TUNMEY-HEENEY ENCOUNTER

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17466, 28 July 1928, Page 8

TUNMEY-HEENEY ENCOUNTER

NEW ZEALANDER'S GAMENESS WINS ADMIRATION

INTENDS TO ISSUE ANOTHER CHALLENGE

COMING HOME ON A BRIEF VISIT.

TUNNEY A KILLER. HEENEY'S GREAT EFFORT. , RECEIVES TERRIFIC MAULING. (By Telegraph—l'ress Assn.—Copyrlijnt.) (Australian Press Association). NEW YORK, July 26. The world's champion heavyweight boxer, Gene Tunney, successfully defended his title this evening at the Yankee Stadium, defeating the NewZealand challenger, Tom Heeney, on a technical knock-out in the 11th 'round of their contest. It was a new Tunney who defeated Heeney, and one who had developed that "killing" instinct the critics had said he never possessed. The technical knock-out would undoubtedly have been an actual one if the referee had permitted the fight to continue. Almost Cut to Pieces. The plucky challenger was almost cut to pieces by the terrific mauling the champion gave him, hut he put up as game a fight as has ever been seen jn this country, and refused to give in until he was officially compelled to do so. Tunney was a very different man from the one who defeated Jack Dempscy on a decision, and was far more dangerous than he had ever previously proved himself. It was easily the greatest fight in Tunney's career, and his victory was scored over an opponent well .worthy of his steel. Although the champion held a wide lead on points he did not bring the fight to a head until the 10th round. Then he hooked 'and jabbed the challenger's body, and rapped terrific blows to the head. He sent Tom to the floor just before the end of the 10th round, and it was evident that the New Zealander never would have risen in time had the bell not saved him.

A REAL HERO. BEATEN FAIRLY. WILL HAVE ANOTHER GO. GISBORNE, Friday. Gisborne took great interest in the boxing championship contest and little work was done in many places of business this afternoon. Large numbers of people assembled at various points where information was to be obtained. The result was received calmly and with evident disappointment. The radio reception of the ringside description of the fight was not very clear at Mr Ivan O'Meara's station at Bushmere, where Heeney's parents were listening to reports of the progress of their son's efforts. The description of the early rounds was barely audible, but conditions improved and at the finish every word could be heard distinctly. The most pleasing portion of the broadcast was Tom Heeney's message of cheer to the old people, every word of which was heard. At the conclusion of the fight the contestants both made brief speeches into the microphone. Tunney, whose speech was interrupted considerably, remarked that Heeney had fought a good fight and had done very well, adding that he wished to express his gratification at the manner in which the fight had been waged. "1 did my best," said Tom Heeney in a voice that was clear and recognisable over the thousands of miles of space. "Tunney beat me fairly and squarely and I want to congratulate him on his victory." Mr Mortimer, Heeney's manager, said Tom wished him to say that he was beaten fairly and squarely and that Tunney deserved his win. "Tom is going to have a rest for a while and then he will make another bid for the title," said Mr Mortimer. "Tom's parents away in New Zealand have been listening to the description of the fight,' 'said Mr Mortimer, "and he wants me to tell them that although he has been beaten he is quite all right and that he has not sustained any injuries which are in any way serious. Tom's message to them is 'Kia Ora.' " The announcer said afterwards that this had been another of the great fights of history. "This man Heeney goes out of here tonight a real hero," he added. "Although lie was beaten, it must be admitted that he was unfortunate." The editor of the Boston Globe sent the following message" to the Poverty Bay Herald:—"lt docs not give me any pleasure io have to convey to you the news that Tunney won the fight tonight on a technical knock-out. The referee stopped the fight in, the eleventh round. The challenger's left eye and nose being in a bad condition, he was completely at the mercy of the champion. The New Zealander nevertheless put up a dogged fight and received a great ovation from the crowd for his courageousness."

