BOXING.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17008, 22 January 1927, Page 18 (Supplement)

BOXING.

(By “Left Lead.”) ANSWERS TO QUERIES. “Ropes.”—(l) Hughie Dwyer is on the toboggan long since. (2) Eugene Volairc is still fighting and getting some shekels. “Taffy.”—Jimmy Wilde was British flyweight champion in 1919-20-21-22-23. “Digger.”—lt is some 10 years or so since the New Zealander, Dave Smith, relinquished boxing. He was a tutor after that, but I haven’t heard of him in that capacity lately. Sydney Referee could direct you definitely. R/Sade and In Prospect. Dick Loveridge, of New Plymouth, has a bout in his home town for January 29, when ho will tackle the Filipino, Salvino Jamito. There is a prospect of the Otago Association matching Lin Robinson, of Gisborne, and Tommy Griffiths. If it comes off the featherweight held by the evergreen Robinson, will be at stake. Loveridge and McKnight. The matching of Dick Loveridge, of New Plymouth, and 'Nelson McKnight, of Hamilton, for Te Aroha on February 22 should bring a big crowd to that centre. They can be sure of an attractive bout,, as both boxers are well matched. They have met twice previously, Loveridge having a win and a draw to his credit. The draw was declared at Cambridge a few weeks back in one of the best contests that had been staged in the Waikato. Owing to a cold McKnight was not quite at his best on that occasion. Loveridge is a very tough customer, who likes to be in the fight all the way. The pair are well matched physically, and, whoever should succeed in getting the referee’s nod on the coming occasion, the crowd are promised a vigorous encounter. In running through the list of amateurs engaged to supply the preliminaries some of the very best of talent is scheduled, and the supporting events to the principal attraction should provide many stirring, encounters. A Difference. Judging from attendance In the theatre, one would imagine boxing to he of very secondary consideration in the sporting world, but if the attendance at the free stunt during the Mardi Gras is anything to go by, then it is nearly as popular as Rugby, says a Napier paper.

Coming Across. Tommy Fairhall, the Australian, who created such a favourable impression in the Dominion, and who has been out of the game for some time, contemplates a return visit in search of matches.

Jimmy Allen, the lightweight, who boxed a draw in Sydney with Charlie Purdy, will come to New Zealand if matches can be arranged, lie would particularly like to meet Trowcrn, and Purdy says he will meet the Sydn'cy lad in any centre that can produce a competent referee.

The film of the DempseyTunney fight rather belles the cabled reports of the match. According to the latter, Dempsey was belted all over the ring In the closing rounds, and only just escaped the k. 0., but the picture clearly shows that, although Dempsey was outpointed, he was a strong aggressor in every round, and was still fighting hard at the finish. Tunney did not attack ; onco, being satisfied to let Dempsey do all the leading. Dempsey, a good fighter, shows up badly as a boxer, and Tunney, a good boxer, doesn't appear to be a really great fighter. The Old-time Stylo. Thovor G. Wignail, Iho London Daily Mail boxing writer, stands up for the old-time style of boxing. He writes fis follows Almost all the British heavy-weights of the moment arc fighting as Englishmen fought over 100 years ago. They are standing up instead of crouching, and driving in straight lefts instead of swinging round-the-corner blows. The chief heavy-weights in the United States at this moment —Tunney, Delaney, Sharkey, Monte Munn and Persson —all of

whom I have seen, are fighting just as Jem Mace and others before him did This is a point worthy of attention. It means that a new era—especially in heavy-weight fighting—is setting in, that the day of the crouches is over, and that the style that first made boxing an art is returning to its own.

How Grime Does It. The two latest opponents of the Australian feather and light-weight champion boxer, Billy Grime, have been left-handers, and the slim, palefaced lad has disposed of them both with the greatest ease and a righthand wallop (says the Sydney Bulletin of January 5). Havilah Uren lasted into the seventh round in Melbourne at light-weight limit, while Eddie Butcher, welter-weight champion (lOst silb) went down and out in the fourth round at, Sydney Stadium. Grime was 9st Alb, a mere Boz. over the feather limit,. It was a fine feat for the pug, who can now claim a triple crown. All through his victorious career Billy has fooled his opponents by wagging his left hand around as if preparing to hook, and so distracting ihe other fellow’s attention from his devastating right lead. This last comes like a flash of lightning, when if will he most, effective. Fooled, foiled and .flustered by Grime's amazing shiftiness and speed, Butcher was barely n bit of exercise for the champion, till a very heavy right to ihe mark put him out of action in the fourth round.

Action Defended. The cable reported that, Tiger Flowers had lost the middlo-wojpht, world’s championship io Mickey Walker on points in a ten-round contest at Chicago on December One, report says: “The decision was so stunning that it was booed.” Flowers’ manager protested against the dosion, and the Illinois Slate Commission held an investigation, but, naturally enough, refused to reverse the referee's decision. It decided, however, that in future two judges, in addition to the referee, will decide all contests. The commission in its investigation found there veas no collusion or crookedness on the part of Referee Yangcr; that the decsiion was strictly an honest one and that Yanger rendered his verdict in accordance with the rules of boxing as promulgated by the commission. The commission took the spectators to task for booing, inferring that the patrons were ignorant of the rules of the sport. Yanger said his ruling was partially influenced by Flowers’ continued open-hand hitting, his declaration that he was fouled and AValk cr ’ s aggressiveness.