BOXING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17351, 16 May 1924, Page 4

BOXING

NOTES AND COMMENTS BY

"CESTUS.”

Brian M'Cleary has decided not to accept any more matches for seme time and is devoting himself to foothall, jn the hopes of being selected to tour with the All Blacks. “ Tommy ” Armstrong, the local feather-weight, is in solid training in view of a match with Pascoe at Grey-niout-h. “ Jimmy *’ Thompson lias some promising novices in u.s school, and expects them to do well in the next Canterbury championships. He :s very much impressed with the middleweight, C. Pocock. who though twice defeated shows great promise. Neville Moulin is keeping himself very fit at Jimmy Mussen’s school Moulin is the type of fighter who lA always in demand for a good preliminary bout. The Dunedin Association was extremely pleased over the success of the recent bout between Gene Volaire and Murray. Murray, now, is rightly regarded as a. fine drawing card, and there is a possibility that the association will endeavour to match Murray ami Stone. Big Jim Tracy, who for some time had a hotel in the Auckland district and who later went to America, where he rriot with varying success, is back in New Zealand. Tracy while in America was beaten by Firpo, Brennan and others, and won several ten-round bouts. He has one thing in Ins favour. He is game, and he made himself very popular in the States. His first match in New Zealand will ho in Auckland, probably on June 3. during race week, and his opponent will be Jim O’Sullivan, the Auckland heavy-weight. The bout will be of particular interest in that it will

afford a line of comparison between i'orm at the antipodes and in America.

A cable on Monday announced that Sid (Jodfrey and Billy Grime had fought a draw for the feather-weight title of Australia. The match was ior the light-weight title, which Godfrey still retains. Sydney critics did not give Grime a chance of wrestling the title from Godfrey, but the bout has proved that Grime is one of the greatest of the small men in Australia. It is safe to predict that the pmr wiil be matched :o;ain in th 3 rear future.

Billy Shade, the American light-heavy-weight, arrived in Australia on May 4 by the Niagara, says Jhe Syd-. nev i£ Referee.’’ It is three years since Shade was last here. Shade in his previous visit, was too much for all our big men, and only lost one contest, that against Francis Charles on an alleged foul. Shade has come to Australia at the right time to find out the worth of Australian heavies. Though there is a dearth of big men at present, Shad© wiil not have ary trouble in getting four or five fights. While in the States, Shade took part in nearly forty contests. He met all , the best light-heavies in the game. 110 had his fair share of wins, and was thought a good deal of in New York, where he had most of the fights. About 1 the best man that he met was Harry Greb, who gained a newspaper decision over Shade. Shade has not put on much weight since he left those shores. He will step into the ring about 12st 31b. He has done a good deal of training on the voyage hero and is in good condition. He will be ready for matches in about a month’s time. Shade left for MelItourne on the Monday with his wife. He may have his first contest in that city against Ern Waddy, the present heavy-weight champion of Australia. Albert Lloyd is also in that city. Shade bent Lloyd in a contest just before he left Australia. Billy is glad to get back to Australia. He thinks that it is a great place and as his wife i> an Australian, there is a possibility of him settling down in the country. Karl France, the American boxer, who reached Australia uith a great reparation, has so far failed to produce the goods. On May 3he suffered another defeat at ‘.e hands of Simmons, in Melbourne, Toe bout was monotonous and both men were frequently countd out by th crowd. Les Murray, who beat France in his first fight in Australia, says that France was a good fighter. * Kid” Lewis, who is now a middleweight, will visit Australia shortly in •earcb of matches. Ho should bo assur-

ed of plenty, as he lias fought Carpen tier, Todd and other good men in England. It is probable that Shade will be one of his opponents. Recently at Brisbane. Paul Demsky, , w ho was in New Zealand some time ago, had an easy victory ov<?r George Fox, the English lightweight. Fox was out for the frill count in the seventh round amt throughout the bout he showed poor knowledge of the game, and the crowd did not fail to voice their recognisance of the fact. Boxing in Australia at the present time is at a low ebb (says the “ Referee”). There is only one way in which to bring it up to the standard of past, years. The managements wall have to encourage the local talent. The boys are here, but so little inducement do they get that they wiil not trouble to do their best. Frire Rice. £*-Ught weight champion of England, leaves shortly for Av.etraliu. He is .1 hard hitting clever fighter who should do well in this hemisphere. The Australian heaVywfeight title has changed hands again (says a Sydnev paper), Waddy, the bald-headed Adelaide: bruiser, having regained it at Brisbane from Black!* Miller, who plucked it from Sheppeard's rrtarble brow after the Lithgow pug had conquered Wndrfv. Though nearly old enough to be Miller's father, the stocky South Australian hits harder and faster, and settled him in the fourth round with a right on the point. The old ’ur. is a bit of a humorist in the ring, and it is his invariable custom, after bashing a fellow-citizen on the chin, to explain to the reporters that the victim was “ the gamest man I ever fought.” Then he gathers up the young Waddvs (they ail go to see Dad box) and hits the breeze for heme. Carpentier and liis shrewd manager

