GENERAL NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 24 July 1913, Page 28

GENERAL NOTES.

The Wanganui Boxing Association will be represented at the New Zealand championship tourney by A. J. Havill in the welterweight and G. Thomas in the lightweight class. * * * * The Wanganui Amateur Boxing Association’s district championship tournament (writes our Wanganui correspondent) proved fairly successful. The entries were not so large as was anticipated, but there were several interesting bouts, the best from a scientific point of view being that between A. J. Havill (Palmerston) and G. Thomas (Wanganui) in the welter class. The former got the verdict after an interesting bout. The other winners were: —Feather, A. C. Venus (Wanganui); middleweight, C. J. Breed (Wanganui); and heavy, J. W. Collerton (Wanganui). 4 * The team to represent the Southland Boxing Association at the New Zealand championship tourney at Timaru is as follows:—Featherweight, H. B. Owen (Gore); lightweight, M. T. Neylon (Invercargill) ; welter, A. Wood (Invercargill); middle, A. C. Cooper (Dunedin); and heavyweight, J. J. Hughes. A Wood, an amateur with English experience, is a very fair performer’ (writes our Invercargill correspondent), while A. C. Cooper is a Dunedinite. Cooper won the Otago middleweight championship, but was not selected to represent his province. He subsequently visited this centre and carried off the Southland title in his class, and, there being no middle of skill hereabouts, the Southland Boxing Association adopted the unusual, but sporting, idea of sending Cooper to Timaru as a wearer of our maroon livery. * * * # The Auckland boxing team to compete at the New Zealand amateur championships at Timaru on July 30 and 31 consists of the following provincial champions:—B. Payne (bantamweight), N. Bennetts (featherweight), “M. James” (lightweight), S. Mitchell (welterweight), and J. Cadman (middleweight). V <• S)C Mr. Frank Burns will accompany the Auckland team as manager, while he has also been selected to act as one of the judges at the New Zealand championship meeting. The Auckland boxers will have the services of the crack lightweight, Rod Standen, as trainer during their trip South, and should, therefore, not want for condition in their engagements. * * :;s * Bill Lang and P.O. Curran, were to have fought their return battle in Sydney on July 26, but owing to the Melbourne heavyweight contracting influenza the match has been abandoned for the time being. Curran is very confident that he can turn the tables on the Australian heavyweight champion, and is anxious to again face Lang within the ropes.

The Waikato Boxing Association has postponed its championship carnival until August 13, this step being found necessary- owing to the Northern Boxing Association’s engagement of Johnny Summers and Hock Keys to box in the Town Hall, Auckland, on August 6.

Details regarding the death of Leon Truffier, the French featherweight boxer, who shaped so well in Sydney, are to the effect that he fought eight rounds subsequent to being butted in the stomach, and having completed the called-for ten rounds, walked home. Two days later an operation was performed for peritonitis. Poor Truffier was to have been married shortly after that contest.

Word of the French boxers, Jean Poesy and Leon Bernstein, who recently visited Australia, shows that the former has opened a gymnasium in Marseilles, while Bernstein, who was lately beaten by Madole in Paris,

is laid aside fox* a coupie of months with a broken rib which he sustained during tne contest.

That Owen Moran, the famous English featherweight, is to visit Australia is now assured, Mr. R. L .Baker having received a cable from London accepting the terms offered. Moran, who is leaving at once for Australia, is just on 29 years of age, and has been in the boxing game for 13 years, and his successful career is one of which he is justly proud. Another English boxer, who is also under engagement to Mr. Baker is Jack Ward, who is at present on the voyage out from London.

Jim Sullivan, ex-middleweight champion of England, who not long ago had the distinction of fighting Billy Papke for the world’s middleweight championship in London, made his debut at the Sydney Stadium the other night, when he had the hardhitting Pat Bradley as an opponent. The fight had been eagerly looked forward to, and Sullivan was a strong favourite among the betting section. The Englishman, however, made a very disappointing showing during the brief period he was in the ring, for after 90 seconds Bradley jolted one of his weighty left hooks to the jaw and Sullivan fell heavily to the floor. According to the “Sun’s” account of the sensational battle, the referee had counted ‘ Seven” when Sullivan struggled frantically to rise, and used the lower rope as a help; but he was under it from the waist up, and though his head rose above the obstruction on the outside, his wits were not sufficiently with him to suggest moving inward before attempting to assume the perpendicular, if that were actually possible at the moment. And so the fatal “Out!” found England’s ex-middleweight champion. The ending was as much a sensation as anything the boxing ring has evei’ known. It all occupied exactly 1 minute 30 seconds.

