BOXING.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17786, 10 August 1929, Page 21 (Supplement)

BOXING.

HEAVY Vl/EIQHT CONTENDER. >1 MAX SCHMELING'S RISE. Max Schmeling, by his defeat of } Paolino Uzcudun, looms up as a for--1 midable contender for the vacant | heavy-weight title of the world, and if he can get by Jack Sharkey 'his fortune will be made. According to an American writer, he first took an interest in boxing when he saw American soldiers boxing in their camps in Germany, and he began his boxing career in 1923, at the age of eighteen, starting off with a string of knock-outs. In his first year he won seven fights by the short route, and before going to America had over forty fights, winning eight of them with first-round knockouts. Schmeling himself was bowled over by the English light heavy-weight champion, and he was also knocked out by two other lesser known fighters—a fate which has befallen other champions in the past, however, Benny Leonard, Fitzsimmons, and Dempsey all having met with a similar misfortune, though it did not stop tnem from becoming champions. Previous to being knocked out by Daniels in one round, Schmeling had won on points in ten rounds against the same fighter. He won the heavyweight championship of Germany by heating Franz Diener in fifteen rounds. Dicner having beaten such a good fighter as Knute Hansen and drawing with Paolino. Schmeling sprang into prominence in America by knocking out the iron man, Johnny Risko, in seven rounds, and between them and- his victory against Paolino he is said to have improved considerably. Should he beat Sharkey ho is likely to become a won- j derful attraction, as he so closely re- ] sembles Dempsey, not onlv in looks, j hut in some respects in his style of milling.