BOXING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 151, 28 June 1934, Page 8

BOXING

BAER A “DESPERADO” NEW BOXING CHAMPION. TUNNEY AND SHAKFWEARE. 'lhe triumph of Max Baer over Primo Camera at New York has resulted in the heavyweight boxing division again being ruled by a swashbuckling Qucensberry “desperado” of the same type as Sullivan, Fitzsimmons, Johnson, and Dempsey, according to an article in The Ring by Wilbur Wood. “The last four title-holders have belonged to what may be termed the gentleman school,” writes Wood. “Tunney was a sort of Little Rollo. Gene did not smoko, drink, or swear, or hand around gay night spots. He spent his time reading Shakespeare and improving his mind in other ways. He never did care for the boxing world and its way, and he finally bade it farewell by resigning as champion and marrying into the upper crust of society. “ Schmeling was a model gentleman at all times. Max xva.s a quiet, re served, scholarly fellow, and in his youthful days it was a question whether he would make fighting or painting his career. Sharkey, next in line, was a queer mixture. Jack was known as the 'Loud Lithuanian,’ because of his habit of blowing off steam verbally ; but he was really not fond of the game. Camera is a big good-natured fellow. Be is a slumberous giant who likes to keep to himself, and he has no yearning to paint the town The lueal Champion. ••Jn the eyes of the public the ideal heavyweight champion has always been a man willing to take a chance on anything at any time. John L. Sullivan, most beloved of all the Queensberry kings was of that type. That is whx it was such a shock when the soft-spoken, gentlemanly Jim Corbett dethroned Sullivan. Corbett was knocked off the perch by Fitzsimmons, another of the swashbuckling type. Jeffries was a taciturn big fellow who did not lit into either type. Burns did nut cut much of a figure. Johnson was so unruly that he fell into disrepute, though his exploits may have been regarded in a different, light had he been a white man. Willard was another taciturn, sulky giant, with no popular appeal. Dempsey. I believe, next to Sullivan, came closest to fulfilling the public’s ideal of xvhat a heavyweight champion should be. “Max Baer is an extremely colourful figure, inside or outside the ring. The Livermore Larruper is always ready for fun or frolic, and as champion he xx-ill be a great news source. Dempsey, Baer’s pugilistic godfather, threw up his hands when the subject of Baer’s behaviour came up for discussion recently. ‘You can never tell xvhat Max is going to do next,’ he exclaimed. ‘lf you take him out for a walk the only way to be certain that he will‘not get into some sort of a jam is to put a chain around his neck and lead him like a performing bear.’ ”