OLD-TIMERS OF THE N.Z. RING.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 183, 4 August 1931, Page 4

OLD-TIMERS OF THE N.Z. RING.

MAORILAND BOXERS WHO FOUGHT WITH THE BEST. The approach of the New Zealand Amateur Boxing Tournament draws the attention of the sporting community to yet another branch of athletics in which the Dominion has a long and honourable record. In racing, Rugby football, cricket and rowing this small country has registered performances altogether out of proportion to the size of its population; and though the feats of the football and cricket teams are followed more closely and gain greater publicity, no small debt of gratitude is owing to the men who have added fame to Maoriland’s reputation by their prowess in the twentv-four-foot First of all it was in the professional -ona that New Zealanders shone. Some, after winning good battles here, crossed the Tasman and won further laurels in Australia, a country that has always had a good crop of professionals to repel invaders from other lands. Some went on to England and America, and on several occasions a. world’s ehampionshp title has passed into New Zealand hands. The amateurs have less chance to compete with the elite of other countries, but the record they held in the Australasian championship tournaments, which were continued as late as 1920, was wonderfully good. One man was sent to compete at the English championships and did creditably, and a New Zealander has won his weight at the Olympic Garties. Fought All Coiners. The first professional to do well overseas was feather-weight Billy Murphy, an Auckland tailor, a diminutive fighting machine who considered his lack of weight no handicap. Billy would fight anyone within two stone of his own weight, and results justified his optimism. It was in 1891. on January 13. that Billy climbed through the ropes of a San Francisco ring and, after a bitter battle, wrested the world’s title from “ Spider ” Weir. Billy is still in the land of the living, and on occasions can be coaxed into telling of that great figkt. „ The Great Fitz . It is impossible to dwell on boxing in New Zealand without turning to Bob Fitzsimmons, one of the most remarkable fighters the game has known. Bob fought all the best in Australia, with gratifying results, then set sail for America, where the champions grew. There he met Jack Dempsey, the “ Nonpareil ”, then considered the best middle-weight the world had known. When he came to, Dempsey confessed that the ungainly, hard-hitting New Zealander was quite beyond him. Fitzsimmons won the light-heavy-weight and the heavy-weight world titles, beating Corbett for the latter and then going down to the rugged Jeffries. The iight-heavv-weight crown he won from George Gardner. Dan (Teedon, a middle-weight from Invercargill, beat the best in New Zealand and Australia, and most of the best men in America. IFe beat all the near-champions, but was never given a fight for the world title, otherwise New Zealand might have had another to ndd to the list. Another who might l ave gone far was Jimmy Hagerty, who after winning the Australian amateur title turned professional. He won several good fights in first-class style; but he joined up with the New Zealand Army and lost his life in the greatest battle of all. Tom the “ Hard Rock

Till, recently still a performer in the American ring. Tom Heeney, of Gisborne. has a warm place in the hearts of New Zealanders. Tom beat Brian M Cleary for the New Zealand championship. and then set out for fame and pelf in other lands. When he was 1 eaten in England by “Horizontal Phil'' Scott, the weeping English champion, his chances did not look good, but once in America he did not look back till beaten in a challenge bout with the scientific Tunnev, champion of the world. Tom beat such hard battlers as Risko, Delaney and Paolino, and fought a draw with Jack Sharkey, the “ Boston Sailor,” who recently smashed the champion Schmeling to the canvas, only to be disqualified on a foul. Tom has put on a lot of weight since then, and has faded well out of the championship class. Others who have done well in Australia are Otto Cribb, the son of a Christchurch tobacconist, Les Murray, of Dunedin. Lachie M’Donald, Charlie Purdy and Johnnie Leckie. A Great Amateur. Ted Morgan, now a professional, will always be remembered by his wonderful performance at the Olympic Games at Antwerp. After hurting his punishing left hand early in the proceedings, he nevertheless fought right through the welter-weight division and won the final in masterly manner. The hardhitting southpaw has not done so well in the professional ranks as his amalur performances promised, but is to be ranked with the country’s best. Jim Griffin, who afterwards turned professional, won the Australasian middle title at the first amateur international contest in Sydney in 1903. and the next year, at Christi hurch. won both the middle and heavy-weight divisions. Harvey Tay--1 jt\ Lachie M'Donald, Charlie Purdy, Dick Mayze and Nat Williams are others whose fine form was too good for the Australian amateurs. The record is a fine one. At the present lime there is great enthusiasm among the amateurs, and more boys than ever before are embracing the game and showing good form. Oldtimers who visit the championships at Ashburton should not be disappointed, though, doubtless, they will draw invidious comparison with “ the boys who fought in my time, sir!”