RINGSIDE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 19781, 3 February 1928, Page 12

RINGSIDE TOPICS

[By Hookee.]

BOXING HEAR AND FAR

HATTON UNAVAILABLE,

Matt, Hatton is not available for a contest at Dunedin, and the Otaao Boxing Association is still searching about for an opponent for Johnny Leckie. Once again the writer would suggest that an effort be made to bring over Norman Gillespie, the Victorian feather-weight, who would be a great attraction locally. The writer understands that there is some talk of Johnny Curley being offered an inducement by a northern association to come over to meet Leckie, and should such a visit eventuate, it would be a big opportunity for the fighting featherweight champion. HEENEY’S MORAL VICTORY. A report of the Sharkey-Heeney fight by the special representative of the Sydney ‘ Sun ’ in New York, gives a rather different idea of the contest from that which was previously cabled to New Zealand. It states that Heeney had Sharkey on the verge of a knockout in the last round, and was wildly cheered by the fans. The message states; — “ Heeney weighed 13st 111 b, and Sharkey 'l3st 121 b. Sharkey was favorite at five to two on. The big crowd wildly cheered the New Zealander, who' made a splendid effort, shaking Sharkey repeatedly. In the last round Heeney punished Sharkey severely, and chased him round the ring. The bell saved Sharkey from a knock-out.” The famous tenor, John M/Cormack, smiled encouragement to Tom Heeney when the latter stepped into the ring amid cheers that seemed as if half the Irish of Now York City were present. Sharkey’s Irish name did not deceive the crowd, who regarded him more as a foreigner. His home town is in Boston, but his parents are Lithuanians. Further than that, Sharkey, although a good fighter, is a “ blowhard ” of the first order. Sharkey was smart enough to stand off in tlio ninth round and box, refusing to mix it with Heeney, who was bent on delivering a knock-out punch. Heeney grew so careless of his opponent’s punishing blows that he found himself also growing weak, and the round degenerated from the amazing speed of those furious and spectacular opening rounds. Heeney was going into clinches much too often during the last half of the fight. Sharkey came back looking quite strong iii the tenth round, and again his cleverness asserted itself. Heeney opened with a stiff right to the head. Sharkey fell as Heeney ducked from a right, and was helped on his way by Keeney’s left hook to the body. The Lithuanian, however, leapt up before the referee had time to start the count, and threw everything he had into a final onslaught against the New Zealander. Heeney was rather surprised, for he evidently thought his opponent had been knocked down for a long count. The’ eleventh round was the least interesting of the entire fight. Sharkey’s cue was either to stand off and box at long range or enter into clinches. The crov.'d booed heartily.It was a clear case that Heeney was all set to win hv a knock-out if only he could hold Sharkey long enough to deliver it. However, the New Zealander, whilst he had everything in the way of courage and power, lacked the speed and precision sufficient _to cope with a very able fighter _ like Sharkey. They ' swapped occasional punches and clinched frequently - The twelfth round opened with twq clinches. The referee appeared to h< quite tired with separating the boxers. With a minute to go, Heeney opened out, and smashed three hard hlowj to Sharkey’s head. Sharkey replied with a rally to the body, hut it wa« ineffective ns far as winning the fight was concerned, although sufficient to hold Heeney off. Heeney finally administered a. smashing volley of chops to the chin, which straightened Sharkey up, and got him away from the body attack. Heeney smacked Sharkev with a full Wow on the jaw, and if tho round had lasted another minute there might have been a knock-out. As it was, the crowd yelled wildly for the New Zealander ’to finish Sharkey off. It was not a too-cool Heeney that literally chased his rival round the ring, but it was the gong that saved Sharkey from what appeared an almost certain knock-out. TROWERN’S TRIUMPH. For many months Joe Barnes has been pleasing Wednesday night audiences by good showings against men of mediocre ability, while still engaged in his occupation as fireman with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. He had earned much respect by the weight of his left hand, but a review of his successes showed that most of the men he had met were a shade on the slow side and past their prime. Recently ho found that the line of demarcation between preliminary and star fighters was widely drawn. Trowern outclassed him in every way, and caused the referee to call a halt in the fourteenth round (says the Sydney ‘Referee’). Although the fighting fireman took a

