GENERAL NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1262, 25 June 1914, Page 33

GENERAL NOTES.

Allan Maxwell, the well-known lightweight boxer, is anxious to secure matches in the Dominion, and as he is one of the biggest drawing cards in New Zealand it should not be long before he is matched by some of the leading boxing associations in this country.

“Denny” Murphy, the New Zealand welter and middleweight champion, will leave Wellington for Sydney on July 4, under engagement to Stadiums, Ltd.

The Wellington Boxing Association have decided to communicate, through their Australian representative, with Herb McCoy, the clever Victorian lightweight, with a view of inducing that boxer to make the trip across and meet Jim Hagerty after the latter’s battle with Peter Cooke on August 11. Hagerty has been advised to keep in readiness for the event, which it is expected will be satisfactorily arranged.

Gus Venn, the Welsh featherweight boxe,’*. is making splendid progress with his boxing class at Taumarunui. and a number of his pupils are competing at thA Waikato Boxing Association’s carnival at Hamilton this week. A tournament is to be held in Taumarunui early in August, at which Gus Venn’s pupils will take a prominent part, while Venn himself will probably figure in the big professional contest which it is proposed to stage.

It is possible that the Wellington Boxing Association may engage the

services of the clever Sydney lightweight Regio as one of the principals in their forthcoming professional matches, that boxer having been recommended to the Association by their Australian representative.

It is stated that P.O. Curran, the British heavyweight boxer, intends taking up his residence in Australia.

The match between Eddie McGoorty and Jimmy Clabby will take place in Sydney on July 4.

Tom McCormick, the English welterweight boxer, who won his first three battles and lost the next three during his visit to Australia, has left Sydney on the homeward voyage. Though he has twice defeated Johnny Summers in Australia and subsequently was beaten by Matt Wells, these matches were not regarded as involving the British welterweight title, so that on his arrival in England matters promise to be very busy in the welterweight division. McCormick anticipates taking part, in five battles with Summers and Wells, and thinks these eliminating tests will result in him becoming the holder of the Lord Lonsdale belt. He will then return to Australia and fulfil several engagements.

Dave Smith is to be matched with Jeff Smtih, and the contest will probably take place next month.

Fritz Holland, the American welterweight, is seeking a match with Jeff Smith, and it is almost certain that the pair wilt be brought face to face in the ring very shortly.

Harry Johns, the English featherweight, is anxious to meet Lyn Robinson, of Gisborne, in a return match. The pair met at G'isborne last June, when, after a sterling fifteen rounds’ contest, Robinson was declared the victor on points by a narrow margin. The young Englishman, who had trained for the contest at short notice, was unable to get down to the 9st. limit at the time, and in his efforts to make the stipulated weight weakened himself for the fray. Johns, however, is at present in good trim, scaling Sst. 131 b., and is therefore eager to have a chance of turning the tables on Robinson. Should Frank Ellis decide to return to New Zealand, Harry Johns will also endeavour to secure a match with the young Wellingtonian, while he has also expressed a desire to meet the Welsh featherweight, Gus Venn, who is now stationed at Taumarunui.

Mr. Lawrence, manager of the Aust" ralian heavyweight Colin Bell, is anxious for either Gunboat Smith or Georges Carpentier. He says he will back Bell against either man for £lOOO aside.

An admirer of Bombardier Wells has promised to present him with £5OO if he wins his approaching fight with Colin Bell.

Notwithstanding that he has thrice taken the count from Eddie McGoorty

Dave Smith, the ex-New Zealand light heavyweight, is still of the opinion that he can defeat the American, and in this connection the following letter has been published in the Sydney “Sun”: —“After witnessing the Clabby-Smith encounter I am more than ever convinced that our local champion, Dave Smith, could give either of the contestants three rounds and sail home a victor. If Clabby was showing at his best form, and that form beat Eddie McGootry, what earthly chance would Eddie have with Dave Smith at catch-weights, as when Dave fought Clabby at 1 Ist. 101 b.? The public must admit that in the last contest, when they saw Dave Smith’s legs being massaged after the first round, that Dave was not in form, having that morning lost lb. to make weight, and thus weakened himself. If Eddie or his friends are prepared to table £lOO as a side issue I shall cover same by return mail. I may mention to Eddie that Dave is prepared, if a match either at the Stiadium or privately be arranged, and Eddie makes good, to let him have the loser’s share of the gate.”

