RINGSIDE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 4

RINGSIDE TOPICS

LATEST FISTEC FLASHES

[By Hooker.]

King's High School Tournamedf. At Mr Tom Harris’s commodious gymnasium the first tournament of the King’s High School will bo held tomorrow night, and instructor Harris is very enthusiastic concerning the form shown by many of the boys taking part. Boxing has taken a firm hold at the new school, and there will be something like 25 bouts which should be productive of a good standard of boxing, some very promising boys being among those taking part. Tiffs writer has always maintained that schoolboys should be taught to box as distinct from sheer slugging, for too many boys have been turned from the game by being compelled to fight before they knew the rudiments. That has always been Tom Harris’s policy, and he has carried it into good effect at the King’s High School. Mr R. S. Glendining, president of the Otago Boxing Association, has shown a practical interest in the school’s first tournament by offering a trophy to be awarded to the most scientific boxer, and Mr P. R. Chapman has given another trophy to be awarded to the most improved boxer. Wellington’s Attractive Programme. According to the Wellington ‘ Post,’ Wellington boxing enthusiasts are likely to have a. real treat offered to them for their approval next month. Through its Australian representative, (Mr E. C. Turner), the Wellington Boxing Association has carried out successful negotiations for a visit by “ Snowy ” Clarke, tho brilliant Western Australian boxer, who is mentioned as a likely opponent for the world’s feather-weight champion if Sarron can be induced to pay a return visit to Australia. Wellington has offered Clarke a contest with Clarrie Rayner in the middle of October, with the prospects of other matches to follow. Clarke holds the bantam, feather, iml light-weight titles of Western Australia, from which, it might be men-, tioned, came Tiny Nichol, the light-heavy-weight, and Cyril Pluto, the welter-weight, who have done a good deal to revive interest in the sport in the Dominion this year. Described_ as tho most stylish orthodox boxer in Australia to-day, Clarke won the whole of his eight matches in Melbourne, largely because eff the power behind his punches. He follows the Jem Mace style, using a left hand that is the terror of his opponents. German Fighter’s Bid, It should not bo- very long before German fighters, headed by Max Schmeling, make a determined bid to wrest some of the world’s professional boxing championships. Owing to the fact that Hitler issued an edict forbidding German amateur boxers from turning professional during a period of two years prior to tho Olympic Games just completed, there is a new and well qualified crop of Fatherland fighters ready to enter the cash ranks. Ever since Schmeling w.w tiie world’s heavyweighty title in 1930 the Germans’ interest in boxing has steadily increased, with the result that to-day they are definitely a boxing-minded race. The view is held that athletic prowess in international competition is quite a factor in establishing prestige; therefore Germany’s bid to win professional boxing championships is likely to be very concerted and characterised by the thoroughness of the race. POPULARITY OF SEMI. A boxer who made a host of friends during his stay in Auckland, Semi, the heavy-weight champion of Fiji and Tonga, returned to his home in Suva recently (says the Auckland ‘Herald ). Officials of the Auckland Boxing Association and many friends were present when the boat sailed to give the big native policeman a good farewell, which, it is hoped, will only be a temporary one. The association was so pleased with Semi’s three exhibitions in Auckland that it proposes to make every effort to socure.au early return visit. THE WAY TO DEVELOP FIGHTERS. Little Harry Goodman piloted Dave Finn to U.S.A. Harry left Finn in good hands, returned home, and is brimming over with intriguing plans (says an English writer). Says Harry: “I think it is altogether wrong taking well-known boxers to the States. Few of them show convincing form against the tough wear-and-tcar brothers in Yankee rings. Yon see, most of our top-notchers have settled down to clever boxing tactics, and they arc unable to withstand the slogging pace set by their opponents. And, boy, how they fight in U.S.A. 1 “ My plan is to pick half a dozen dependable youngsters and book their passage to the other side. I am in touch with two English sportsmen in .New York who will pay all expenses. These bo3’s will be schooled in New York gyms, and stacked up against youngsters like themselves. No bout will exceed six rounds. “ I hate saying so, but the business way in which fighters are handled in U.S.A. shows tho reason why our ringsters are generally failures. “ I can tell von that boxers ‘ over there ’ are developed on lines that are beneficial to the whole game, and they do not put kids into the ring to get half-slaughtered so that the greedy manager shall benefit financially.” NEW EMPIRE CHAMPION. Ben Foord, the South African boxer who gave Jack Petersen a terrible lacing recently to take the Empire heavy-weight championship, has other talents than boxing. He was a fine Rugby player before ho left Natal for England, and in all-round athletics he showed himself a useful man, his swimming being exceptionally powerful. At one time'ho was obsessed with the idea that Ills admitted handsomeness was more fit for the films than for boxing, and ho trained in lackadaisical style, following up brilliant performances with extraordinarily poor ones. Lately, though, ho has taken better care of himself, has given up notions of a talkie career, and has devoted himself to boxing. He is 23 .rears of age. was horn at Ladysmith, in Natal, and spent some iime apprenticed to a barber.

