IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1926, 8 December 1913, Page 11

IN THE RING.

I liv "Mki!Cuhv."J

MATCHING SIVUTH & M'COORTY. A PHfiiiictlc Hold-up, Sydney tiles to blind bring news (lust there has liv-i'ti -.-.lave danger much-talked-of return match between Daw Smith iind his American con--■[iieror Kmiie M'Coorty fulling through entirely. The trouble arose through a demand from Smith thai' he should be given a third share of the gate. This was more than tho Stadium proprietary was prepared In give 'he i\Vw itotlnudcr, and a deadlock was tile result. The Sydney boxing writers did not, sup eye to eye with Smith, anil .Mr. \Y. I-'. Corbctt, in the "Sim," put the posit ion very plainly. He writes: — There has been no publication ot the terms which MGoorty h to get; but no doubt Dave Smith knows, and that is ai the bottom o! his demand for !)U l-M per cent. "Why should 1 have to take less money than him (M'Goorty) iu Australia, where 1 itm tho draw?" Smith asked iin interviewer plaiiitively. Unt there is a very satisfying answer. M'Goorty has made a 'world-famous name for himself. Me is one of the three men who aro bracketed together for tho world's middle-weight title. Dave. Smith's name hn3 never been mentioned outside his own particular circle siuco his inglorious showing in New York last year. Surely, on the question of fame ami reputation, M'Goorty is untitled to a shack) liioro than Smith. But Smith thinks he call beatM'Goorty. In that ease, M'Goorty is going into tho ring to lorfeit all that renown —tho only asset a boxer has —to a man whom he formerly beat in one punch. Boxers in such circumstances have a habit oi expecting the thick end of the gate. Iu addition, M'Goorty is travelling many thousands of miles to Australia. lie is coming here because ho is one of the leading boxers of tho world. He is coming for <i few matches only. Naturally, ho expocts adequate remuneration, because he knows that a dcfc-at here by a man comparatively unknown will ruin his drawing powers in America. Naturally enough, as it was' generally rccognised that the mam reason for M'Goorty's importation was tho return match with Smithy and as it bad been given out that this was to bo the big Stadium fixturo for Coxing Day, the deadlock cxeited much interest in Sydney, .Both sides remained obdurate tor a while- but, evidently a compromise has been effected, as later liows shows that Smith lias consented to meet M'Goorty on condition that ho receives tho samo percentage of tho gato as the American. Mr. iiakcr has agreed to this.

For some reason, however, the meeting will not take place 011 Boxing Day. The fixture 'for that date is Herbert M'Coy versus Harry Stone, the two light-weights. Jerome and o'OonnsH—A SJfans® Finish. Since my last, notes appeared, several matches oi' importauco have taken place under tho Baker aegis in Sydney. On account of mail interruption the news of some of tho battles is somewhat belated, but the results are interesting. Tims wo loam that in tho "mid-heavy" division, Les O'DomielS triumphed over the aboriginal Jerome. Tlio verdict canto in rather a curious fashion. Alter a fairly even clash over the first half of' the scheduled twenty rounds (during which O'Doiinell's scienco was rather snore than holding its own against the blackV, aggressiveness), tho white matt iorged steadily nlioatl, and held a comfortable lead when the gong went for tho last round. O'Donnell had been gradually cutting his man down with a vimful straight left, and Jerome, plucky as ho is, was a very sick man indeed when lie faced tho music for tho final rally.

At the sound of tho gong, O'Donnell went straight at him, and landed another of iiis effectivo lefts hard enough to drop his man. Ho stayed "dropped" until eight seconds had been told off, and thou wearily struggled to his feat, only to collapse, and drop again, and so was disqualified for going down without being struck. Smith Awaits Q'Gormen, Tho result elearly proves that O'Donnell is always this black foe's master. This was tho third occasion upon which they have come together, and it is the third time that tho white Australian has beaten tiio black. The other affairs lasted 14 and 20 rounds respectively, and it was through lack of general agreement with the verdict on the second occasion that t'lo present match was made.