A question of interest to the boxing world cropped up in the House of Commons the other day when Mr. Hogge, Liberal member for East Edinburgh, inquired whether the Home Secretary proposed to prevent a repetition of boxing matches “in which jaws were broken.” The absurdity of such a question makes it worthy of scant consideration, but it is interesting to note that England’s forlorn hope, Bombardier Wells, was responsible for Mr. Hogge bringing the matter before Parliament. It transpires that the bombardier in his recent match with Mahoney for the heavyweight championship of Great Britain broke the latter’s jaw in the fourth round. In reply to Mr. Plogge’s question the Home Secretary stated that it was not known that Mahoney had been injured until after the conclusion of the contest, and that the police had no power to interfere with a match that was conducted under proper rules. It is at all times .gratifying to patrons of the ring to note any unwarranted interference with the sport of boxing meeting with a set-back, and in the present case a firm stand has been taken against the member for East Edinburgh who evidently does not look upon the fistic game with favour.

The latest boxers to arrive in Australia are Arthur Evernden, an English welterweight, and Charles Wood, an English featherweight, who fights under the sobriquet of “Young Nipper.” Evernden has only been in the fistic game for five years, but his career is mile-stoned with many dramatic incidents. He once fought Reathal Belli, a Frenchman, in Paris, .and the contest was of such a strenuous nature that in the fifteenth round the Frenchman was carried out of the ring in a collapsed condition. He died next day. Evernden was arrested, but after living in prison for two days on bread and water he was liberated, it having been proved that his antagonist had died from fatty degeneration of the heart. Then Evernden met the famous Georges Carpentier, and had the exceptional •distinction in .the 12th rotund oS knocking him right' out of the ring. -“I won that fight,” said Evernden. "Only one round belonged to the Frenchman, and yet the decision was given against me.”

Arthur Evernden, the English welterweight, next met Baboudu, a hard-punching Frenchman in Paris. It was in this contest that Evernden

received one of the Frenchman's weighty blows which fractured his jaw. Yet, such was Evernden’s tenacity that he did not throw in the towel until he had fought for five more rounds. Then he was taken to the hospital in his dressing gown. Besides these, Evernden has had many dramatic fights, and he has beaten most of his men in quick fashion. “I knocked Jack Morris out in the 19th round,” said Evernden to an interviewer on his arrival at Fremantle. “I beat Corporal Baker (the welterweight champion of the British Army), Battling Nelson (the American 11-stone man), Jumbo King, PettyOfficer Roache, Doubourg, and Ed Savral (the ex-Australian). These are some of my principal fights.”

Regarding the other Englishman. Charlie Wood (“Yeung Nipper”), it may be mentioned that he is known as the “cast-iron lightweight.” He has fought 375 times, and yet has never been knocked out. He hasn’t a disabled feature, except a mild cauliflower growth on the ear. This rugged little fellow has been in the game for nine years, and has many notable performances to his credit. Three or four years ago he fought a draw with Matt Wells, and he once beat Sapper O’Niel in 15 rounds. He sparred with Hughie Mehegan

while the latter was preparing for his fights with Welsh and Wells, and he is of opinion that the Australian beat Wells in the last contest, and that he would beat him again in Australia.

Ritchies defeat of Rivers is certain to have impressed ringsiders, as after being punished severely in the first four rounds, the champion displayed remarkable gameness by sticking to his guns, and turning the tables on his opponent, eventually knocking him out. Ritchie’s victory will give him confidence, and he should not now be averse to meeting Harlem Tommy Murphy, Freddie Welsh, Johnny Kilbane, and other formidable lightweights who are seeking his crown.