tremendous thrashing, and the referee was asked to stop the slaughter as early as the third round, Barnes i plodded along and floundered about the ring a tired but game, athlete. Had Trowern wished he could have finished 1 the fight at any time from the third round. Trowern_ was the master administering a boxing lesson to a game pupil. The New Zealander showed versatile two-handed • work, and was neat in artistic footwork. Some of his actions were reminiscent of his compatriot Purdy, with whom he has mixed on several occasions. His ducking and side-stepping were the best seen here for' many a day, and ringsiders expressed the opinion that lie would fully extend Billy Grime on his return. Trowern has -a head remarkably like Jerry Sullivan. His left hand in the early sessions was sent out with speed and precision, and in close he peppered ■' Joe with short rights to the ribs. He often tricked the Victorian by glancing at his rival’s stomach and then suddenly pumping out lofts to the face. Barnes s replies were invariably late and wide of tho mark. His attempts to connect were pitiably ludicrous. Trowern sent his man to the boards in the fourth round with a well-timed right to the solar plexus. The home lad was cheered for sudden do-or-dio rallies, but in close Trowern’s headwork and evasion wore features of commendable work. After carrying his man along Trow, era speeded up in'tho fourteenth session, and sent in a solid right that floored Joe. The referee interfered and stopped the fight. The house was a Barnes one, and some bleacheritcs roared out to Trowern for clinching when the weak Victorian was palpably the offender. The weights were Beg Trowern (10.31), Joe Barnes (9.9 J).

HERE AND THERE.

The experience of Willie Smith in his first fight in America shows how difficult it is for a foreigner to win on points in the United States. The views of referees over there appear to be utterly different from those of referees in British countries. The South African bantam-weight champion was declared loser in his bout with Dominick Petrone, which was the preliminary to the Scott-Risko bout at Cleveland (says an exchange). Smith lost the decision, after forcing the pace throughout and giving a great exhibition of really clever two-handed aggressive boxing, and all, apparently, because he was knocked or rushed off his feet three times. Smith made his opponent miss repeatedly with wild swings, slipping, side-stepping, and blocfing these with consummate cleverness, and countering crisply with one or other hand. But they did not carry enough steam to bring about a knockdown, and the decision went to the uncultured.

Ern Waddy, the South Australian heavy-weight, considers that if ever Tom Heeney meets Jack Dempsey, the New Zealander will hold his own. Waddy fought Heeney once in Adelaide.

“ Inside and outside of the ring, Heeney is a gentleman,” remarked Waddy. “Taking the pictures as a guide, Dempsey is not a shadow of his old self, and is only half as good as when he met Carpentier, and Heeney w ? ould stand an excellent show with him now. Tunney would probably be too active a man for the New Zealander.”

The Timaru heavy-weight,. Eddie Parker, holder of the New Zealand light-heavy and heavy-weight champion title, is anxious to get into the ring again, but there are no opponents for him. It would appear he will have to await the return of Lachie M'Donald from Australia. The Hamilton welter-weight, Nelson M 4 Knight, is now in California, where he seems to he quite popular as a fighter, as he is reported to have had three fights within a week. The first he lost on points to Madison Dix at Seattle, then he knocked out Frank Taylor in four rounds, and drew in a match with Benny Nelson at Vancouver. In writing to his home town, M'Knigßt says tlie climate of California is suiting him. It is not likely that Tommy Griffiths and Frank Taylor will be matched again (says the 4 New Zealand Sportsman ’). They have now met three times, and on the last occasion on Tuesday night the contest was the worst seen in Wellington since the Paivhall-IJren farce. It is not suggested that they were not trying, but it is suggested that seeing they were being well paid to entertain the crowd they” could have made a more spectacular display. Both were far too cautious and Griffiths, being the more cautious of the pair, lost the bout. Taylor had to do most of the leading, but he never went for his man confidently, and seemed to ho unable to get over the fear of a counter by Griffiths. Thus, about 75 pei cent, of the contest was clinching. After the great fights provided by Murray. Purdy, Trowern, and Janiito, this was decidedly anticlimax.

In face of the above, however, the ' ‘ Napier Telegraph ’ makes different reading:— “ It seems clear that Taylor is living up to the high opinion first formed of. his ability. To do so well against such a top-notcher as Griffiths in his ■first three attempts proves that Taylor is the goods,’ and whether ho is matched with Griffiths again or not, he will certainly be matched with Johnny Leckie, and when the pair meet it is more than likely that Leckie’s featherweight crown will be at stake. If the match could be_ secured for either Napier or Hastings it would be a ' good* money-making proposition, but unfortunately for these two associations the price would be prohibitive.” From what can be gathered Griffiths fought a long way below form against Taylor, and he has had such a strenuous time lately that a lay-off would appear essential. The Wellington amateur Larsen badly upset the Olympic • Games prospects of the New Zealand amateur feather champion O’Sullivan, of Auckland, at Wellington on Tuesday night. These two met in a preliminary contest to the Griffiths-Taylor bout, and O’Sullivan had to acknowledge defeat (says an exchange). In view of his showing, there now seems a doubt as to whether O’Sullivan is really good enough for the Olympic Games. It is fairly certain that he is not as good as Purdy when he was selected ns the dominion’s representative, and anything under Purdy’s standard is not likely to'have much chance at the big games. Tho Nauicr Association, desirous of promoting' at regular intervals, and having about worked out all the available house-drawing talent in the dominion, has cabled to Teddy Green, the crack Sydney eight-stoner, offering him . two matches in Napier. Leckie and Griffiths would probably be considered for matches, though it would be asking Green to do something to give away weight to Leckie. The British schoolboy championships, started in a modest way by the A.8.A., following the war, is now one of the biggest events in amateur boxing (says London ‘Sporting Life’), lb is easily the biggest in point of number, as thousands of boys enter each year, and . eliminating competitions have to be held all over the country to reduce the entry to manageable proportions. “ Straight Left,” in the * Hawke's Bay Herald,’ indulges in some straight hitting. He writes:—“Jack Pettifer and Fitzsimmons went Ten rounds before a full house at Wairoa on Tuesday evening. I use the word “ went ” for want of one which would more aptly express their efforts. The fans showed tluir disapproval in no uncertain manner, and when the referee warned the pair in round nine, hearty clapping showed the approval of practically every person in the building, I have seen one or two-dud contests, but this one was the worst. It resolved itself

into a pushing exhibition. They both deserved to have had their purse confiscated. Fitz said he could not get going, but Pettifer evidently thought it better to say nothing, which was wise. Wairoa people are wondering how Fitz could possibly put up the exhibition ho .did after what ho has shown before. In the contest with Jack' Heeuey, Fitz gave a wonderful exhibition of pluck, and although out on his feet for about seven rounds, ho fought all the time. Judging by that contest, everyone expected to see something worth while, hut they wont away sadly disappointed. I shall be very much surprised to hear of these two contesting again in New Zealand, even if they go on for nothing. They will certainly never reach Wairoa at the expense of that association.”

The Hutt Valley Association hopes to make a start next month with two ten-round bouts, and are negotiating with Dick Loveridg© and Pocock, also Artie Hay and Broadfoot. There is a chance for the Otago welter Hughes to step in with a view to displaying his -wares.

Few are aware of the fact that Billy Edwards, present middle-weight champion of Australia, is a New Zealander. But that is so. He was born in Auckland on November 23, 1906, and made himself prominent by winning an Bst tournament in Newcastle in 1923. From then onwards he commenced to rapidly develop, and now weighs about lljst. The Te Aroha Boxing Association has decided to stage a professional tournament about the end of February (says tho ‘New Zealand Herald’), and it was intended to match Phil Coombes, the Auckland • district middle-weight champion, in his first professional bout with the popular Dick Loveridgo, of Wellington. Coombes, however, has gone to' Sydney, and he cabled, last night that he would, be unable to come back and keep his engagement. A meeting of the Match Committee was held last night, and it was decided to try and match Jim Broadfoot and Dick Loveridge for a substantial purse. This will be supported by a programme, including the best amateurs available. New' Zealand is likely to be represented in the boxing ring at the Olympic GameSj for the New Zealand Boxing Association has already granted a substantial sum towards the expenses of the boxers. Three men have been nominated, of whom the most likely to be sent are E. Morgan, the New Zealand amateur light-weight champion, and A. Cleverly, New Zealand light heavy-weight champion.