BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1126, 13 May 1911, Page 12

BOXING.

(Br "Mekccey.") RUDD-SATISFACTION AT LAST. Lang Against Lester To-night, To-night, at the Stadium, in Sydney, .the chosen one of Australia will hand out battle- to a representative-' of the United States. By all the rules of the game, it should be a triumph for the Australian. He is heavier and bigger, has infinitely more ring experience, and is fighting on his native heath, but-well, ho is also "Bill" Lang, which is to say that ho is perhaps the unluckiest of big men ' in tho ring to-day. ■ , ' Brery one who has followed boxing knows all about Lester—and that is not much. Except for "Tommy" Burns's endorsement, he has nothing behind him to warrant him being in the position he will occupy to-night. The opponent is a man who can fairly claim to bo in the first flight of the white heavy-weights of the world. Certainly Lester is credited with an unbeaten record so far, but whom has ho beaten? On this side of the world his victims are names only, and, in America, they appear to havo been also unknown to fame. Moreover, he is quite a youth—not yet 20 years of age—and, though wo are told that "Youth will bo served,' the youthful business can be overdone. There are other adages that apply too: "An old dog for a hard road" is one, and this is going to be a hard wad. Still there is no doubt that he has earned the good opinion of somo of the cognoscenti in his native State. In a recent issue of the San Francisco "Call" appears an article discussing the probabilities' of to-night's melee, and therein appears the following "sayso" of one John Grace, one of Caliiornia's sporting authorities: Lester is only 20. years old, and he's built something like Tom Sharkey, only: a bit taller. Ho had no trouble in knocking out the few heavy-weights whom the} dug up for him around. Tacoma. Ho is so good, in fact, that they don't know just how far ho can go. I really believe that he will beat them all if ho" gets an oven break. , , Lester was just a . raw youth till "Tommy" Burns took, hold of him. The first time that Burns saw the youngster, he recognised in him the makings of a great boxer, and he immediately assumed his guardianship and began to teach him a few things about the game. Lester proved an apt pupil, and the improvement which he displayed surprised even "Tommy" himself. Lester is a fairly good boxer, but his principal stock-in-trade is his punch. He has a stiff one in either mitt, and he can land it to tho head or the body at will. He is also very game, and can talis most anything .that comes his way. None of his opponents have yet been able to make this youngster extend himself. He ■ ivon all his battles with comparative ease. All that can be said is that Lan« ought to wiu easily. If he doesn't, then he is "down and out" indeed. Should we hope to see him win' As.Australasians we certainly should, not only because he stands for the best there is in Australian boxing— not only as a pugilist, but also as a decant, clean-living athlete—but because it is jjis turn to have a win. Then there is a broader view: We want to find a man capable of beating the Uing class vi fighter. The Lang standard is 153 low, and, well—what else? Easily answered. We want a while man to be champion of tho world. Just now. it is the colour that counts—it does not matter whether it be American or Australian. Lang is as good as any of the present crop, but tho crop 13 not good enough, Therefore,. as white men, we should hope to see the American win to-night only one cannot but wish that it was over some other than honest "Bill" Lang that the conqueror must step - to victory. Our New Welter—Challenged Already. The new welter champion of the Dominion, Denis Murphy, has an engagement at Wauganui on Slay 21. Just before the result of the recent Tracy-Murphy clash at Blenheim-and the accompanying news of Tracy's mishap had reached Wanganui, ''Mercury" received a telegram from a member of the association there asking if Tracy was wishful of meeting one "Dick" Ellis. Of coukc, "Tim's" accident put him out of court, so "Mercury" wroto suggesting that Murphy be given the engagement. Negotiations havo now been completed, and, early in the week, Murphy and his trainer and manager, "Mick" Hogan called on the writer with tho following telegram from the Wanganui Association:— "Can arrange match welter-iveight championship; Breed, local amateur; stake, .£SO; winner «£35, loser .£15." Murphy has accepted this offer, so the match is "on." The writer cannot place tho Wanganni candidate for professional honours, but the naiViS may have be6n mutilated in the transmission of the telegram. Another fixture of interest has been mado by the newly-formed Waipnkurau Association for June 7. "Gnat" Williams once well-known in Wellington, has been matched with L. o'HaJloran. of Haivke'el