O'Donuell now moves up one, and Ims tho honour of being Bavo Smith's first challenger for tlio Now islander's lately-acquired title of heavy-weight champion of Australia. Tho two meet in tho ring next Saturday. • Unwonted Admission to Make. Another contest of much interest was that liotwocn- Herbert M'Coy and the American Brown. This took place on November 22. As will be remembered, the visitor had jumped into a hijih place in Australian esteem by his clear-cut victory over IT. Mehegan, and it was generally anticipated that, after defeating tho champion, he would not. lincl M'Coy, an insurmountable obstacle. Hut once again general anticipation was at fault. The American was nicely beaten by the Victorian, who now qualifies for a match with Mchegan for the Australian light-weight title. This performance by M'Coy is a good one. U has a refreshing side,, inasmuch as, ."iter the fray, Brown came out into the open, and. stated to tho Press that ho had been well beaten by a better man. This is a decidedly unconventional step for a first-class fighting man. When this admission is made by an American light-weight, the unconventionalily almost amounts to eccentricity.

l.en Porter and the Dane. Brisbane was recently the scene of a contest of great interest to Now Zenlandnrs, from the fact that tho clash saw Len Porter, our ex-light champion, figure for tho first time in first-class company. How lie fared is related in these terms in the "llefcrco" :— Waldcmar Holberg (lOst. lib.) proved too husky and determined for Len Porter (9st, 1211b.), at Mr. Halter's Stadium on Saturday night, and though the Now Zcalander boxed well, ho had Jiot the strength to stand up to the dashing Dane. Porter was able to hit Hojberg repeatedly with tho left, and, on a number of occasions, chopped iu his right, but there was never enough devil in the punches to make Holberg wink. The latter kept after his man, punishing him about the body. I!y the seventh round Porter's eye was showing si»rii of punishment, and early in the eighth a left swing from HoibiMg got heavily home on Porter. This evidently troubled iiim, and ho was apparently worried, ton, hecause several claims he had made against lloHierg for alleged low blows Mere not noticed; nor did there seem tangible reason why they should be noticed, Presently llolbcrg struck him with the left, and, turning to his seconds, I'ortcr signalled for the lowel. It. was slated later that Porter, used lo Hie coo! temperatures of New Zealand, had found the Queensland clim«te ""ict his health.

Man Wlio Is "Doing Thlnns." Monthly's cablegrams brought us news <it lise result nl ii"internal ioni-.l" in Sydney, the details (if which will be eagerly awiiited li.v mil" boxing ciitiiiiSf«si». Tim message stated briefly tissit llarr.v St oik'; tin- American. hurt defeated Alatt Wells, of Kngland, mid v,i-i-,1. on In sny I hal: this decision was I'm- from being popular. S(;»iit- has (lime extraordinary things in Atint ralin- llis lirst big vcnturo there was in 1 irisliuiu', when, with 11. Ij. Maker himself as rciVree, ho created ij it it o a surprise 1> y oui puiii tinu Johnny Summers, lho English wclti-!' champion. This result was hardly taken seriously. I!y tlie man iu the street, it was accounted tor on She-. grounds tlu.it, iSummers was out of coiiilition, or buy, or over-eonlidenl,, or something of that soi'l, and this impression being confirmed liy SUjiuvr subsequent defeat by ,ioo Knssel!, the then "leather" champion. Then Stone, a fortnight siij;«, Iwat Summers again, ami once more sf-t the wise-acres guessing. Now wo aro told lliat he has boaten Matt Wells, and, to do that, ho must have outboxed. tho Fnglishman, for ho certainly Ims 110 punch by which ho could have fluked a victory.

Stone is a most mercuriat sort of boxer—ono of tho' hit-and-rmi-awiiy type. He is extraordinarly fast on his feet, and darts in to deliver his blow from all angles, find get out of range again just as quickly. Wells is rather tiio somo kind of ring artist, so it appears as though a match between tli-eso two would bo mainly an exhibition of footwork, with an occasional blow dropped iii at irregular intervals, for the sake of variety. Wo can only hope that tiio powers tlmt aro at present controlling tho Australian mail services will vouchsafo us an early opportunity of seeing exactly what, did take place, ami tho why and wherefore of tho unpopularity of the decision in Stone's favour, WIHIe Ritchie—Side-stepper. Two or three weeks ago "Mercury" eoimuentod upon tho position as regards the world's light-weight title, and told the story of Champion Willie Ritchie's inglorious retreat from his engagement with Freddy'Welshi his challenger, at Vancouver. ' Tito latest news shows that Welsh is Btill hot upon Ritchie's trail, and that the chajnpioti is still side-stepping with all hi 3 old agility and lack of dignity. A New York cablegram, writing forth tho position, was published last week in Sydney, and runs in this wise:— "An English syndicate has offered a purao of iaOOO fur a match between Willio Ritchie and Freddy Welsh. 13ob Vernon is representing tlie syndicate horo, and has vainly tried to induce Ritchie to sign artielos. Welsh lias already accepted the offer, which carries with it, two-thirds of the pioturo rights. Ritchie flatly declines to sign up. Ho has suggested that the proposition bo tabled till after January 1. Ho furnishes no real reason for his attitude. His excuse is that ho-is matched to meet Tommy. Murphy at San Francisco : next month."