BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1025, 14 January 1911, Page 12

BOXING.

THE SHODDY AMERICAN STYLE.

(By "Mercury. ; 'J

New Vistas for Lang. Oil Wednesday next- at Olympia—tlio new temple erected in London by Mr. H. D. M'lntosli —Australia's "Bill" Lang is scheduled to meet Petty' Officer Curran, of the British Navy, one of the candidates for the English "heavy" championship. Then comcs tho Victorian's, first really big hurdle. In February, ho is t6 meet "Sam" Langford for a purse of £3500. This is looked upon as the crucial test of Lang's abilities, although quito why this should bo so is hard to conceive. There will be lieariy, if not quite, as much disparity between his weight and tho negro's as there was between "Jack" Johnson and "Tommy]' Burns on that well-remembered Boxing Day iu the Sydney Stadium. ' It will bo remembered how on that occasion (but aetee the event) the multitudinous man in the street said in 0110 voice, "Well, what could you expect?—tho negro was big enough to eat him." i The t only apparent difference thjs time is that it is the w.hito man who is tho big mam ■ ■•One latest advices from Homo Lang weighed -lost-..,.01b., in.,.his -clothes, Viand peeled for-battle.' Against''this,'Langford states that he can still make the ''middle" limit, list. 41b., but is more likely to bo somewhere about the"l2st. mark. So it is the White- who is big enough to do the "eating" now, and all Australia and New Zealand (to fay nothing of tho United States) would be extremely glad to see him do itEngland's Only Championship Claim. The sporting press of London • are vigorously claiming for England the possession of olio world's championship title—that of tho bantam.division. The holder, according to English argument, is "Digger" Stanley, who lately defeated "Joe" Bowkor at tho N.S.C. for tho bantam championship of England. His claim is made up this wise.. To go back a bit; Terry M'Govern beat Pedlar Palmer ' for tho title. It then passed to Harry Forbes and from him to Frankie Neil who was beaten by Bowker. "Boxing" in advancing this claim, states that Bowker's titlo was generally acknowledged in America, and,, up to 1908, his name was always inserted in American books and records as the world's champion. At this stago Bowker was supposed to havo dropped out of tho game, and, since then, half-a-dozcn or so titleJiolders have been in existence at once in tho States. Chief among these are "Monte" Attell, "Jimmy"- Walsh,. Frank Conley, and "Johnny'! Coulon, and in- America, as out here, tho first-named of these is generally considered as wearing tho honour.

However, to get back to Bowker. Recently lie became prominent in the revival that has taken place, in English boxing, and came out again as a "bantam," only to be beaten by Stanley, as before mentioned. Stanley now claims tho world's title, and has thrown down the gauntlet to all and sundry at Bst. 41b.. It is hard to say at this stage vhat notice the American' authorities will tako of Stanley's aspirations—if they .tako-any at all. His best method of securing recognition would be to go to the States and fight Attell and Co. This would be both remunerative and convincing, one way or tho other. Tho weight would be no bar, as 1161b. is generally recognised . in America, although, oil occasion, tho various championship aspirants ,havo insisted on a smaller limit. ■.. Cry "Halt!" to the Americans, "Dave" Smith seems to have broken tho spell that the visiting Americans had apparently cast over their Australian opponents. Since he has shown that they arc only human after, all by his defeat of Papke, another of them lias been forced to bite the dust. This time it was tho light-weight, Bay Branson, whoso light was extinguished by "Hughfo" jUchegan. Once again did tho extraordinary sccrecy with which the visitors surround their weights come to tho surface. However, this time it did not matter, except in so far as it enabled tho Australian to face a man of at least somewhere near his own ton-, nage. How Ray EJronson Want Oilt. One account of the event has already appeared in The Dominion. Tho following is the Sydney "Daily Telegraph's" report of fclio affair, which, by the way, was witnessed by the biggest crowd that has been seen in the Sydney Stadium since the Burns-Johnson battle, and which runs as under: — "Fighting with the accuracy and precision of a machine, 'Hughic' Mehcgan, of Victoria, tho holder of the Australasian light-weight title, gained a points decision over Ray Branson, tho visiting American light-weight boxer at the Stadium last night. "Although it had been publicly announced that the men had agreed to weigh in under 10 stone ringside, or forfeit £100, the American would not hold to his part of ihe bargain. As a consequencc, Australians are still in the dark as to his' real weight. He certainly looked much lighter than in his previous contes', and judging by his appearance, could not have been much above the prescribed limit, llehegan's best weight is well known to be in the vicinity of 9st. 91b., so it is scarcely

likely that lie anticipated drawing over-' weight, if weighed in ringside. The first couple of rounds were uneventful, both men being waryvand trying every trick they knew to draw their opponent. ISronson was doing the better of the pair, but it was early apparent that his olows lacked sting, while Alehegan was punching viciously, and making every blow tell. Bronsoii continued in the lead for a few rounds, although Jlc-hegan kept after him all the time. . Soon it became very patent that Jlehegan was playing a waiting game. Whenever an opening presented itself he stabbed venomous lefts to the: body, and sent the right to the jaw. Both men broke cloan,_ perhaps a trifle too much so, and 0110 of the most pleasing features of the contest was the utmost good humour with which it was fought. As the light progressed Mehegan's chances appeared rosier, and after the seventh round, during which, as the result of a beauti-fully-timed leftrhook, lie nearly put Bronsoii out, lie never looked like getting tho loser's end of the purse. Bronsoii fought gamely, and in the most good-natured fashion imaginable, but nis blows wore not timed with such nicety as his opponent's, nor did they carry tho same sting towards the latter, end of the contest. Branson's condition commenced to givo out, mainly through tho pile-driving blows which he had received, and even a couple of brisk showers which fell whilst the fight was in progress, could not revive him. He was on several occasions hard put to it to stave off being knockcd out. Many were of the opinion that Mehegan should have made more use of his opportunities, but to have done so may have been to have courted defeat, "as Bronson is a very strong lad, who recovers quickly, and always carries a heavy punch. At the conclusion of the last round the, referee, Mr. Snowy Baker, decided in favour of Jlehegan, who theroby retains tho championship title." When Clabby Struck ths Refereo. The "Snowy" • Bakcr-Clabby fracas at tho conclusion of the Thompson v. Land contest excited a lot of discussion in Sydney boxing; circles, and despite tho attempts of the "Referee" to gloss the matter over, there is 110 doubt 1 that tho incident has done tho sport a good deal of harm. Had the matter been thoroughly inquired into, and an attempt made to properly allocate the blame and punish the offender, it would' still have been a bad business, but that such a happening as a public affray in the ring between a referee and a boxer's second should occur, and be allowed to pass unnoticed by tho controlling authorities, is nothing short of disgraceful.

"The Bulletin" .refers to the regrettablo incident in its report of the main battle between 'Thompson and Land in these terms:—"The most exciting feature of the battle was Clabby, who was acting as second to his countryman Thompson. This youug man, like the rest of the American string, has been allowed so much latitude by a management with a lately-acquired vermicelli backbone that ho hated to seo a referee handling the fight when ho (Clabby) could handle it so much -better by himself. AVhen Land was knocked down in the 19th round, the gong clanged beforo the fatal 'out' was counted. In any case, Land was rising in timo to save himself, but Clabby reckoned, apparently, that Beferee Baker should disregard tho rules and award the event to Thompson, oh the ground that it was getting late', or it might rain, or something. His attitude in Thompson's corner was, such that he should have been ordered out by Baker, and too much abuse cannot be hurled at. the management for permitting its controlling officer, who had been through an .exceptionally -heavy trial all .night, to bo .insulted-by a ringside pugilist. As ,^ [ jnattoi,- I ,of.,Jac.t, .jthe position becams, 'so lilitMeratlb'.Va'HcU so insulting wa's Clabby immediately after the _ knock- • out, that Baker was forced to hit; him."

"In the Approved American Manner."

. The .same paper describes the other clisturbanco which preceded' the above tfius:—"Considerable breath and ink have been expended, not to say wasted, in admiration of the event. This paper does not propose" to add to s the heap, principally because' it reckons the fight for the most part wasn't worth- a coconut, unless the coconut was used to express disapproval. It (the .fight, notthe coconut) went 19} rounds, and about three-quarters of them were given over to the American wrestle, which is the chief asset of tho man who relies entirely on abnormal powers of endurance for victory. ; Thompson learned in about one round that .his chance was small, and so he wrestled, and bored in; and poked hard, with short jabs to the body, and leaned on Land with all his might and main and every other oz. of avoirdupois he had available. The local man, handicapped by a permanently stiff lee, was unablo to side-step as he shoul3, and was continually cornered and loaded up with imported American. And it was impossible to punch the American off. Tho punishment was severe enough to stop a mule, but Thompson took it. As {'no rounds went on these tactics wore Land down, and weakened him till-he Could not do further, damage. . Then Thompson camc into his own, and started to punish tho used-up enemy.' In the 19th round Land went to the floor heavily; but the gong gave him another chance. It was clear, however, that only a miracle, or hanging on to tho American in the approved American manner, would carry him through the next, and as there did not happen to be any miracles about, and as the American methods havo not como into fashion in this sporting country, Land 'was outed half-way through after a brilliant showing, against, ail accumulation of odds."

Land and, Thompson have signed articles for a return contest.

Last' Saturday Ray : Bronson, : of America, was down to meet Arthur Douglas, of South Africa, at the Sydney Stadium, and, to-night, "Dave" Smith meets ''Jimmy" Clabby, also .of America, in the same arena. This latter seems a . queer tiling in match-making. Hcccntly Smith beat Papke at list. 111b., and now is fighting Clabby, who is a welter-weight, and ..easily a stone lighter, even when fighting "big." It seems as though a long-suiTering-public is in for it again.-'

Our Mr. R'-'dd and Others.

Arthur Cripps, the Australian "middle" champion, is coming out of his shell again, and wants either Smith or Papkc for £50 aside at list. 41b. Thero is a report also that he has been matched with "Bill" Rudd. The Hustings B.A. has been negotiating for either Papkc, Smith, Williams, Cripps, or Clabby to meet Budd on January 26, for a purse of £100 and £20 expenses. 'None of these was available for the money —times -being too good in Sydney. "Bob" Bryant and "Jack" Blackmore aro willing to meet tho New Zmlnuder. so the Hawke's Bay people will be able to arrange something satisfactory if they have not already done so.