THE LESTER-McVEA BATTLE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1122, 12 October 1911, Page 10

THE LESTER-McVEA BATTLE.

SUPERIORITY OF NEGRO. Sam McVea, one of the four negroes at the head of the world’s boxing affairs, effectually settled the present pretensions of Jack Lester to championship honours at the Sydney Stadium, Rushcutter’s Bay, on September 30, winning by the largest of margins of points, at the close of the 20 rounds contest. As a display of boxing, the contest was one of the worst first-class fixtures ever seen in Sydney. As an example of gameness, stamina, and stubborn resistance against cleverness and superior knowledge of the game, it was one of the best. McVea outboxed and outclassed his plucky but inexperienced opponent whose showing was that of a novice. It is, of course, a simple matter for any man who excels in any particular class of sport to shine against an inferior antagonist. But when he is up against one who does not know the rudiments of the game, the contrast is still greater. McVea had a very large percentage of the 20,000 or so persons round the ring puzzled in regard to his qualities. After his clash with Bill Lang on October 28, the problem will probably be solved. The negro either had a lot up his sleeve, or he is not quite so clever as he is claimed to be. His principal blow is a left hook, and when it is delivered he leaves himself very open, and all through the contest the cognoscenti were asking “What is he doing with his right?” Apart from a few uppercuts, when in clinches, McVea did not use his right except about four times. He simply stood off and pasted Lester with his left, and evaded all the white man’s wild efforts to score. So successful was he in that respect that the American did not land half a dozen decent punches during the whole twenty rounds. Lester’s capacity for punishment had Sam thinking, and after the tenth round he slowed up. Everything was dull, flat, and uninteresting. In the thirteenth, one of the negro’s few rights temporarily unbalanced Lester, who sank almost to his knees, and Sam cut loose a tornado of blows in the fourteenth, hoping to finish it. But Lester weathered the hurricane, and once out of a clinch was able to send a light left to the face. In the eighteenth round Sam again let go a battery of punches, but the game white man took them all, and asked for more. The last round was the best of Lester’s efforts. He did make some attempt to punish McVea, and temporarily dropped the smother he had adopted from the twelfth round. After being declared the winner, McVea patted Lester on the back, and, evidently not being satisfied with the depth of the compliment he had paid him, the negro walked to the white man’s corner, and said, “You’re a wonderful kid!” It was the admiration that pluck will always compel. Lester was not very much distressed at the conclusion, but his face bore many traces of the frequent visitation of McVea’s left. The winner was unscathed-

If one runs his memory swiftly back he must come to the conclusion that professional boxing for the multitude as a means of livelihood is not in it with, say, hod-carrying. The financially successful pugilists are certainly more numerous nowadays than they used to be, but they get out of the game early, and sit hard on the golden nest egg, while they raise maize or buildings, and children. They are the hard-heads of the game, whose brains are not rattled by the punches of opponents, or the free beer and whisky of successful backers, but the great majority have a dismal and sordid struggle for existence after they have been outed a few times. Fight-promoters and the public do not want them after they have been dethroned, and with cauliflowers, and broken noses, they gravitate to the side tracks and live in the shadows. * * # * Modern successful boxers, however, are generally clean-living men, with a shrewd grasp of finance. Nearly all

the top-fighters in America, England, and Australia are men of means, and leaving out the gagging about their kindness to those dependent upon them, which is, of course, true in some instances, they can write cheques for goodly sums. Out here the example of that clever boxer, Arthur Cripps, is worth following (says a writer in the “Sydney Mail”). The result of three or four successes meant the acquisition, of a farm, another fight bought some blood stock in cattle, another purchased a reaper and binder of the best type, and another a stationary engine to work other farm machinery. Meantime the glove expert keeps in splendid condition, and the farm itself is profitable. It’s a great tning to have a head that is hard in two such satisfactory ways. Cripps, though getting on in years, is still in the boxing game, his next match being with Gus Devitt at Adelaide, while later he will meet Jimmy Clabby, the American middleweight. • a • • No better tribute to Jack Johnson’s superiority as a boxer could have been paid the clever negro than the stopping of his match with Wells in London. For, apart from the hue and cry raised by the anti-sport section of the community as to the one-sidedness of such a contest between representatives of the white and coloured races, the match met with fairly strong opposition from a number of prominent sporting men and writers, whose opinions on the subject—unlike those expressed by many clergymen and fanatics who may never have witnessed a boxing bout —were treated as fair-minded views on the widely-ad-vertised championship battle. Even -though Wells has won the championship of England, it was recognised that to pit him against Johnson was an unwise step, not for the reason that the present world’s champion is a coloured man, but simply because of the disparity in the fighting abilities of the pair. Yet were “Bombardier” Wells as able an exponent as is claimed in some quarters, there could be little harm arise out of a clash with the big negro, and it is rather surprising to learn that the Home people are becoming so tender-hearted in regard to their fair-haired fistic hero. How different in Australia, where it is only the sport spoilers who enter their protest against a good boxing contest. For instance, in Sydney, on September 30 last, Sam McVea, a coloured fighter, met Jack Lester, a 20-year-old American boy, and there being no foolish opposition to the contest, such took place, neither contestants being any the worse for their 20 rounds’ pounding of one another. However, it is rather early to say whether matters will remain quiet in Australia when Champion Jack Johnson arrives, for already a wail comes from Sydney in this connection, the Rev. M. Spurr having addressed an open letter to the Primate urging him to start a movement to prevent Johnson fighting in Australia. Still Sydney is noted far and wide as a world’s great sporting centre, and it is thought the authorities will pay little heed to the attempts to debar Johnson from boxing in the Commonwealth. In fact, should a match be arranged between Lester and Johnson, which is not unlikely as the former is very keen on meeting the champion, it is safe to say that sport-lov-ing Australians would not become unduly excited as to the probable fate of the plucky young American, but would give the match their staunch support. And this is a little case in point where Australians differ from the people in the Old Country.

