WRESTLING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 200, 25 August 1931, Page 4

WRESTLING

ELLIOT TO MEET LUNDYN BOUT FOR WANGANUI NEXT MONDAY NIGHT. t Fortune has smiled on tho Wanganui Wrestling Association insofar as tho second bout to be staged by that body j is concerned, for it would be hard to select a better match lor King Elliot, ' tho "New Zealand Bearcat,” than Alex. Lundyn, the "Flying Finn.” There is very littlo difference in weight t between tho pair, aud though Lundyn . is some seven years older than his opponent Elliot may be expected to match that with his brilliance. . Last week arrangements had been . finalised for the mooring of Elliot and > Sam Burmistcr, but when tho latter . wrestler flung Alley out of tho ring at Gisborne and was disqualified it was obvious that the Wanganui Association f would have to be prepared to find ! another opponent for the ex-Wanganui ; boy. At any rate, Burmistcr’s record docs not make anything like as much appeal as does that of Alex. Lundyn, and tho substitution of the Finn is all to the good. The New Zealand Bearcat. King Elliot’s record since he turned

professional less than two years ago is almost too well-known to need repeating here. In the United States ho contested 25 bouts, of which only four were lost and two ended in a draw. Thus he had tho record of -winning nineteen of his bouts. Since his return to New Zealand Elliot has fulfilled two engagements, losing the first and winning the second. Conceding the best part of 3st. to Tom Lurich at Hamilton five weeks ago, Elliot was unable to continue after resisting a punishing hold. At Auckland last Saturday week, however, Elliot carne into his own with a brilliant win over Jack Higgins, tho Australian heavyweight. About the bout the New Zealand Herald said: — ! King Elliot made a successful debut at the Town Hall, when he defeated Jack Higgins, the Australian heavyweight, in the fifth round. Higgins was picked up and dumped heavily, being unable to continue. Elliot’s success was very popular with his supporters, some of whom rushed from their stage scats to embrace him. Although this was Elliot’s first appearance in Auckland, it was not his first in the Dominion, as ho was defeated by a much more experienced opponent in Tom Lurich in a contest at. Hamilton a few weeks ago. The New Zealander has evidently profited by his former experience, because on Saturday evening ho gave a fast and scientific display, which was remarkable for a man who left the amateur ranks only at the end of last season. His knowledge of applying holds and freeing himself from same compared quite favourably with that of any of the overseas wrestlers who have boon seen in Auckland. Higgins also gave a scientific exhibition and up to the time he was slammed it looked anybody’s match. In fact. Higgins became so aggressive in the fifth round that, he looked likely to | secure a fall. Elliot, however, was j only foxing and the Australian fell ! into tho tran. i The match was one of the brightest I scon in Auckland this season and it | was worthy of better patronage, there I being only a moderate attendance. Tho I pair were evenly matched all round. I Elliott weighed 13st 81b. and Higgins | 13st. 61b. The Flying Finn. ! Alex. Lundy, the "Flying Finn.’’ is about 32 years of age and scales about 13.4, so that it may be expected he will prove well matched with King Elliot. Holding the title of champion of Finland, Lundyn has _ travelled oonsidorablv, and during his sojourn in tho United States ho contested bouts on the Pacific Coast, at Seattle, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco and "Vancouver. in addition to contests in the mid die States. Among those whom Lundyn met when touring New Zealand last, year were George alker, Scottv McDougall. Kara Pasha. Logan and Tom Ray. In recent months the Finn, has been in Honolulu, ami it is onlv.a little | over a week since he landed in Now Zealand by the Niagara. He is fast. ; spectacular, all-round wrestler, and during a sojourn of throe nr four years in ( Japan ho was wrestling and doing a "strong man” act on the boards.. As | a matter of fact, he shows a decided preference for Japanese holds as a result of his experience in the East. Ho I specialises in tho flving head scissors and Japanese toeholds. Ho appears to 'be. tho logical opponent for a wrestler ! of the calibre of King Elliot. An excellent programme of amateur ; bouts will furnish a preliminary to the professional contest, a party of Palmerston North amateurs being billed to try conclusions w’ith a Wanganui team, among whom tho Bullock Brothers and A. Marsh are expected to do well. As the prices for next. Monday night’s bout, have been fixed at very reasonable rates it is anticipated that the patronage accorded the forthcoming contest will be equally as good as that for tlm nnnnirg match. (