BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1174, 8 July 1911, Page 12

BOXING.

(Bx "Meucurt.") HUMOUR-FRENCHMAN AND FIST. July 23 and 2G.—New Zealand Amateur \ Championships (Invercargill), September 7, 8, 9.—Australasian Amateur ( Championships (Brisbane). ( 1 "Eet ees not Fair," j The boxer-versus-wrestler controversy continues in Sydney and Melbourne. ' "Bill" Squires is reported to have made a match with "Professor" Stevenson, a , jui-jitsu expert, and now "Bill" Lang • seems to have followed suit in Melbourne, < having accepted a challenge from "Alec" • Bain, the big Scotch wrestler, who was here with Hackenschmidt. The argument , started with "Snowy" Bnkcr and Clarence Weber, Victoria's strong man and wrestler, who advanced the opinion that a knowledge of the grappling game was more useful to a man as a method of self-defence than boxing. This assertion was ht once taken up as being incorrect by Baker, who backed up his opinion by challenging Weber to -meet him in an "all-in contest as a test of the soundness of his. theory. This match did not take place, but a newspaper wrangle did, of which the two contests under remark are the outcome. Tho argument has been added to by a "Bulletin" correspondent in a reminiscent mood, who writes:— Tho present talk over -wrestlcrboxer battles recalls tho discussions of a few years ago over British bruising and French foot-fighting. Tho savate men reckoned they could demolish any boxer before he could get home one blow. Tho boxers snorted, and asked whether they would bo asleep while the froggio kicked them round the r'v: liko a boy kicks an old tin irett.t. A match between "professors'' of the two schools was finally fixed ur> in a sporting club. It didn't last long. Tho kicker had decidedly tlie btsi of it in inu iu.il round. Before tho boxer could finish feinting tho footer administered tho "cow kick"—a nasty chip on the shin. Tho shin is a painful spot, as everyone knows who has fallen over tho bedroom chair, and the boxer's dander - began to rise. The footman was waiting in tho regular savate position, with all his weight on the rear foot, so as, to leave the front foot free. A good punch on the head couldn't fail to up-end a man in such an attitude, and the boxer jumped for what lie Teckoned his chance. His chance came to meet him, though—the coup de Dane, an evolution which terminates with the heel somewhere against the throat of tho kick-ce. The boxer retired in a heap as far as the ropes allowed, but was up again in a minute, and dashing in for another close. He got it, and still another, and each time ho went back to tho ropes as if that was where ho belonged. Tho foot-fighter had been barred heavy shoes, however, and the kicks hadn't ■weight enough to out the other fellow. Second-round tho boxer kept a cautious eye on tho flying feet. Tho next kick that -was wafted along was a deadly ono straight for the body. But the boxer was too used to covering his point, and partly dodged and partly took it on his glove. Then his turn came, and he stepped smartly in, and sent it along in a straight right, with all his body-weight and tho sting of his kicked shin behind it. The Frenchman roso in the air, liko a gas-balloon when tho anchor-rope's : cut. sailed over the ropes and landed : amongst the spectators. It }vas a good few minutes -later when he sat up, and mumbled faintly: "I viU boxer heem no more. Eet ees not fair. Ho I hect too 'aid." \ Who Is Our Chief Welter? ; Who is chief welter-weight among us? i This rather interesting matter came up at 1 the counoilhof itho- New Zealand Boxing Association at ChristcUurch on Tuesday i last, Wauganui wroto that the i titlo was not at stake when "Doss" Burns i and Denis Jlurphy met at Wauganui on , jMay 21, as Burns, the winner, was 2\\\>. . over weight.. This being so, the council j decided that the championship should ; revert to "Tim" Tracy, the previous 1 holder.

This has given rise to comment, as it vas generally understood (bat Murphy ■was the previous holder,' having won the title from Tracy at Blenheim, when it will be remembered that "Tim" broke his arm, and boxed ten rounds in that crippled condition. ■ This, however, is really .not the case. The title was not involved on that occasion, as no articles embodying the championship clause were signed, and as the New Zealand Association had'not been approached in the matter according to rule. But Tracy, after his accident and with tho sportsmanlike intuition of nrcventing further competition being hung up uiitil he was well again., wrote to headquarters resigning welter honours. This left tho situation vacant, and the. bout at Wanganui was to decide its new allocation. It now appears that this effort, was fruitless so willy-milly Traey . is still tho Dominion's chief welter-weight. "Our Mr. Iggulden" Getting On. W. A. Iggulden, the clever little ban-tam-weight from Kaiwarra, who made several good showings in local competitions here two seasons back, has "made good" in Victoria, his new habitat, the Ballarat Amateur Championships, last Saturday week, ho won the bantam title, and is reported as having boxed cleverly and well. He was to have competed in the Victorian State championships held last Saturday, so if successful he is likely to be pitted against the New Zealand representatives at the Australasian meeting in Brisbano in September. One Johnson Invades Europe. Says tho London "Sportsman" on tho invasion of Europo by Jack Johnson:— ' Johnson, we are told, is to do some fighting in Paris. Where an opponent is to bo found for the big black strikes one as being'something of a puzzle. We have not much faith in seeing Johnson in a serious match. Providing he really does don the gloves, it looks as though his opponent can bo nono other than tho coloured person Sam M'Vca, whom many considered very lucky to get that draw with Langford. Despite 'the opinion Mr. M'lntosh holds of Langford, wo think M'Vca added moro to his reputation by securing that draw than by any fight that has gone his way since he came to England. He gave a taste of his quality when ho met Ben Taylor at headquarters. Paris is tho prospective battle-ground of Johnson—that is, if he fights at all—and as M'Vca is an idol in gay' Paris ho should bo tho man, from a pecuniary point of view, to oppose the champion. Somehow we cannot see Johnson and Langford in the ring together, though the ways of professional fighters nrcso peculiar nowadays that : anything may happen. As Americans have no uso for Johnson and Langford wo cannot see a ,£IO,OOO gate in tho match. Some Men Wo Know. Tho news that "Freddy" Kerr is leaving the ring for good, on account of his damaged hand, caused regret., as the little bantam is deservedly, a popular performer. He will bo a big loss to our amateur ranks, being, a clever boxer with a very taking style. The news, however, does not conio altogether as a surprise. The injur}', a broken bono in the back of the hand, has troubled him a lot of late years, and, as it will be at the risk of permanent damage if he continues boxin.", ho is wise to. "quit" before it is too late.

After many days Gus. Devitt is heard of again. The "Referee's" Adelaide correspondent telegraphs his paper as follows —"Gus Devitt defeated Buugardy last night, June % at tho National Arena. The contest went twenty rounds, and (ho issue was never in doubt."

The "Rcfwco" also alludes to the genial Gus in a previous battle in its Adelaide letter as under:—On Thursday (Coronation) night Gus. Devitt (New Zealand) met Harry Daniels (local) at the National Arena for the middle-weight championship of South Australia before a fair attendance, and at the end of, twenty good rounds Keferce Ferryman could not separate (he pair.

Wood?.' Great Peppermint Cu'e, Tot Coughs and Colds, never fuls. Is. Cd. '