SCHMELING WAS A LAMB;

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 4

SCHMELING WAS A LAMB;

HIS BOUT WITH FOORD I A CHIVALROUS CAVALIER ! VICTORY BY GOOD MARGIN If the purpose of Max Schmeling was to score most points in his fight with Ben Foord, the South African, f former British and Empire heavy- . weight champion, at Hamburg on y January 30, he succeeded and well r earned the laurel wreath with which 1 he was adorned. The margin of „ marks In his favour at-the end of 12 rounds was considerable, writes B. L Bennison in the London Illustrated t Sporting and Dramatic News. But Foord may claim to have exceeded the expectation of critics al- , iriost without exception: he was . thought to have little, if any, chance, t against the black-muzzled, grim, iron- , framed German. It is, indeed, a feather in his cap that he was on his , feet at the finish, and that, save for I a bursted nose and aching ribs, he was I none the worse physically or mentally. , Only he was healthily tired, for [ Schmeling, having made sure as early . as the third round tht he was master, took on the role of an especially chivalrous cavalier, sparing his opponent punishment, wholly content establish a lead which would leave no doubt of his superiority. For which I am sure Foord was grateful. It was a truly pleasant affair, to the less discriminting of some 25,000 people who paid little short of £20,000 for places at the ringside. There was in it no viciousness, and Mr. Pippow, the referee, was not in the least exercised. At no stage of the contest was there the least likelihood of even a mild kick over the traces. Mutual Admiration. I saw Schmeling at a party he gave to celebrate his victory. “The fight,” he said, “was just what I wanted, 12 rounds of fast boxing—an ideal prep-, aration for Joe Louis next June.” Schmeling plans to leave for New York in April, certain that he will not again be denied second match for the world’s championship. He is unstinted in his praise of the gallantry of Foord, and the young man from Durban is equally generous in his eulogies of the German. I will leave them to their admiration of each other. I am not disposed to quarrel with them for striking a new note in affairs of the ring, out I cannot agree with Foord it given an opportunity he would beat Schmeling. He is entitled to every credit for having covered the stipulated journey, but I am bound to saj that in every important regard the German is the more accomplished boxer and the more telling fighter. For reasons which I will not attempt to explain, Schmeling having once made it clear that he could knock Foord out, preferred to give to the fight the appearance of an exhibition. He threw seriousness overboard even to the extent of holding Foord up in tiie ninth round instead of hitting him full on his exposed jaw as it was child's play to have done. Which, to put it charitably, was mistaken kindness, if it did not give to the light the dressing of a farce. A lighter with knees that had been made to sag, and a fighter, too, without a semblance of a guard invites a knockout. Foord, with three or four rounds to go. was such a fighter. I Small wonder here were dark hints I and louder than murmurings when Schmeling with a right hand all ready to apply the closure stood off so that Foord might take a sorely-needed breather.'

The Sentimental Journey

If Schmeling on any previous occasion had so spared an opponent he might have been excused for his shyness to do the obvious; but his real lighting seif tells of a killer, and by handcuffing himself he merited sharp criticism. A sentimental pugilist on active duty is impossible. I intend no belittiement of Foord when I give it as my decided opinion that it was by the grace of Schmeling that he was on his feet at the close.

Having regard to the thousands of pounds paid to see him perform and his fee of something like £6OOO, it behoved him to give more than what to me was no more .nteresting than an everyday exhibition. I found him vastly more entertaining when engaged with his sparring partners, for then he gave the appearance of actuality to what was confessedly makebelieve. If the Dobbins of his camp were open to being bumped off, over they were sent like ninepins—they were not treated to half measures. The unvarnished truth is, that against Foord, Schmeling having allowed him abundant scope for the employment of his left hand and a “secret” punch, he sought to act a part for which he was never intended. His concern for •'oord would have been positively touching had it not been so biantant.

I am pleased for the sake of Foord that he was not made Io feel and

suffer the full weight of Schmeling's right hand, but a fight is a fight or nothing at ill. Upon reflection it may dawn upon Schmeling's countrymen that they paid a small mint of money for the privilege of seeing an imitation Schmeling, and that the fight which was in the nature of intensive pro:e.ganda missed fire. Neither as a test of skill nor as an exposition of the delights of boxing was the contest worthy of the occns'on. In sparing Foord, Schmeling missed a very desirable boat and gave an exaggerated value to the fighting qualities of Foord who, despite generous concessions, did not win. according to my reckoning, more than three of the 12 rounds. I erme away from Hamburg with an uncoml'or'able feeling of l;aving wasted precious time and good money.