try something else. I am neither mad, nor a philanthropist. I am out for business first, last, and always. If I pay Dempsey fifty, sixty, seventy thousands pounds it is not that I am obsessed by Dempsey. Ho has got to bring mo back more than his wages. When he fail*: to do so, I will appraise the worth of Dempsey accordingly.” It is all very lamentable from our point of view. but. largely our concern must be to Keep the money side of boxing in this country within reasonable and decent bounds. So far as America matters, we may only hope that the public will kill the giant purse and so bring about a healthier state of things. I would, of course have the world’s boxing ruled and regulated bv properly constituted government, but I am afraid that each country will remain a law unto itself. Take Era nee. as personified by the International Boxing Federation. Tt carries itself ever so seriously, but we all laugh at it. I do not d >ubt its sincerity, but its rulings are the rulings of a body utterly impotent to enforce its authority. The International Federation have told us that Bugler Lake is not the bantam champion of Europe, but no one in his senses takes the slightest notice of their edict- And in the matter of Tex Rickard, who periodically staergers us by the weight of bis purses, it is very much +be same. We tell him that he is killing the game; that be must be stopped, but we know full well that we cannot put a scotch in his wheel until the dav arrives when his gigantic shows are shunned by the people, or he is made amenable to restricting edict.