The championship of the world in club swinging, on a point system, has been decided at Tamworth by Tom Burrows and Jack Beamish. A purse of £IOO was also at stake. The articles of agreement provided that in the event of both contestants swinging in accordance with the rules until a record of 82 hours 17 minutes was broken by 3 minutes, the match should be stopped, and a decision given on points. Both men were stopped at the appointed time, and the verdict of the judges was in favour of Burrows. It was stated that Burrows averaged 123 revolutions right through, and Beamish 100. The Sydney Self-Defence and Sports, Limited, announces that it is negotiating with Bombardier Wells, the English heavy-weight champion, and Jim Sullivan, the English middleweight champion, to visit Australia. The Otago Boxing Association will hold a tournament in Dunedin on October 31 and November 1, when the principal contest will be a fifteen rounds’ match between Tim Tracy

and Arthur Kelly, the Victorian lightweight, for a purse of £6O.

The Wellington Boxing Association, which has invited the Sydney featherweights, Fitzjohn and Hill, to box in Wellington the first week in November, has decided to arrange another boxer to come over in place of the latter, owing to Hill’s recent unsatisfactory match with Ted Green.

Dave Smith added further laurels to his already wide reputation when in Sydney last week, he knocked out Jack Howard in the ninth round. Not only did Smith make his reappearance in the ring after a lengthy spell, but this last battle signalised his entrance into the heavyweight ranks, for when he. fought Papke, and “Cyclone” Johnny Thompson it was as a middleweight. Smith’s splendid showing against Howard, who was a pronounced favourite, created a great surprise among the ringsiders, and opens up big possibilities for the ex-New Zealander. That he has profited by his absence from the ring there can be little doubt, for in his contest with J ack Howard he fought with greater skill than ever, while his hard hitting powers showed no signs of deterioration. Howard was outclassed at all stages of the contest, but he stood to his guns in a courageous manner. When the ninth round was entered upon it was easily seen he was at Smith’s mercy, and the latter sent in several punishing blows to the jaw, Howard falling to his knees while six seconds were counted on two occasSions. He staggered to his feet, only to come into contact with another of Smith’s well-directed blows, and down he went again, this time to take the count. Smith’s future battles will i watched with increased interest, and as there will be no lack of good heavyweights in Australia between now and Christmas, Mr H. Mclntosh is certain to give this light heavyweight a chance to distinguish himself among the crop of the world’s best known boxers.

Referring to Alf. Gault’s victory over Tracy at Wanganui, “Mercury,” writing in the “Dominion,” says:-— His win is likely to affect some of Tracy’s engagements. For instance, it is probable now that the Northern Association, who had Tracy and Hannan matched for a return match in Auckland on November 9, will prefer to substitute their local man for Tracy. This would be rather rough on the latter, but it is quite according to the articles of war, and, moreover, Gault has a clear title now to the next match in which the lightweight title is concerned. Also, being an Aucklander, he will be decidedly more of a “draw” on his native heath than the deposed ex-champion, and, after all, “business is business.” If the substitution is made, “Hannan v. Gault” should provide a lively exhibition indeed. Both are young and vigorous, and both are fighters, so, while it lasts, the bout should be willing enough for the most exacting. But it is extremely improbable—if it comes to pass—that it will go the fifteen rounds stipulated, and it certainly will not be productive of such a standard of clean, skilful boxing as the recent Tracy-Hannan contest.

The Napier Amateur Boxing Club held their third annual tournament at the Club rooms on Wednesday evening of last week, when a series of excellent bouts were staged, but in pursuance with the usual custom in regard to club room contests, no decisions were given. The result of the evening’s entertainment was that the following competitors were chosen to represent the Club at the H.B, championship meeting to be held at Hast-ings:—-Iggleton (middle-weight), Morton (welter-weight), Frame (middle and heavy-weight), and Firth (ban-tam-weight) .

There is just being unpacked at the Stadium (says a Sydney paper of recent date) rather an historic manufacture in the shape of an iron ring used by Mr. Hugh D- Mclntosh in all • his big Olympian contests conducted last season in London. The ring has been inspected by a number of experts, who proclaim it to be quite the most up-to-date and improved boxing appurtenance they have seen. Mr. Mclntosh describes his importation as a ring within a ring, possessing patent seats which are attached to the ring posts, and which swing in or out as required. The boards are set in such a peculiar manner that the padding with which they are covered does not affect the speed of the boxer in any way.