The barber was small but violent, anti he promised the burly young Ben a box on the ear every time he made a mistake! HEARD BUT NOT SEEN One of the early-day championship fights on the West Coast produced a contest that was heard, but not seen, 20 years before the invention of radio broadcasting (says Bob Edgreu, in the American ‘ Ring ’). At least, that was the way the fight seemed to Parson Davies. He came or from Chicago to San Francisco To see the bout, which was between Tommy Burns and Bill Squires. Burns was the American champion then, and Squires the Australian champion. The first gong rang. “ 1 think I’ll take off my overcoat,” said Parson Davies, and he turned around, arranging the coat on the back of his chair. Squires tore across the ring, hit Burns a staggering whack on the chin. Burns leaned up against him and whispered in his ear: “Say, Squires! Can’t you fight, or won’t you?” Squires was so amazed at Burns’s nerve that he stepped back. Burns clipped him oil the jaw and it was all over. Parson Davies heard the scuffling in the ring, and then the thump of Squires on the canvas. He whirled around. The fight was finished, and the referee tolled off the full 10 seconds over the prostrate Squires. “ Gosh!” exclaimed the parson. “ I heard the fight, but I didn’t see it!” HERE AND THERE. A Dunedin boxing enthusiast who saw the Semi-Claude Nichol return contest at Auckland says • that it was watched by a packed house and hundreds of people had to be turned away. My informant says that Semi took the hardest of punches on the head and body with little apparent effect, but on this occasion Nichol kept him away, out-boxed him, and took the decision. As there is nothing offering in Invercargill, Jack Raiusford, the Australian heavy-weight, is open to engagements elsewhere, and any North Island association can have his services at a reasonable price (says an exchange). Roy Do Gans’s six months’ term in New Zealand expires on October 14, and he has been advised by Secretary George Aldridge that he will be required to depart either before or on that date. His steamer ticket has been returned to him, A cablegram asking Joe Louis, negro heavy-weight boxer, for a bout with Ben Foord, the new British Empire champion, probably to be held in London, was recently received by the New York promoter, Mr M. Jacobs. Neither the date nor the site of the proposed bout was mentioned. Jacobs replied that Louis would be available for a guarantee of 100,000dol. Pete Sarron continued on his allconquering way when he defeated Davey Abad at Hollywood a few weeks ago. " It was a 10-round non-title fight, and was attended by 4,000 fight fans. Sarron, who has been nick-named “ Dixie Windmill,” opened fast, taking the first and third rounds. He flailed his opponent with heavy punches, and by tiie time the halfway mark was reached he had a very comfortable lead, which he retained to take the decision with ease. Jack Dempsey, former heavy-weight champion of the world, has been_ appointed head of the Sports Committee of the American Democrat Committee in the campaign to re-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt.