BOXING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 916, 26 September 1907, Page 9

BOXING.

(By

“Head Stop.”)

NEWS OF SQUIRES. Says the “Referee:” “Our Melbourne correspondent writes: —Writing Mr. Dave Little under date August 7, from Stockton, Cal., Jimmy Russell, trainer to Bill Squires, says:— ‘ lam still in the land of the Stars and Stripes. I am located at a place called Stockton, 100 miles from ’Frisco, and am living with Billy Smith, who keeps a road-house eight miles out of town. He is a fine old chap, and treats his visitors well. Bill Squires is up in the timber country at Eureka. I think he is getting tired of it. He says it is a very cold place, and there is.nothing but fogs all the year round. He has a longing again to be associated with the prize ring, and I feel certain that ere long we will again hear of him as a principal. (We have since learned that Squires has been matched with Jack Sullivan). Barney Reynolds, Bill’s manager, left for Australia a week ago. He will go through New York and home by way of England. Mr. Little, who is a very old friend of Squires’, has received no word lately from the Australian champion himself. He has great faith in Bill’s ability to again rehabilitate himself as a champion in the eyes of the Australian boxing public.” The San Francisco “ Chronicle” says:—“ Since the downfall of Squires a number of fight promoters are thinking of invading Australia with a bunch of four-round boys. If Squires was the best in Australia, there would be a chance for Toothpick Kelly or Battling Johnson down there, and Abdul the Turk might loom up as a champion in the land of the kangaroo. The little fellows that do stunts in Dreamland would certainly astonish the natives of the Antipodes.” The ’Murkan eagle is doing some screeching. Oh! for a Peter. Jackson, a Paddy Slavin, a rejuvenated Bob Fitzsimmons, or even a Joe Goddard —anyone of whom would find Tommy Burns a “ lemon.” This was published in ’Frisco on July 19: “ Arrangements were completed yesterday between Billy Delaney, the former manager of Jim Jeffries, and Barney Reynolds, the manager of Bill Squires, whereby Delaney will look after Squires hereafter. It is Delaney’s intention to match Squires with Scherek or Johnson, and then force Burns to give him another chance. Delaney, in speaking of Squires last night, said: ‘That fellow is going to surprise the American public yet. I don’t think the best man won on July 4, but as Burns took down the money, it would be unbecoming on my part to belittle his victory. He won, and he won honestly, and yet I think that Squires can defeat him if they should meet again.’ Squires will place himself under the care of the veteran trainer, and will not go back to Australia until he has redeemed himself in the eyes of his friends.”

George Ruenalf, of New Zealand, ran amok after his defeat by Lang, at Broken Hill, last week. We clip the following from the report of the fight in the Sydney “Referee’ of September 18: —“ The third (and final) round was terrific and sensational. A close exchange ended by Lang sending Ruenalf to the ropes, and he went down for three seconds. He rose to his feet, only to go down again for nine seconds; then Lang treated him as he wished. No sooner was the Maori on his feet than Lang’s thunderous short jabs floored him thrice. Again was Ruenalf downed five times in all, and on rising the last time a thoroughly defeated man, he closed with Lang, and, in vicious temper, used his legs once to attempt an unfair injury with the knee and a second time to inflict a kick, amidst hurricane hooting. The referee separated the men, and declared Lang the winner on a foul. Ruenalf immediately rushed Lang, and downed him, and commenced to use both hands and feet' on the prostrate man. The Maori was removed with

difficulty, and then turned on Stokesbury, one of Lang’s seconds, and began to pummel him. The crowd, which by this time had become furious, rushed the ring, and in a moment boxers and audience were mixed in a riotous groaning mass. That Ruenalf was not mobbed was his good fortune. The only possible explanation of Ruenalf’s actions is that he suddenly went mad; he looked and acted like one possessed of a demon. Lang’s coolness throughout was splendid. Lang is still champion, and his opponent’s good name and reputation have exploded —a pitiful ending to a notable career. Ruenalf confesses that he lost his head, and didn’t know what he was doing; he says he never experienced before such a hitting as he received in the first round.

The following are the winners of the Australasian amateur boxing championships since the commencement of the contests: — BANTAM. 1903 — N.S.W.: T Dickenson, N.S.W.. 1904— New Zealand: T. Dickenson, N.S.W. 1905 — Queensland: J. Cantwell (Q.). 1906— N.S. Wales: T. Fitzjohn, N.S.W. 1907 — New Zealand; E. Lusher, N.S.W. FEATHER. 1903— N.S. Wales J. Dowridge (Q.). 1904 — New Zealand: J. Dowridge (Q.), 1905— Queensland: J. Dowridge (Q.). 1506 —N.S. Wales: W. Batten, N.S.W. 1907—New Zealand: A. L. Nash, N.Z. LIGHT. 1903 — N.S. Wales: D. Farbury, N.S.W. 1904 — New Zealand: D. Parbury, N.S.W. 1905— Queensland: J. Williams, N.Z. 1906 — N.S. Wales: D. Parbury, N.S.W. 1907 — New Zealand: R. Mayze, N.Z. MIDDLE. 1903— N.S. Wales: H. Griffin, N.Z. 1904— New Zealand: J. M. Griffin, N.Z. 1905— Queensland: R. L. Baker, N.S.W. 1906 — N.S. Wales: R. L. Baker, N.S.W. 1907— New Zealand: A. T. Scanlon, Q. HEAVY 1903 — N.S. Wales: H. Taylor, N.Z. 1904— New Zealand—J. M. Griffin, N.Z. 1905— Queensland: P. Kling, N.S.W. 1906 — N.S. Wales: J. McConnell, N.Z. 1907 — New Zealand: C. Hill, N.S.W. From the above it will be seen that N.S.W. has held twelve championships, New Zealand eight, and Queensland five. * * * * “ Snowy” Sturgeon, of Sydney, 10.5, knocked out Alf. James (heavyweight of Tasmania) 12.2, in one round, at Zeehan, Tasmania, on September 14 last. A week before that he easily defeated Ted. Robbie, of Zeehan, in one round. Sturgeon is very evidntly coming to light again. * * * * Another of the Griffin family, Jack, to wit, has entered the professional pugilistic arena, and is now in Australia searching for fame.