Impossible to Continue. Heeney appeared to be unable to leave the canvas, and when his seconds rushed out and dragged him to his corner it was only with the greatest difficulty they could arouse him sufficiently to continue. In the 11th round Tunney's seconds urged him to go in and finish Heeney immediately. The referee appeared to have almost decided not to let the bout enter the 11th round, but after consulting with the judges, he permitted the challenger to make one more effort. Curiously enough, Heeney appeared to have fully revived, but after a very little more fighting it was obviously impossible for him to continue, and the referee took the only course open to him. Throughout the bout, and especially toward the end, the spectators applauded Heeney most generously for his courage. Heeney Handicapped. Both men made statements regarding the injury to Heeney's eye, which handicapped the challenger in the last rounds of the contest. In his dressing room after the fight Heeney said: "Tunney's thumb stuck in my eye as we squared off in the eighth round. I could' see nothing with that eye from then on." In his dressing-room Tunney paid a tribute to Heeney's rugged gameness. 'T made him fight my fight for me. The referee should have stopped the contest in the eighth round, when I paralysed Heeney's optic nerve with a hard right just above his eye." He indignantly denied that he poked his gloved thumb into the eye. Tunney added: "It was a hard, clean right that started him blinking." Mr Rickard's Big Loss. The newspapers are practically unanimous in stating that the promoter of the Heeney-Tunney bout, Mr Tex Rickard, must have lost at least £50,000 on the venture. It is generally agreed that the crowd did not number more than 40,000, and the receipts are estimated at £130.000 gross. As Mr Rickard's guarantees to the fighters alone amounted to £125,000 (£105,000 to Tunney and £20,000 to Heeney), there can be no doubt that he has met with his first large financial failure in his experience as a promoter. The amount taken at the gate was £SOOO. TUNNEY COMMENDED. A HIGH-SKILLED WORKMAN. NEW ZEALANDER HALF-BLINDED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian Pre.js Association). NEW YORK, July 27. Commenting upon the HeeneyTunney contest, James Dawson, sporting expert of the New York Times, says: Gene Tunney came into his own last night. He was fighting in defence of the world's heavyweight title for the first time in his home town. He is the first heavyweight ring-monarch New York has known to have hammered Tom Heeney into submission in 1 I rounds of a scheduled 15 rounds struggle. The plaudits of the crowd of about 4 0,000 spectators rang warmly in Tunney's cars in acknowledgement of the conquest he had scored with all the method and system of a highlyskilled workman. Dudley Nichols, in the New York World, says: Tunney proved his right to the heavy-weight title last night when the referee stopped the championship bout eight seconds before the end of the eleventh round and led the wobbling New Zealander to his corner. The referee's action just prevented Tunney from demonstrating some applied poetry. The champion had sent six lefts straight to the New Zealander's face, which was bleeding so that the latter was half-blinded. Continuing, the writer says:— Heeney, gamely pressing an uphill fight, went to pieces in the 10th j'ound, which terminated with a hard knock-down just before the gong sounded. Tunney fought like a champion and his face and body were unmarked at the finish except for splotches of blood which had fallen on him from Heeney's crimson face. But Heeney won the crowd from the commencement when he bored in, grimly smiling, with head lowered —er his shassy dean chasfc.

LATER. AFTER THE FIGHT. HEENEY'S GAME SHOWING. PRESS AND PUBLIC TRIBUTES. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —CopyrtgM.) (Australian I'ress Association). (Received July 28, 9.10 a.m.) NEW YORK, July 27. Heeney to-day is greater in defeat than before he fought Tunney. It is not too much to say that his wonderful fighting heart and superb courage literally astounded the American people, and all the newspapers ring with his praises, of which following excerpts are typical:— At the end of the slaughter Tom Heeney still stood heads above the gamest man around here in many a day. And a man from far-off Gisborne marched to defeat with his head bloody, but unbowed, and upheld the British tradition by facing the foe to the last gasp. Heeney's refusal to make excuses, with his honest tribute to Tunney, endeared hirn to the sportsmen and the general public here. THE CHAMPION'S VIEWS. ADMIRATION FOR THE CILVLLENGER Commenting on the flght Tunney said: Heeney put up a wonderful flght. It was worthy of the challenger. 1 have nothing but admiration for his courage AT A DISADVANTAGE. WHAT THE EYELASH DID. Heeney said : Gone Tunney is a wonderful fighter. 1 am not satisfied with the flght I put up. In the fifth round a piece of eyelash turned back into my left eye, and I could not see after the sixth round. Gone Tunney beat me fair, though, and he is a very clean lighter. FIGHT SHOULD HAVE PROCEEDED

HEENEY MIGHT .HAVE RECOVERED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—-Copyright.) (Australian r-ross Assn.—United Service.) (Received July 28, 11.30 a.m.) VANCOUVER, July 27. Mr Jack Auliffe believes that Heeney might have recovered, and.the referee had no right to slop the light when the eleventh round had only eight seconds to go. The challenger was game, but he made many mistakes, the chief of which was that he tried for Tunney's head all the time instead of his body. Tunney declined to say anything today about a return match. Charlie Harvey is loud in his protests against the referee stopping the fight. He grumbled at Heeney because he failed to crouch in the eleventh round. Instead Tom stood straight up and was wide open. John Mortimer, Heeney's English manager, said Tunney won .fair and square, and on his nierlUj