GENERAL NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1306, 6 May 1915, Page 28

GENERAL NOTES.

Matters in the boxing line in Australia promise to boom during the next few months, for in addition to Eddie McGoorty paying a return visit to Sydney, another celebrated American boxer in Jack Dillon will make his debut before an Australian fight audience at an early date. Jack Dillon is a. remarkable boxer. Though only sft. high, and 24 years of age, his list of performances spreads over two pages of the “dope” book, and includes defeats of Jim Flynn, who fought Jack Johnson at Las Vegas for the championship of the world, and Gunboat Smith, white heavyweight champion of the world, until Georges Carpentire got that verdict over him last year. Despite the fact that he has not yet lived a quarter of a century, Dillon is reckoned one of the hardest men in the game to defeat. A long gruelling experience has seasoned him wonderfully. According to that well-known authority on fistic affairs, Jack Skelly, Dillon, though the hero of some 200 battles, knows not the sensation of a knock-out punch. “The only blemish on Dillon’s ring career,” says Skelly, “is his many ten rounds no decision bouts. Some of them appeared very much like stalls. However, Jack, of late, seems to have

gene into win in the most decisive manner, and his new tactics will certainly make him a very popular pugilist.” Dillon may be as wise in his generation as Sam Langford, who manages matters so that he gets more battles than any living pugilist, or any one that ever lived (remarks W. F. Corbett, in the “Sun’). Letting his man stay the limit means tempting them all to come, which, no doubt, is the reason why Dillon has credited himself with an average exceeding 27 fights a year. Your boxer generally is very shy of the real dyed-in-the-wool brand of knocker-out. Jack Dillon’s arrival in Australia will be an occasion for rejoicing. Men of his sort are the chaps to shake the game up.

It transpires that the changing of the venue of the Jess Willard-Jack Johnson fight from Juarez, Mexico, to Havana, Cuba, was at the express wish of the negro. When Promoter Jack Curley informed Johnson that arrangements had been completed for

the fight to take place at Juarez, the b g negro refused point blank to give the project one moment’s consideration. Johnson argued, not without justification, that it would not be safe for him to go to Mexico. What the giant negro feared was that some hot-headed Texan, when he saw him beating Willard, as he confidently stated he would do, would rise up with a six-shooter in his hand and start popping at him. Johnson said he did not want tn be a target for any bullet, whilst he added that he was anxious to meet Willard, as. he felt certain that the ex-cowboy would be easy for him.

It was rumoured in some quarters prior to the Johnson-Willard fight that one reason why the negro would have to fight the cowboy was because he was broke and sadly in need of money. Johnson’s arrival at the scene where the fight was to take place quickly dispelled all these idle rumours, for in addition to having a costly diamond in his tie and a couple more “sparklers” on his fingers, he was accompanied by his wife with a retinue of servants and two motor cars. During his stay at Cuba Johnson motored extensively, and indulged in light road work and boxing every day. He ridiculed the idea that he had gone back, and freely stated that there was no

man living who could hold his own w.th him. The greatest interest was taken in the meeting of Willard with the clever negro, and the Havana races were prolonged a couple of weeks in order to attract visitors to the fight.

Eddie McGoorty, the famous American middleweight, is expected to arrive in Australia at the end of the present month, and will be prepared to meet any boxer in the Commonwealth, so that the clever American’s return should give the game a good fillip in Australia. McGoorty’s sterling fight at Hudson, Wisconsin, recently with Mike Gibbons has brought him into greater prominence than ever, and he is certain to again prove a strong magnet of attraction in his engagements in Australia.

Particulars to hand show that, contrary to general opinion, Jack Johnson trained carefully for his contest with Jess Willard for the world’s championship. During the steamer tr.p to Havana he was extremely careful of his diet and cut out liquor entirely. So that he would be supplied with fresh eggs Jack took two dozen hens with him on the steamer, and they went with him to his training camp. He was so careful of his eating that he made his own pastry on the trip, and confined his smoking to one cigar a day. On arrival in Cuba he commenced hard training and has no excuses to offer in extenuation of his defeat, having by this time fully realised that youth must prevail.

Frank Ellis, the young Wellington featherweight, is making excellent headway in his profession in Austral a, and his latest success was scored in a match at Brisbane with the French boxer, Marcel Denis, whom he defeated in thirteen rounds. Ellis is held in high esteem by Melbourne boxing followers, one of whom, Mr. Bob Roberts, a bookmaker, has announced his readiness to back Ellis against any featherwe ght in the Com ii.cnwealth for £lOO or more.

Th eannual meeting of the Northern Boxing Association was held on Friday night last, when the report stated that the season was successful financially. The Auckland amateur championships attracted a record entry and the boxing displayed was, on the whole, the best since the association came into existence. The committee congratulated the Taumarunui Boxing Association on the excellent showing of its team. The winners of the different classes were as follows: —Bantamweight, H. Gilchrist, Ellerslie; featherweight, J. Newson, Taumarunui; lightweight, “M. James,” Onehunga; welterweight, G. Kelland, Taumarunui; middleweight, P. Closs, Y.M.C.A.; heavyweight, C. Savory, Pcnsonby. The association was represented at the New Zealand championships by a team of five boxers. Mr. F. Burns was selected as one of the judges of the tourney. The Auckland representatives, “M. James” and C. Savory, were successful in winning the lightweight and heavyweight championships. The former winner was judged the most scientific boxer in the Dominion. At the annual conference the association, which was

represented by Messrs. Sanders and Ballin, brought forward two notices of motion: (1) Direct representation of boxing centres on the council; (2) registration of amateur boxers, trainers and instructors. The first of these motions was defeated, but the second was taken up by the conference and will appear in the rules of the New Zealand Boxing Council. The association staged two professional contests, namely, Pcoley v. Marquet, and Regio v. Bromwich.

The heavyweight contest was the finest of its kind since the formation of the association, Pooley winning the contest on points; while Regio proved too good for Bromwich. The display of Regio was impressive and the committee endeavoured to match him for the New Zealand lightweight championship, but on the outbreak of war Jim Hagerty, the title holder, joined the expeditionary forces, and as there was no other suitable opponent, the committee could not give Regio another match. The committee endeavoured to bring

about a match between Les O’Donnell, of Sydney, and Alex. Pooley for Easter Tuesday, but just as all arrangements had been completed at this end word was received that O’Donnell was required by Stadium Limited to fight in Brisbane on Easter Saturday, and it was therefore impossible for him to fulfil his proposed engagement in Auckland. Fred. Dyer, the Welsh welter champion, was approached for a match against Syd. Mitchell, but owing to the great

expense for Dyer to get a release from his theatrical engagement he found it impossible to accept the association’s terms.

The balance-sheet disclosed a satisfactory state of affairs, the assets of the association now standing at £514 15s. 4d. The year’s working after allowing depreciation of £l6 6s. 3d., shows a profit of £B4 12s. 6d. It should be noted from the balancesheet that a deposit of £5 15s. has been paid for the Town Hall for June 3, when the present season will be opened.