IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1657, 25 January 1913, Page 12

IN THE RING.

(By Mercury.)

PUT THE BIG WORLD IN LINE? Jan. 29—Hnnnan v Stauden, Auckland. Jan. 81—Hegariy v. Truscott, Hastings. February 10 —Ilegarty v. Maxwell, Palraerston North. Fob. 11—L.; Robinson t. T. Thompson, Gisborne. The Chaos of tho World's Scale of Weights. Tons of ink have boon shed lately in the American, French, and English sporting press on the necessity for a universal scale of weights for world's championship matches. At present things in this respect aro decidedly mixed. Each country has its own scalo, with the ob-. vious result, that, except in the heavy division, there can be no world's champion whoso title cannot bo assailed by tho champion of some country. Hithertofore the matter has been fettled by public opinion, and, as the Americana have taken the lead in boxing, the American ohampions have been generally accepted as world's champions. Now, however, things are changing. The recent world-wide revival of publio interest in tho sport, tho extraordinary progress which it is making in France and on the Continent, combined, with tho march to the front of Owen Moran, "Fred" Welsh, "Matt" Wells and Co., the English boxers, not to mention "Hughie" Mehegan, of Australia, has givon the whole matter an international aspect. The call is for unanimity in the mors important matters connected with the conduct of tho sport. Time was when the Marquis of Queensberry rulea were accepted the world over (or such small part of it as was interested in the flstio art) as the and referees' vade mecum. This, of course, haa nothing to do with tho weight limits, but the fact that—again owing to the American lead—these rules have been pushed aside to suit local tastes and conditions points further to the necessity for international agreement.

Signs of a Change Coming.

Other times, other countries, other manners is not a condition of things that makes for the successful conduct of any international sport, and sporting writers have now become "wiso" to this fact. As mentioned, much has been written, but so far little has been done.

Now, however, a move has been made. There is a commission in New York, and there is. an Inter-Club Board in France, each of which controls things more or less in its own sphero 'of usefulness, while, in England, the National Sportier. Club has tho "say so" with regard to English' championships. A movement is now- on foot to bring about a reciprocal agreement between these bodies with a view to removing the disabilities attendant upon the present situation, and Australia proposes to take a hand in the matter. ' ■ Reg.. L. Baker Moving In the Matter. The moving spirit is R. L. ("Snowy") Baker, now proprietor of - tho Stadium, who purposes to bring about an international oonferenco of the big chiefs of the boxing world-to settle the more vexing questions, particularly with regard to the scalo of weights. To understand the hopelessness of tho present situation from an international standpoint, it is only necessary to study the various scales in uso in the various countries named below:— America—Bantam, Bst. 41b.; feather, Bst! 101b.; light, Ost. 71b. j welter, 10st.21b. i middle, list. ilb. > England—Bantam,-Bst. Gib.; feather, 9st.; light, Ost. 91b.; welter, lOst. 71b.) middle, list. fllb. ' Australia—Bantam, Bst.; feather, Ost.; light, lOst.; welter, lOst. 61b. j middle, list. 41b. The New Zealand scale is added for 1 purposes of comparison thus:—Bantam, Bst. 21b., - feather, Ost.; light, lOst.; welter, lOst. 91b.; middle, list. 41b.

Wellington Boxing Association—the Path ■ of the Promoter Is not .Smooth. While there is plenty in prospect for boxing patrons in .other centres, as scheduled at the head of this column, local supporters of the game must wait for next season for their next contest, unless tho local association oan manage to arrange a match with "Jack" Read as a principal while the Australian lightweight i 3 -in the Dominion on his way to America lie is reported as leaving on February 11, under "Sam" Langford's chaperonago, and negotiations havo been opened with -the object of oatching him en route.

This cpurso has been adopted ns a substitute for- the K«<ys-Hegarty match, ns it has been found impossible (as was foreshadowed lost week) to bring these two toirethor owing to Hegarty's engagements and tho fact that Keys is to bo back in Sydney by the end of February. Tlie Wellington Boxing Association Is finding that tho way of tho boxing promoter is not smooth, and tho committee has decided that, if Read cannot be caught?,-tho present season is to be declared closed. Bead, by the way, has one match clinohed before his departure, with Herbert (lately "Kid") M'Coy, for February 1; English Stars to Come to Sydney. This season in Sydney has seen the'foremost of the boxers of France—with. the exception of the redonbtablo Georges ,Carpentier—pitting against the elect of Australia, and the honours have stayed with the native-born. ' Byway of variety, Mr. Baker (better known as "Snowy" without the prefix) is importing tho Enclish brand of fighting man for future attractions at his arena. So far ho liaa secured tho services of "Syd" Bums, recently defeated by "Johnny" Summers after a stirring 20 rounds, in his attack on the welter championship of England; tho redoubtable "Johnny" himself, and "Bryo" Driscoll— a good start for tho new campaign Our Head Control In a Quandary. The head and. front of boxing in New Zealand is tho New Zealand Boxing Association in Cliristchiirch. At least, that is tho position on paper and in .theory. Whether it is the position in actual fact is quite' another thing, and the-doubt has become so plain to see of late that it has actually_ come within tho cognisance of tho council of the association.

. It -was mado tho -subject of a discussion at its last meeting, and the present position of the council was shown .to bn such that it could no longer bo adhered to without less of dignity to tho members composing it. Briefly, tho situation is that whereas tho local associations-havo a legal standing by virtue of tho Act under which they control their various districts, tho New Zealand Executive exists by courtesy only, and has no legal status at all. Consequently tho council has only to issue a decreo and tho affiliated associations aro exactly as they like. If the mandate suits them, they conform to it. If it does not suit them, they caflform to their own sweet wills, and the council can do nothing about, it, and it knows it, and it knows that tho associations know it.

So tho council is asking itself what oxcuso it has for existing at all. It must bo apparent to all that a head body is necessary, and it is equally apparent that, a head bodv should have powor to govern.

Clearly thn present situation is becoming untenable, and it behoves thoso responsible for tho well-being of tho sport to seo that tho matter is put upon a proper basis as speedily as is. possible. Othorwise trouble nui9t come, sooner' or later, and boxing is a sport that cannot stand internal trouble. It has bitter enemies enough without its gates for it to run tho risks of internal dissension.

Works manager:_ "Well, Johnny, why are you so late this morning?" Johnny: "Well, sir, it's a case of this. Our knockerup has a knocker-up to knock him up at four o'clock, and our knocker-up's knocker-up didn't knock our knocker-up, so our knocker-up didn't como to knock us up,"

A young lady, by no means beautiful, was introduced to a gentleman who was endowed with good looks but not manners. During the course of their conversation tho gentleman asked: "Are there many more todies tike you in the Potteriesr' The young lady replied: "Oh, yes. \Vs> are alt good-looking there. You tee, we make our own mugs." :