Bay, whom it will be remembered got a verdict over L. Porter at Hastings some little while ago. Tracy's Damaged Arm. "Tim" Tracy is making satisfactory progress with his broken arm, but expects t;i bo all of Ihiee months out of action. He has been besieged with telegrams and letters from tho various associations up and down the Dominion regarding a return match with Murphy. The latter is quite willing, in fact, anxious for another meeting, and as both are local nicu the Wellington Association should spare no pains to bring them together here as soon as possible. Tho boxers want it, and the boxing public want it, and will not be happy till they get it. So the association's duty in the matter is plain. (ludd Sells tho Goods to Blackmore. Commenting last w.eek on "Bill" Rudd's return to grace through the removal of the doctor's embargo, "Mercury" ventured the opinion that, while the public would be pleased that tho Wellingtonian's match with "Jack" Blackmore could go on, the Australian would not be so pleased after the event, and so it proved. Rudd had made no secret of his desire t6 wipe Out his very questionable defeat on a foul when the men last met at Napier, and his desire was gratified with interest to date. The "return" was but a brief episode. In the third round Rudd knocked his man out so enthusiastically that he remained "out" fbr five minutes. To-night tho winner was scheduled to meet "Ted" Whiting in Melbourne, which, as "Gus" Devitt got a win from the latter last year, should be an easy thing for him. "Mercury" has been hearing glowing accounts or the new gymnasium opened at Lower Hutt by R. Cairns, who has frequently figured locally in amateur boutsTho proprietor is making a feature of his boxing class, and has gathered together, a string of promising performers, whom he hopes to pit against the town and Petono talent at this season's provincial championships. Percy Hale has written .to friends in town asking if there is any probability of a match being arranged for him in New Zealand, Wellington preferred. Associations please note. When the last Australian mail left "Billy" Elliott was reported as haying two matches in prospect—one last night with Teddy Green, and the second on May 30 with "Sailor" Carpenter, a man-o'-warsman. "Len" Porter, of Wellington, now seeking pugilistic fame, and fortune on the other side, has been matched with one Patto, the meeting to come off at the Alexandria Staudium on May 22. The Voice of the Reformer. The voice of the reformer is still to be heard in the land in some parts of the United Slates, judging from the following paragraph from an American file of last mouth, discribiug an episode in Denver :— "An attempt to revive the boxing game here this evening proved a. dismal failure, for tho heavy hand of the law interfered and the fans who gathered to witness the contest wcro • quickly scattered. The principals were the veteran Jack (Twin) Sullivan of Boston, who claims the welterweight championship title of tho world, and Jack O'Keefo, of (his city, well known all over the United States. Just before the bout started Sheriff Armstrong, of Denver county, accompanied by a posse of deputies, invaded the ring and warned the principals and promoters not to attempt to pull off tho contest, at the same time serving all parties concerned with injunctions issued by Judge Bliss. This is taken to mean ''that the officials of Denver will no longer tolerate any. open boxing matches." . And so Thompson has got' it! "Cyclone" Thompson, the American fighter (one cannot conscientiously say "boxer"), who was recently in Sydney, and who departed in a blaze of glory after his defeat of "Billy" Papke, has had his career in the middle-weight division peremptorily cut short by Hugo Kelly, an Italian-American, who claims the world's title in bis class. The battle look place at Recine, Wisconsin, a fortnight ago, and Thompson was easily ontpointed- -in' 1 ten rounds. This is not to bo wondered at, as any boxer, good enough to see the journey out, would beat Thompson on points in a short bout. "Dave" Smith, and even "Tim" Land proved that. Papko does not count in this argument. He, like Thompson, is purely a fighter, not a boxer. Kelly is both, but he is clover first, and the fighter afterwards. He has a good record against good men, including a points decision over cx-chanipion "Jack" O'Brien over ten rounds, two draws with "Tommy" Burns over ten and twenty rouiids, and two draws and two defeats at the hands of Papke. Another American item of interest is that, late last month, Ad Wolgast, lightweight champion of the world, met "OneRound" Hogau (New York's pet lightweight) in what was to have been a tenround contest. Wolgast had other views about the length of the match, and terminated it in the second round by knocking his man out. Over Here to Join Smith. On Thursday last, "Mercury" received a call from Mr. M. Hogan, who introduced Arthur Kelly, from Broken Hill, New South Wales, a well-known instructor of the gentle art, and an exceptionally clover boxer, just arrived by the Moeraki. Kelly, although only 25 years of age, claims a lousr record of 73 contests, and owns to defeat in only eight of them. He scales fist. 71b., and has met the best light-weights in Australia At present ho is under engagement to "Dave" Smith as sparring partner in the show with which the lightheavy champion proposes to tour the. Dominion, but no is open to consider a match with any lit stone boxer in the Dominion, should "any of. the associations require bis services.