While it cannot be said that a fourth meeting between McGoorty and Dave! Smith will constitute a big attraction to Australian fight followers, who have already seen the American twice decisively beat Smith, it is almost certain that McGoorty will avail himself of this offer, as it will probably

appeal to him as a means of picking up some easy money.

A New York cable conveys the information that Willie Ritchie has signed articles for his match with Freddy Welsh, to take place at the Olympia Club, London, on July 4. Representatives of both men have deposited a guarantee of forfeit, and Mr. Eugene Corri has been selected as referee. Ritchie left New York for England on June 11, and the greatest interest is centred in the meeting of these world-famed lightweights in England.

A sequel to the return match between W. Ireland, of Waipawa, and N. Vernall, of Christchurch, which was staged at the Christchurch Sports Club’s tournament on June 2 is the disqualification for life of the former boxer. The contest aroused the suspicions of the committee of that body, and at. a subsequent meeting it was decided to disqualify both boxers as the officials were unanimously of the opinion, from their personal observations and from information from other sources, that their bout was a “fake.” Both men were given an opportunity at a special meeting of the committee last week to show cause why they should not be disqualified, and subsequently appeared before the committee. It was explained to Vernail and Ireland that the committee were unanimously of opinion that the bout was, in American’ terms, a “frame-up,” and were compelled, in the interest of true, clean sport, to take action to protect their patrons against fraud. After cross-questioning both men, the following resolution was unanimously passed:—“That owing to the tactics displayed by W. Ireland, this committee considers that in the interests of the sport it is undesirable that he. be any longer connected with the sport in New Zealand, and hereby disqualifies him for life.” In connection with Vernail, the committee resolved: “Having reference to the case of N. Vernall, the committee considers that he was not concerned in any unfair tactics in his contest with W. Ireland.”

The decision of the Christchurch Sports Club in disqualifying W. Ireland has been the subject of much criticism, and the following article in reference to the committee’s action appeared in the Christchurch “Star” under the heading “Farcical and UnBritish.”: —“It is an axiom of British law that a criminal must be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. Wo do not suppose that the Christchurch Sports Club is much concerned about axioms of any kind, but its methods can only be designated as singularly un-British. Let our readers run their eyes down the report of the proceedings of the Sports Club last night and ask themselves what they think of the methods employed by the committee. Without any evidence, save that of the admittedly conflicting evidence of their own eyes,they arrived at the conclusion that there had been a “frame-up.” Both parties denied it. No evidence was called; there was nothing to go on save some supicious appearances and the hoarse whispering of some supposititious man in the street. Ireland is supposed to have made a ‘pot of money’ from some hypothetical bookmaker for ‘running a schlinter,’ yet he pathetically, and probably truthfully, told his high-browed interrogators that he hadn’t got enough money about his clothes for a return fare. In the face of this, although Vernall was told that he didn’t hit hard enough to knock, a child over in the crucial round, he was discharged without a stain on his character, and Ireland was abruptly informed that his offence, whatever it ,was would deprive him of further boxing notoriety for the term of his natural life. We do not wonder that the press was asked, as an afterthought, to exercise a judicious reticence in the mention of names.”

That Charley White the Chicago lightweight, had great confidence in his ability to defeat Willie Ritchie for the championship was evident by the delight with which he welcomed the news that the match had been at last arranged, and his self-assurance regarding the outcome of their meeting:—‘‘l have been waiting for a long time for a . chance at the champion-! ship. Ritchie is one man I amj sure I can beat. I know he is great, but I can step along some myself, and I think I can clout as hard with either hand as he does with the right. I expect to outfight the champion, and perhaps stop him. If I get a good shot at his chin I will turn the trick all right.”