BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1150, 10 June 1911, Page 12

BOXING.

. a (BY "Merccry.") SQUIRES—NO RESURRECTION. Lester Flees to the Woods. After all the Lang-Lester "return" is to happen. But, alas, it is not to be yet. Lang's hands have "gone back" on him, and their owner must perforce wait until August before he enters the ring again. Tho following from tho "Refereo" explains tho position:— A telegram sent to "Bill" on Friday asking if he would meet LcsterinJuno or July, as tho American intended returning home next Monday by tho Makura should tlicro be no chance of a return match within rcasonablo time, brought the following reply: "Impossible to fight beforo August. Both hands injured." (Signed) Lang. Having read tho communication, Lester said: "Well, there is no help for it. I'll wait; but I must get to _ tho woods somewhere, in tho meantime. Tho city is no good to me." In earnest of Lang's bona fides, "The Amateur", publishes tho following letter from Lang's manager'"Both of Lang's thumbs are in a bad way, and his medical advisers told him it would be foolish on his part lo box within a couple of months' time, for, if ho did, they might bo injured for nil time, and he intends following the surgeon's advice. His hands were in a very bad way before he fought Lester, which statement can lio borne out by Drs. Maitland and Hause. Had lie not promised to meet Squires at Brisbane prior to his fight with Lester, ho would certainly havo given the first battle if Lester could havo seen his way clear lo havo stopped hero until August. This accident is unfortunate for Lang, as ho could have fought both Lester and Turner before his battle with Squires. 'Bill' sends his kind regards." The Canard About Squires. Regarding the alleged reappearance of "Bill" Squires, referred lo above, the latest news upon the subjcct is that ho is not so foolish as was supposed. Tho rumour appears to have been widely spread, aiid to have been believed in by the Lang party, but it is now said that, whatever foundation it had, there is nothing in it. And it is to be hoped that this later intelligence is correct. Such a match would serve no good purpose to anyone—certainly not to Lang, either to his reputation or his pocket— win or lose. And, equally certainly, not to Squires, who has lost his ring reputation, and would not benefit pecuniarily, for who would pay to see such an exhibition? Who is England's "Heavy"? Tho very vexed question as to the correct' allocation of the title of heavyweight champion of England has at last been satisfactorily settled. Tho big men at Homo havo been beating each other with great regularity for so long that there v;as no knowing on results who was the best man, although there was a shrewd suspicion abroad that it was Bombardier "Billy" Wells.Tip? exsoldier was fairly on tho way to the' top early in the year, when he was somewhat luckily knocked out by Gunner Moir—admittedly a "hasbeen." Then Curran. Lan Hague, Moir, and Wells got mixed in a terrible tangle. Each of tho quartet succumbed to ono another or all of tho other Wells, tho youngest of the party, both in years and experience— this being his first year in tho ring, apart from Army championships—began to move to the front, and, on the present occasion, was matched by the London Sporting Club with Hague for tho title, and the accompanying Lonsdale Belt. His victory is described thus in tho "Sportsman" :— Hague was first in tho ring. He was attended by Corpl. Brown, Charley Hague, awl J. Law. Wells was seconded by Arthur Evcrndon, "Jim" Moloney, Arthur Guttridge, and "Bill" Natty. Wells stood over his man. Hague, who carried less flesh than usual, opened with a left hook. Wells immediately jabbed him twice, and then hooked him high on the jaw. Hague put in a hard right and was then swung down. Hague repeated his right. Wells landed two light lefts. In the second round Hague chanced his right, which struck Wells on tho shoulder Wells put a left' to tho mouth, and Hague being slow to get away, nearly napped a nasty cross. Hague attempted more body shots, but with lillle success. Wells was through Hague's guard frequently with his straight lead. Ho was doing very well. In the third round Wells was first again with two hooks. Hague rushed with swinging blows, which Wells avoided smartly. Hague ,-limed two swings, which Wells ran inside to. Then Wells smashed his opponent heavily, and a right half staggered the Yorkshireman. Just prior to that Hague scored with a jolt. Next time after somo ficrco work Hague received a punch left and right which caused him to .stagger. He was in a bad way and another blow, a hook, forced Jiiin down for eight seconds, and before tile gong ho fell again for six seconds. Benefiting by the interval, Hague had almost' shaken of! tho effects of the punishment when ho stood up for the fifth term. Wells eontotilcd himself with a shower of jabs and smartly avoided Hague's returns. By this time the Yorksliireman was blowing frcelv and reddened about the face, the result of AVolls's frequent visitations. Haguo made a few dashes in the sixth meeting, but was very wild. Wells twice got on the jaw, and Hague, now very distressed, was upset twice for eight seconds. The third punch knocked him clean out, and amid much excitement Wells was proclaimed • tho winner. Tho round lasted 2min. 3Sscc. The Elliott-Carpenter Unpleasantness. Thus the Sydney "Daily Telegraph" on "Billy" Elliott's last ring exploit. Tho match, by tho way, was at 9st„ and for a .£'so side bet::— "After putting up a wonderfully plucky showing against a taster and more experienced opponent, 'Sailor' Carpenter, a young featherweight boxor from 11.11 .S. Powerful, was compelled to acknowledge defeat at the hands of 'Billy' Elliott, the New Zealand boxer. Tho pair met at the Gaiety Athletic Club last night before a packed house. Elliott, making tho most of his superior speed, soon established a lead, which he increased as the contest progressed. In the 14th round lie chipped Carpenter on tho point' with a short right, momentarily dazing him. Thereafter ho gave him no peace, and after knocking him down twice for 9 seconds, Carpenter's seconds, realising that their man had no chance, throw in the towel. The defeated man, with a little more experience and boxing practice, will be a valuable acquisition to tho icatherwcight ranks." Those Lively West Coasters. The "Weekly Press" publishes tho following from its Greymouth correspondent:— "Tho West Coast Boxing Association is arranging . for a match between 'Tim' Iraeey and 'Denny' Murphy, to take plaeo at Greymouth in August. It will bo remembered that when the pair met at Blenheim on May 3 Murphy gained the victory on jwints, but the value of (he win was discounted by the fact that in the third round Tracey, who had beni leading on points lill then, had the misfortune to break his arm, and had to fight v. ith only one arm during the remainder of the contest." I