Descamps have arrived in New York. According to a cable message received yesterday an attempt to block the Car. pentier-Gibbons fight and compel the Frenchman to abide by an alleged agreement to make his first American ring appearance against Gene Tunnev was frustrated when Carpentier’ 8 party evaded Tuuney’s manager and the latter’s legal forces. It is obvious that Carpentier and h ; s manager think that Gibbons is a better proposition than Tunnoy, but Carpentier will get the surprise of Lis life if this is his idea.

Homer Smith, who for a time was boomed as possible contender for Dempsey’s title, has slipped back considerably. Recently the old war horse Jack Johnson, got a decision over him . in a ton-round bout at Montreal. Joe Beckett, the English heavyweight who has retired from the ring is new a full-fledged bookmaker. Frankie Burns, the Australian boxer now in England, suffered another defeat recently when Arthur llcke, a 'Welshman, knocked him out. Jim Jeffries, whom many consider to have been the best heavy-weight-yet seen, recently filed a petition in bankruptcy. It was stated recently by several American papers that Firpo/ after his . ficht with Al. Reich on April 5. would marry and retire from the ring Evidently the report was incorrect, a.? :t is now said that he will revisit the States for the purpose of getting another bout with Dempsey. Major W ilson, the English promoter, is confident of matching Jack Bloomfield and Carpentier in London in August or September. GEORGE MENDIES DEAD. AUSTRALIA’S FLY-WEIGHT CHAMPION. George Mendies, one of the best little boxers Australia has ever seen, died at St Vincent's Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning, says the Sydney Referee.” He was knocked out bv Harr>' Gordon at the Sydney Stadium on Saturday night, striking' his head a severe blew on the padded floor. George, was carried from the ring unconscious, and did not regain his senses. An operation performed late on Monday was not successful. Perhaps r.o boxer who ever stepped ;nto a ring was more universallv popular than George Mendies. He was always a gentleman, both in and out of tne ring. No one could sav one word against the little fellow. Wherever he I went he was the same—quiet and un-

assuming. -Australia not only loses a great boxer but a fine citizen. We are the poorer by his death. Mendies, who was of Portuguese parentage. war- 24 years old. lie held the flyweight championship of Australia for many years, and to secure contests has had to go out of his class. George would fight anyone. He never cared how much weight he gave away, and generally his opponent was 5 or 01b

During his six years or more .in the ring. George met the best men his weight, and out of it. Three years ago he went to Manila where he met the present flyweight champion of the world, Pancho Villa. George was beaten in three rounds, but he put up a great struggle. lie was ill at the time and did remarkably well to go three rounds. Ho was styled and was Australia's Jimmy Wilde. You can go back as tar as you like and George will always bs called one of the best flyweights that fought in this country. Any mar, he has met near his werfcht had no chance with Inin. Fate played a big part in George's

c.s&tli, Lc.st Saturday week, tlx© Stadium management were notified that Archie Bradley could not box on Mav 3. He was to have met Harry Collins. A suitable opponent was looked for to meet Harry Gordon. Mendies was located and asked to fight the Victorian, but he turned down the contest. But alter persuasion Mendies consented to box. On Monday week the writer was speaking to George and he told him that he did not want to have the fight “ It will not draw too well ar.d there is a chance of niv being beaten.” he said. George must have some sort of a presentiment that something was going to happen. Right up to the last minute he was dubious of the deal. His wife was about to be confined. To help the Stadium he went on with the match with the sad result. To his wife and family we extend our sincere sympathy in the loss of a husband and son and a wonderful boxGcorge did his bit in the Great War, lie was on a transport for several months and served in Egypt.