Syd Fitzsimmons, the Timaru heavyweight, though a good, plucky fellow, and well built, has made little or no headway as a boxer since his arrival in Sydney (says Mr W. F. Corbett). He Would be well advised if he dropped out of the game for a year or two, and gave it another trial then. Whatever is against his ad-

vancement now might meanwhile disappear, or be remedied. -

Just at the time when Blackburn should have been getting into the big coin he got into an altercation with another coloured man over some “lady” affair, and the result was a shooting, Blackburn being convicted of manslaughter and sent up for 15 years. It was always claimed that Jack shot in self-defence, but, no one appeared to act oil his behalf. He went to prison afid proved a good prisoner. He taught Warden M’Kenty’s Sons how to box, and behaved himself so well that the warden was finally induced to interest an attorney on behalf of Biackburn with the result that it is believed now that he will be pardoned.

A. correspondent writes inquiring the age of “Billy” Murphy, ex-feather-weight champion of the world. The famous Auckland boxer was born in 1863, and has, therefore, just reached the half century.

Jack Johnson and his wife, with their motor cars and servants, have arrived in London. As the champion passed through the streets of the city on the way to his hotel he was greeted with epithets that were more or less uncomplimentary. Johnson will

remain in London for a month to fulfil his music hall engagements, and then return to the United States to answer the white slave charges pending against him.

The Christchurch Sports Club are endeavouring to secure the services of Hock Keys for a match during National Week.

Denny Murphy and Barney Ireland are to meet at Masterton on July 30, when a first-rate contest is anticipated.

The Wellington Boxing Association’s next venture will probably be the engagement of Herb. McCoy, the clever Australian lightweight, who during Hughie Mehegan’s absence in England, won the resident championship from Jack Read. It is tne intention of the Wellington Association to match the Australian against Jim Hagerty, or probably Hock Keys, should the latter remain in the Dominion. A match between McCoy and Denny Murphy has also been suggested, so that no difficulty is

likely to be experienced in finding matches for the Australian, shoqld he accept the terms offered by the Wellington Boxing Association. * * * * • ■ A San Francisco cable announces that Freddie Welsh’s manager has arranged preliminary terms with Willie Ritchie for a fight on Labour Day. It only remains for Ritchie to announce his acceptance of a £2OOO guarantee, with the lion’s share of the moving picture proceeds. There is little doubt but that the match will shortly be fixed up at San Francisco.

Word from Los Angeles states that Dr. Edgar Calloran, who recently operated on Bud Anderson, the wellknown American lightweight, for appendicitis, claims that the fighting man’s abdomen will be stronger when the wound heals than it was before. The doctor made an incision threequarters of an inch in length in such a way that no muscle, nerve or blood vessel was cut. Anderson will be able to leave the hospital in 10 days and spar in 90 days’ time. The difference between this operation and that performed on Ad Wolgast is that the latter’s wound needed considerably more sewing up. In the case of Anderson’s wound, too, the sides have been overlapped so that the part will be stronger than ever afterwards.

Particulars to hand of the fight between Hughie Mehegan and Waldemar Holberg, the famous Danish lightweight, which was won by the former in the seventeenth round, show that the Australian punished the Dane severely, and finished up by knocking him out in the round mentioned. Holberg was unable to withstand the fierce attack of the Australian champion, in the last few rounds, which was a piece of bad luck for him, as he had outpointed Mehegan during the first half dozen rounds. As the contest proceeded, Mehegan appeared to grow stronger while the Dane weakened, and did not look as if he would weather the storm. Holberg was cracking up slowly, and rushing in in the seventeenth round Mehegan delivered a series of weighty blows, which felled the Dane, who was unable to rise during the count, and the Australian was declared the winner after one of the toughest battles on record.

Johnny Summers, the welterweight champion of Great Britain, arrived in Auckland on Saturday morning by the Main Trunk express, and was welcomed by members of the Northern Boxing Association. Summers is accompanied by Boyo Driscoll, the clever British featherweight, who was recently laid up in a hospital in Sydney. As the holder of the Lord Lonsdale belt Johnny Summers is a very prominent figure in the boxing world, and his meeting with Hock Keys in Auckland is daily increasing in interest. Summers has brought the Lonsdale belt to Auckland with him. and it was through his defeat of Arthur Evernden and Sid Burns at the National Sporting Club, London, that he came into possession of this valuable trophy.