Thcro is matter for thought on ti'O part of llio Wellington Boxing Association hero. It has been understood that both Tracey and Murphy wore desirous of settling their "return" in Wellington, and that the aft'air was to he handled by the loc;tl association. "Tim's" injured arm has Ijeen out of limbo over a week now, and ho will ljo thinking very seriously about getting into harness again very shortly. Wherefor it behoves the W.B.A. to make some definite settlement, or it will find tho energetic "Coasters" (or some other association) in ahead of it again. "Len" Porter only managed to mako a draw of his second bout with "Les" Smith, and worse than that tho "house," for a sharo of which the pair were boxing, is described as a poor ono. Our Stadium—Cominn Events. Local amateurs aro hard at work at their preparation for tho Provincial Championships at tho Inhibition Stadiuii) on Juno 23. The entries promiso to bo far larger than last year's, and, if present indications arc boruo out, the sport should bo of good quality. In tho welter division tho talent promises to be exceptionally good. 0. Tailored, of Pt tone, tho present champion, is going well in his training, and will be opposed to Minifie, tho ex-tramway boxer, Tuko Morris, late of Wanganui, J. Murphy, and others. There should bo nt least six entrants in this division alone. Anion;) tho lighter men, tho Ellis-Shields meeting should lie an attractive ono. That it will bo willing is certain, ns each of the contestants has hopes of a place in tho Now Zealand representative warn for Australasian honours at Brisbane in August. In the Land of the Wooden Ham. \ erily "tho Land of tho Wooden Ham and Nutmeg" is a good place for tho successful boxer. "Boxing" publishes a letter from "Packer" M'Farland in response to an inquiry as to whether ho could cross the Atlantic to do battle with "Matt" Wells, tho English light-weight champion, a portion of which runs:— Things look awful good in tho East; Moran and I will draw 20,000 dollars sure. I am also offered 5000 dollars to box Freddie AVelsh. I will fight three times in one week, and am turning down 1000 dollars a woek theatrical work. I am just flooded with all kinds of offers and big money. I may come over to box Uclls, but just now cannot decide. Too much money hero at present. Go into the ring, young man! Plenty of Food for Thought, Th° failure in England of "Jimmy" Glabby and liay Bronson, the two AmeriMins who recently made tho, Australian boxers in their classes (Hughio Mehegan excepted) look so poor in qualitv, moves the editor of "Boxing" to tako heart of grace, and write as under on the so-called effete stylo of English boxing:— For several years now wo have,, most of us, been labouring under ail—shall wo say?—exaggerated respect for the American stylo of boxing. The frequent victories which American boxers have gained over our representatives, and the surprising rise of the French boxers (who have graduated in tho American school rather than in the English) confirmed and strengthened this respect, until, witji very few exceptions, we scarcely conceived it possible for any English boxer to hold his own against an American rival, savo and unless he had enjoyed the benefits of an American training. The belief was further confirmed by tlie success which attended the efforts of "Freddie" Welsh (who learnt practically all his boxing in the States), by tho astonishing improvement of "'Matt" Wells's form during an American trip, and by tho legend that Owen Moran had benefited amazingly from his American training. And yet, apart from the advantage of being able to secure frequent bouts, 'and thus greater and better practice than is possible in England, there were many little facts which should have reminded us that the supposed American superiority was either legendary or elso ono of men instead of being method. "Jim" Driscoll needed no American training to establish him liigli above all other boxers of his weight; "Digger" Stanley went to America ns a champion, and cannot be said to have gained, or needed to gain, anything from American tuition; Owen Moran was well able to hold his own and to beat the best America could send against him when he first crossed the Atlantic (defeating "Monte" Attell in his second match); "Spike" Kobsoli's first matches in America woro all in his favour; and now to wreck tho whole illusion (ns it would appear to bo on calmer reflection) come the meetings of two very prominent Americans with a pair of English lxixers who, though excellent of their kind, liavc not, so far, been regarded as being actually firstclass. It will be remembered that Bronson was disqualified in tho twelfth round of his match with "Sid" Burns, after being out-pointed all the way, and that Clabby. made a poor showing against Harry Duncan. It anpears now from the English files that Burns was not only untrained but actually unwell at the time, and tliat Duncan's left band went right at the beginning of the encounter.