IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1972, 31 January 1914, Page 12

IN THE RING.

18l MIRCUttT.I

THE JEREMIADS OVER WELLS. (•listeria and Piffle. When some three hundred years ago William Shakespeare put into the mouth of "Puck," that merry Eprite of the "Midsummer Night's Dream," the words [ "Lord, what fools these tnorta.j be," lie gave birth to a thought tho profound truth of which is brought home iu a (rtartling manner to one who reads the English accounts of the Wolls-Carr penticr business. When a good match goes the limit it is in itEelf a sufficient theme for tho writer, but when there is no fight to describe the stuff that goes in to fill up space is sni|iot|iing like a condemnation of tho public that reads It. So in this case wo havo loarned discussions on the mental calibre of the conquered one, as if that- -and not Carr pentier's trusted left and right—had caused the trouble. We read ai special article in the London "Times" (of all papers) on the causes of Britain's boxing downfall, a learned pyßchological exr planation by Carpentier himself on the feelings of confidence that chased each uther" merrily through his head before the battle, some fulsome adulation from a writer who 6eos in Carpentier the making of a great statesman, and a solemn warning from the same writer that if England intends to recover herself she must adopt tho conQuering French boxing methods. AIJ this piffle h astounding I Australians, who saw these same French methods, know just how little they are worth,

A Bull's-Eyo. The English paper "Boxing" does get somewhere noar the mark when it states that Wells goes down to defeat because of his inability to think clearly in tho ring. "Mercury" considers that "Bpxr ing" is very near the mark in stating that , the strain of thinking at all is too much for Wells. .If ho gave up that too tiring recreation, and simply fought, he might make a pugilist. An old-time hero of the prize ring, when asked to give the secret of his success, exclaimed, "1 just hits 'em." That ancient warrior showed a singleness of purpose that would do Wells the world of good to emulate.

Illumination. Finally, amid the world of wondering, reflections as to the reason why this or any other battle should cause such excitement the following from tl|o pen of that accomplished essayist and keen observer, Mr. Filson Young, seems to get right at the root of the thing :-rMany morals and lessons havo been drawn by experts from tho Carpentior-Wclls encounter, and the attention it awakened; I am content to perceive in it a reminder that, in epite-of everything, a battle between two men with their fists, whether enveloped ia cloven or not, remains on the whole the form of competition in which the human race is most deeply interested.

Two Artists. The. battle between M'Coy and "Matt" Wells ivas remarkable* for throe things, viz.: A preliminary squabble as to whether Wells should pay tho prescribed forfeit of £200 for being 4oz. overweight— a matter which threatened to settle the match altogether— the- artistic lacing handed out to Wells by tho Australian and the sportsmanlike manner in which the Englishman accepted defeat. ■■ ■... .-.■ ; .-.;.■. . •:...,;?,!.„,; The first incident resulted in a fort of strained, truce, whereby both parties agreed to fight tho matter out after the battle proper was over. In the battlo itself Wells, fresh from Ins training with M'Goorty, essayed to bring M'Coy to grief with honks and swings that had not previously boon seen from him in Sydney. Tim following extract from tho ''Referee's" account gives a good impression of tho trend of the tattle right through:-- ■ 1 Silence reigned as the nren shaped for the first round. M'Coy led, and landed n. light left, a kind of feeler to two heavy ones that followed, but "Matt" countered the last one with a solid right. The Englishman in previous bouts was noted for clever back-moving and defensive tactics, but on tin's occasion his tactics were the reverse, for at the start it was ho who did most of the forcing. His lefts and rights, at first aimed at the head and then the body, wero ducked and blocked cleverly; btit as M'Coy tried a left to the face lie was nicely crossed by a right. As two more rights from "Matt" got home, the Englishman's supporters cheered their man on to what they pictured as rapid victory. Bntthey reckoned not with tho clever Australian, who, getting to work in dazzling fashion, beat his bigger opponent at every point of the game.

the Father of a Beating. ! In. the second round (continues the "Referee"), M'Coy's tantalising left to the face, tho cleverness with which he passed a-sidfl his opponent's left within aii inch of its intended target, the ease of his hack-moving right swings, tofietherwith left rips on Wells's body and stiff right upper-cuts to head, annoyed "Matt" t<l such an extent that when he at last did land a heavy right that really hurt, and made '"'Herb" clinch, the local man was palmed and roughed nearly off his feet, for which Wells received a caution from tho referee. M'Coy thence until corners landed left after left, and upper-cut three rights, 'and ducked or backed from right swings. And so it continued in almost every round which ended very much in the Australian's favour. As the contest progressed the form of Wells wont from bad to worse, and in tho. closing sessions it looked as though M'Coy, if he lmd tried, might have outed the worlds famed Englishman. Though Wells every now and then did score a few heavylook ing right swings to the side of the head, it was onlv in the eleventh and twelfth rounds that these- seemed to affect M'Coy. and then only momentarily, for in the thirteenth he pave "Matt" a severe drubbing with stnipht lefts, loft hooks to head, rip? to body, and right upper-euts. Many of tlie'po landing downstairs caused the Englishman to bend.

Never- in my Jong experience in matters fistic do I remember havint seen an occurrence similar to that* which happened in tlio fourteenth round. Not one- single blow by the Englishman landed. That, I think, is a record when otio takca into consideration tlTe fact that eaoh contestant is acknowledged to be among the pleverest in the gamp. M'Ooy, meanwhile, landed left, left., left, with painful regularity to poor "Matt." Those were supplemented by left and viahii jolts and uppor-oiits.

I Dilscoll Routs Hla Man. Boyo Drjscoll, one of the team or I'.ngli3li boxers at present in Australia, I'lm, for sotno months, was a complete physical wreck through the ravages of iheumatism, and ono or two other painful ailments, showed a return to his liiist form in his recent, battle with Charlie Simpson in Melbourne. Simpson, a fighter, tried to knock Driscoll on! of the ring, lint the latter did most of the knocking, bis nnick, straight hit. tin.!: badly rontin.n; his nuponont. whilo. his clever dnekina mid his footwork Kept him out of harm's wav.

Ivioran's Chickens Como Home, When Owen Moran skipped from Australia to America, and in the latter ccuntry spun n pathetic tale of bis treatment in Sydney antl otbor places, mest of ui hero said nothing, tut pre*

ferred to wait for Moran's w.ickens to come homo to roost, which they duly did, as will be seen from tho following by tho "Referee's" American comtnisGioner:—

"It was out of the frying-pan into tho fire for Owen Moran when tie left Australia in high dudgeon over certain alleged injustices and cams to this country to mend his fortunes. Ho went against young Joe Azevsdo at Oakland ono night recently, and received such a mauling that lio decided to lose through fouling his man rather than accept the defeat that wns inevitable. "He began butting his head against Azc-vedo's chin, and Rqfereo Griffin warned him more than owe, while'the crowd railed at Owen. It soon became apparent that it was Moran's purpose to bring nbout disqualification, and after a very flagrant imitation of a. goat, Moran was shoved aside; the verdict given to Azevedp. "■Moran. who, through long experience, is'thoroughly' selSppssessed, tried, to ape the injured mortal. He proteste'd to tiro sporting, writers at the ring-side, th.#t he was (mipcerit of inteuticnal wrong-doing, but his clainis rnade no impression. Everyone preselit viewed his actions the Same way. It is doubtful of Moran will get any further matches around here,'