NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1113, 10 August 1911, Page 9

NOTES FROM LONDON.

ENGLISH BOXING SEASON CLOSED. Mr Hugh D. Mclntosh forwards us the following interesting budget of box.ng news from his London office, under date of July 1: — The boxing season of the British Isles has ended with the PapkeSuliivan contest, which excited extraordinary interest and attention. It was held in one of the most palatial music halls in England, The Palladium, Oxford Circus, and before a most representative audience, a large number of ladies occupying boxes and ringside seats. The contest was, to the British sportsman’s mind, not a satisfactory one as the forceful methods adopted by Papke, did not meet with the approval of a; large section of the audience. Sullivan, who is middlewe.ght champion of England, and holder of the Lord Lonsdale belt, boxes in a very fair manner, holding h mself erect, and in the characteristic British attitude, while Papke, on the other hand, boxes with the American crouch, using swing blows, and keeps fight.ng all the time, displaying an utter disregard for his opponent’s blows, and it was in consequence of this style of boxing that his methods did not meet with the approval of the audience. It was the first meeting of an American and an Englishman for the world’s middleweight title, and conclusively proved (1) that Papke is the legitimate middleweight champion, (2) that the English boxers wdl not be serious contenders for the championship titles, unless they travel and adopt the methods in vogue in other countries. The successful English boxers such as Morland, Welsh, Driscoll, have all gained their experience abroad. Sullivan, on the other hand, whilst a good natural boxer, lacks the necessary experience and knowledge of American tactics. He has challenged Papke for a return battle for a side wager of £5OO aside, on the same conditions as beforej, viz., 11 stone 61bs, at 2 p.m., Eugene Corri referee. Papke has accepted this, but up to date has not posted the money, and at present it does not seem likely that the contest will take place. •fi fl s V The National Sporting Club are rebuilding with the object of enlarging the holding capacity, and anticipate being able to hold world’s championship contests next season. Sft <7 Amongst the boxers who will compete -n Australia next season may be mentioned the French team: Moreau, Carpentier, Paul Til, Langford, McVea, Kaufman, Summers, and several Americans, including Jimmy Clabby. It is my intention to run on in London, a proposition having been placed before me to erect a large building within easy radius of the city, and to hold six world’s championship matches here. This combination with Australia and Paris Will give me a complete circuit, over which I can handle the best boxers, and so provide for my Australian patrons the best the. world can offer. # # * sjr Billy Papke is the father of a boy, born in London;, much to the disgust of his people in America, so whether Billy likes it or not he has an Englishman in the family. He sails for America on the Olympic, on July 12th, where he has several important matches in view, one being with “Cyclone” Johnny Thompson on Labour Day. Thompson, it will be remembered, secured a decision over Papke at the Sydney Stadium in February last. Jack Johnson is in London, and opens at the Oxford on July 3rd, and is well booked up till December next. I am negotiating with him for a tour of the world on completion of his present dates. His arrival in London occasioned a great deal of comment at the time, but things have simmered down since then.

The 1912 New Zealand amateur boxing championship will most probably be held at Wellington, the delegates at the recent annual conference at Invercargill unanimously recommending that the meeting take place in the Empire City next year. ft V # © The Timaru representative, G. Fitzsimmons, who was - one of the three contestants in the heavyweight class at the New Zealand amateur championship last month, is a grandnephew of the famous Bob of that ilk. Fitzsimmons defeated Ruston, of Otago, in the semi-final, but in the

