TUNNEY WILL NOT GO BACK TO RING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 27 (Supplement)

TUNNEY WILL NOT GO BACK TO RING.

“ NOTHING IN THE WORLD WOULD LURE ME BACK.” Gene Tunnev and his bride came into Paris on a flying visit from Italy. I arranged for a special and exclusive interview with the retired world’s heavy-weight champion. I have known Tunney from the days when he was in New York, just getting started as a boxer (writes S. Robertson). Tunney had refused to see any interviewers, especially since he came to this side of the Atlantic. But I was able to arrange this talk. It was Gene’s first interview on boxing since his retirement. “How about those stories which are printed from time to time that some day you will come back?” 1 asked Gene. “They are not true,” chuckled the I retired title-holder. “I am through with professional boxing for all time. Nothing in the world would lure me back. I wouldn’t fight again for millions, and I mean it. “I have seen several stories from America which told of how I was training secretly in order suddenly to spring my ‘comeback’ on the public, but this is farthest from my mind. lam happy in my present state. I have no training worries other than what I care to perform just to keep in trim, and I have no mobs to follow me with every step I make. No, I’m through, throxigh for all time as a professional boxer, but I’ll always carry a feeling of goodwill towards the sport that enabled me to rise to the heights of champion and reap the fortune that goes with it. “I am watching with keen interest the eliminative contests for the heavyweight title. Naturatfy t hope an American will finally gain the honour of being recognised as my successor, but, from what I have read, whoever that fellow is, his road to the title will not be an easy one. With Schmeling, Sandwina and Scott as the foreign menaces, and Sharkey and Loughran as Uncle Sam’s leaders, the fight for the crown should be an interesting one.” I then said to Gene, “You know, over in the States they refuse to believe that you have finally said good-bye. They say that you are keeping in touch' with a situation which has been created by the rise of Schmeling and the sudden jump of Phil Scott’s stock. They think you are remaining away until the psychological moment arrives, and then you’ll come back to save the heavy-weight title for Uncle Sam.” “That also is bunk,” said Tunney. “I am watching the situation because I always will be interested in boxing. I

want to see how they will treat the title I won after so much hard work against Dempsey. But nothing could change my mind about staying out of the competition. “All the boxing I will do from now on will be for exercise. And not for the public. Money has no lure for me now. I have all the money I want. I won the title, I did my best by the public and the championship, and now I desire to -remain just a private citizen, unpestered by cameramen and interviewers. No, there will be no more fighting for Gene Tunney." I asked Gene Tunney what he thought of the present-day heavyweights compared with those of the past. I '.ked him whether he thought those who were seeking the title he gave up measured up to the standard of the champions of the past, including himself. Hesitating before answering, Gene, carefully weighing his reply, said: “You can’t measure present-day fighters by standards of the past. Boxing has made progress, just as have other fields. Where in the past the champions gained their prestige mostly through sheer strength and punching power, the boys of the present era depend both on punching ability and cleverness. There is no one in the field at this stage who is the equal of past champions, but there are several fellows striving for the championship who are cleverer boxers than some of our past title-holders. I perfected clever- • ness first, and then developed a punch. - That gave me two great assets, and ■ they came in mighty handy in both my fights with Dempsey. “One of the boys now in the limelight may yet reach the stage occupied by champions of the past, and I hope one does, but &reat or even good heavyweights are not found very readily."