BOXING TALENT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 83, 24 April 1937, Page 17

BOXING TALENT

THE SEASON IN BRITAIN ACTIVITY IN AUS1HALIA England's eliminating fights for a heavy-weight to offer up as a sacriflce to a "Brown Bomber" Joe Louis, recalls the days when Americans were franitically searching for a "White Hope" who could take the world's flstic crown away from Jack Johnson, writes an Australian critic. There is, however, a difference in the cases. English promoters are.doing the right thing to maintain interest in the boxing game, Americans, in Johnson's time, were hysterical with chagrin at a negro holding the greatest prize of the flstic realm. There are few heavy-weights with a chance of defeaiing Louis, and England's search for one is hardly likely to succeed. Good heavy-weights have never be?n really plentiful. Bulk aione does not constitute a champion. Thus in the "White Hope" era, which was just before the war, many human mountains were tried and found sadly wanting. Bill Lang, our own heavy-weight title holder of the time, pricked a couple of these big bubbles in America when on his way to England. From practically every State in the Union a heavy-weight was heralded as the man to annihilate the great negro champion. Huge fellows were sought everywhere, and brought ofE the ranges and out of the lumber camps. Only one man was any good. That was Cowboy Jess Willard, and he flnally took the title from Johnson only to lose it later to Jack Dempsey who was a dyed-in-the-wool champion despite the fact that he avoided risking his title as long as he could. Even then he was lucky to hold it for sb long, as he was undoubtedly licked by Luig Firpo, the Argentine giant, in that wild and woolly affair during which Dempsey was out of the ring for far more than the prescribed 10 seconds. Fortunately for Dempsey, i officials lost their heads that night and he was able to khock oiit his opponent. * This search for boxing talent is all right in its way, but rarely does it uncover a man of real distinction. In the ordinary course of events a boxer vMth natural ability will fight his way to distinction. He does not have to be dug out. If he possesses the fighting instinct he will find ways and means of entering the pugilistic arena. All the same, I do believe that the tournaments, which once were the regular thing in the boxing scheme, vastly helped in the development of talerit. Many boys who afterwards became famous in the Australian ring,

originally attracted attentio'n to their prowessj by the displays they gave in those tournaments. They were rungs which helped them to reach the top of the Iadder. ^ Probably tournaments, on an intensively organised scale, to-day would considerably aid in the restoration of the game in .Australia. Boxing is undoubtedly going through the greatest slump during its history in this country. Lack of opportunity is mainly responsible, and once again the apathy of the public towards sport in Sydney is largely to blame. Nobody; but the top liners will attract the big attendances which formerly were the regular thing, with the result that Sydney promoters will not open their gates for the few who will attend contests between men who have not attained international reputations. ■ Really it seems as if it would take a big ihvasion of boxers from overseas to rehabilitate the boxing game in Australia. There will be a golden j chance during the ceiebrations next; year of the 150th anniveraary of the State, to bring at least two or three men of world renown to Sydney. There will be a tremendous crowd from overseas, other States and New Zealand ki Sydney during that period when sport will be one of the biggest attractions, with the Empire Games as the star turn. Promoters .would need to become busy righ away to secure the right men from America. They would necessarily have to be in the lighter divisions, as there are no Australians above welter-weight who would have any chance against the top-notchers from other parts of the world. It is a thought worthy of deep consideration, even though it would mean th'e outlay of a lot of preliminai'y money to Jure mcn of the class required to Sydney. It would be usc- • less brfnging seconcl-rfttors.