LIGHTWEIGHT JACK READ.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1375, 31 August 1916, Page 22

LIGHTWEIGHT JACK READ.

READY TO BOX IN NEW ZEALAND.

Jack Read, the clever New South Wales lightweight, who visited Auckland in 1910 to take part in the Australasian amateui' boxing championships, being then a featherweight, in which division he easily outboxed the various contenders for Australasian featherweight honours, is well-known to New Zealanders by reason of his many successes in the professional ranks both in Australia and America, from which country he recently returned. Read’s skill and cleverness in amateur boxing bouts aroused such keen interest among fistic followers that he was persuaded to enter the professional ranks soon after his return to Sydney from New Zealand, and the prediction of his many supporters that he would do well for himself in the profession which he had elected to follow has been fully borne out by his long list of victories in the boxing world. Success after success went down to his account, until finally, in 1913, he achieved his ambition by defeating Herb. McCoy in a match for the lightweight championship of Australia. He then went to America and returned last year, but owing to his nose being in a bad state he lost the two fights he had. He then underwent an operation to his nose, and is now doing a “come back” stunt, trying to regain the light-

weight championship title. He has beaten Matt Murphy and Frank O’Connor (who knocked out Hughie Mehegan), Herb. McCoy and others recently, and a fortnight ago fought a 20 rounds draw with Fernand Quendreux, lightweight champion of France. In the contest in question Read was fouled a number of times by being knocked down in the breakaway, but these were overlooked and apparently credited to Quendreux, as Read outpointed him badly, and yet the bout was declared a draw. Read is trying to meet him again, and at' the same time he is likely to again box Herb. McCoy for the lightweight championship of Australia.

Jack Read is endeavouring to secure a match or two in New Zealand, a fact that should not be lost sight of by the leading associations throughout the Dominion, though during war time boxing in this country appears to be a dead letter. The visit of Read to these shores under engagement to meet a worthy opponent would no doubt result in a revival of interest in boxing, and it only needs some enterprising association to give the matter serious consideration to ensure the clever New South Wales lightweight making the trip across the Tasman.