fin'-U he was outclassed by P. MeQuarrie. of Southland, who won the title. Fitzsimmons’s form at the championship meeting is said to have been disappointing, and there is no likelihood of him emulating the doings of his great uncle, the redoubtable Robert, who, during his remarkable career, won three world’s championship titles. Albert Pooley’s inability to compete in the heavyweight division at the New Zealand amateur boxing champicrsirip was a matter for general‘regret, as bad the clever Aucklander and P. McQuarrie (the winner of the title) met in the final, an excellent contest would undoubtedly have been witnessed. Pooley’s unexpected win in the Australasian amateur heavyweight championship at Auckland last year, when he cleverly defeated Pat Doran-, the Victorian heavyweight on points, convinced those who witnessed the contest that Pooley is a thoroughly skilled boxer, and very fast for a heavyweight. There is every reason to believe that since then Pooley has improved a good deal, as his tuition has not been neglected by his instructor and trainer, H. Halley, while he won the Auckland heavyweight championship with apparent ease. Pooley is quite a young fellow, and being tall and slim he should certainly fill out a great deal during the next year or so, and with increased weight he should prove a power to be reckoned with in future Australasian amateur boxing championships. With the exception of Jack Johnson no boxer figures more prominently in the public eye than Ad. Wolgast, lightweight. champion of the world, whose convincing defeat of Owen Moran, the young English boxer, recently came as a great shock to the critics who have been busily denouncing Wolgast as “a false alarm and the worst excuse for a lightweight champion that the ring has ever known.” Wolgast next meets Freddy Welsh, England’s best lightweight, in a 20-rounds’ match at Los Angelos on November 30, -and it is safe to say that those who have always been ready to belittle the champion’s performances will be numbered among the American’s supporters on this occasion, as his meritorious victories over “One Round” Hogan and Owen Moran have opened the eyes of the majority of ring patrons a s to his real merit. In all of his battles Wolgast has shown his ability to keep his head under fire, and also his possession of wonderful stamina by covering up and weathering the most severe storms. It was this tenacity of purpose and apparent immunity to pain that enabled Battling Nelson, former lightweight champion of the world, to thrust his iron-boned body through a host of opponents and win his wav to the pinnacle of fame. Nelson has seen his best days, but Wolgast is in the zenith of his powers and bids fair to beat down all obstacles in his path in much the same fashion as tile aggressive Dane did. The most effective punch Wolgast ? Se ® 18 probably his deadly left stab to the ribs, which generally finds a weak spot in his opponent. Wolgast ns a killing body puncher and devotes a lot of hi s time when in action to sending m those terribly hurtful jolts at close quarters. For this very reason his work is less dazzling to look at than that of such fancy performers as Packey McFarland, whose lightning jabs to the face are so Pretty to watch, beside marking up the recipient and drawing the crimson with knife-like slashes. Yet it is a mistake to class Wolgast as unscientific because of his fondness for getting in close to his man and bombardlug him at close range. He is clever in his own style, a style which has Proved savagely effective, and his blocking tactics are perfect, although different from those adopted by the average exponent of boxing. He covers up with elbows and shoulders in such fashion as to present an almost impenetrable defense, and by the time he emerges from this turtle attitude his opponent is either weary of trying to penetrate it; or has injured his hands on the aforesaid elbows. Williams, the Gisborne heavyweight boxer, has challenged A. Pooley, of Auckland, Australasian amateur champion, to a six-rounds contest for a trophy. Pooley’s indisposition at the New Zealand meeting last month, may prevent him from fulfiling this engagement for a while at least, but as he was in tip-top fettle at the time the illness seized him, he

may experience little after effects, and so resume training without much delay. ❖ * American ring authorities ridicule the action of the Britishers in putting forward a native product to face Champion Jack Johnson. Where can they lassoo one who is capable of giving Johnson 10 seconds’ amuse ment? (queries one prominent writer). Think of Champion Bombardier Wells and the rest of that delectable gang of big British glove-pushers, and figure out how any one of them would look in front of the coloured boss of the roost ’ Jack Lester, Tommy Burns’ protege, is thriving on the Australian climate, and will be in great heart for his return match with Bill Lang on September 2, at the Sydney Stadium. Lester has the services of Paddy Burke as trainer, while Jack Howard, the clever Australian heavyweight, acts in the capacity of sparring partner. That Lester is the making of a great fighter there can be little doubt, and this 20 year-old youth will, with further experience, prove a tough proposition in the heavyweight class. The costumes worn by many of the competitors at the recent New Zea land amateur boxing championships at Inverc. rgill have come in for some

adverse comment by a Southern writer. The only teams that were correctly clad were those of Auckland and Christchurch, though the Southland team was correct except in the matter of the belt. Two of the Dunedin team wore washed-out bathing costumes, and members of the Wellington team, in addition to the jersey, wore attenuated bathing trunks, a most unsightly and nonamateur dress. Maxwell of New Plymouth, and Andrews, of Greymouth, solitary representatives from these places, were neatly and practically correctly clothed, as were the members of the South Canterbury team. * trWrites our Wanganui correspondent: —The Wanganui Amateur Boxing Association intend holding another tournament in the Opera House on the night of the first day’s racing at the Wanganui Spring Meeting. The chief attraction will be the meeting of Tim Tracey, and A. Gault, of Auckland. for a £5O purse. This should provide a merry mill, and it is safe to say that there will be a bumper house to witness the contest between two such clever men.