Johnny Summers will make the Harp of Erin his training quarters, and' the local lightweight, Alf. Gault, will form one of his sparring partners. Summers’ victories in Australia during his recent visit to that country are fresh in the minds of boxing enthusiasts, and include decisions over Alf. Godwin, Bob Turner, Frank Picato and Syd. Burns. The English welterweight champion is in splendid fettle at present, and will not need much attuning to finish his training preparations for his forthcoming battle with Hock Keys. * * * * .

Writing to Mr. Fred. E. Diamond,Joe Choynski says, endeavours to get out of his trouble cost Johnson nearly all the. money he had accumulated. The imprisonment, Choynski states, would save Johnson for another contest. “Away from the white lights, with all their temptations, he would have a chance to reflect, and might be a man when he came out. The hot spell is now in the middle west and the east of America,” the letter goes on, “and boxing is consequently at a low ebb, although in Indianapolis, six hours from here (Pittsburgh), they are boxing m the ball park before crowds of 15,000 and 20,000 people. I go to New York in August for a vacation. I have not been that way in eight years. My health is very good.”

Georges Carpentier, the French champion boxer, has promised Bombardier Wells the first chance of a return match, and he also wants another fight with Papke. English papers to hand refer tragically to the defeat of the bombardier at the hands of Carpentier. Teh “News of the. World,’ in its account of the battle, says:—“Bombardier Wells, as a fistic star is a fallen idol. Clevei' boxer though he undoubtedly is, Wells has once again shown that he cannot stay, and has no capacity for taking pains in a physical sense. This is meant as no reflection upon his pluck, which is of the right sort, but to convey the conviction that his very vlunerable mid section will always be liable to let him down even when he has his opponent beaten to the world. Gunner Moir turned the tables on Wells in this manner. Palzer did the same, and now that wonderful French lad Carpentier has brought humiliation to Wells and to French boxing by repeating the feat —for it is no use shutting our eyes to the fact that the defeat of our champion is h. sad olow to the fistic prestige of a country which was the nursery of the art--not so much because Carpentier was at so many physical disadvan tages, but because this wonderful French fighting machine is but a mere boy who has seen only 19 summers, and is therefore by no means at the height of his powers. Yet again within the past 12 months Carpentier has been beaten by two veteran middleweights-

“ The disparity in the two boxers was most marked when they stood in the ring’ (continues the paper in Question!. “Carpentier opened like a terrier let loose on a rat; hue clever footwork took Wells away, and his long left did good execution. Watching his opportunity, Wells followed a left lead with a right cross on the side of the head, and Carpentier went

down for nine seconds. Regaining his feet, the French champion rushed to a clinch, Wells easily outdoing him to the end of the round.

“ Again, in die second round, there was only one man in it. Swings aid uppercuts galore came from the Frenchman. '-.al few of them landed, and in his rushes he simply bumped up against Wells’ left glove, whilst another right-hander bowled Carpentier over lor six seconds.

“The English champion’s, victory now looked assured, but a dramatic change came in the third, round- Carpentier, altering his boring in tactics, covered up and started to bea' Wells about the body. Wells fought back with vigour, but at this game he came off second best. One particularly hard right took much of the go out of him, and caused him to breathe heavily. Carpentier looked the fresher of the pair when they faced each other for the fourth round. The lefts which Wells essayed now lacked force. A clever faint allowed Carpentier to get in close, where he smashed home left and right punches on the Bombardier’s body. It was more than Wells could stand- He oegan to go at the knees and was open mouthed, when a left hook to the stomach settled it. He was on the fall, Avhen a right to the jaw caught him, and all was over. Wells measured his length on the boards, tried to roll over and rise at six seconds, but failed, and sank back to be counted out. Carpentier was carried shoulder high from the ring, to the accompaniment of ‘The Marseillaise.’’

The Southland Boxing Association made a profit over the recent amateur championship tourney, this being the first time success from a monetary point of view has rewarded their efforts for some time past.