WHO IS STRICKLAND?

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 148, 10 July 1937, Page 16

WHO IS STRICKLAND?

■ 1 1 m , QUESTI0N ASKED AT HOME HIS VICTORY OVER BARLUND

PUPIL OF BDJ.I CKAWFOBD

« Who is Maurice Strickland? This question was on the lips of many who take only a casual interest in boxing and who read the announcement from London on June 29 that Strickland, "the New Zealand boxer," had obtained a verdict on a foul over Gunar Barlund, the Finnish heavy-weight. In his own country Strickland won the heavy-weight professional championship in 1935, at a time when there was little scope for men of his class. He then went to England to open his career auspiciously; however, a defeat on his first appearance when he crossed over to America was a setback in what appeared a promising career among first-class fighters. Strickland came back to London last month, and substituting for Jack Doyle, got the verdict over Baerlund.This performance will help to put him on the map again in England, and if lie can win his next bouts there, New Zealand may have a representative again Who will be seriously weighed in the world's major championship fights. Strickland star.ted his career as a pupil of the Wellington trainer, Billy Crawford.'who had him under, his care for five years and put him first in the ring for an amateur bout in Wellington. Strickland became the heavyweight amateur champion of the Dominion. That was in 1932, when Strickland was 19 years of age. The following year he began his professional career and he eventually won - the heavyweight title of New Zealand by defe&ting Ray Nicol. Prior" to this, however, he had a trip. to Australia, where he won a number of bouts with knock-out decisions, a route by which he got the decision in subsequent bouts in the Dominion. He dropped a decision to Ambrose Palmer, the Aus'traliai., and also to Nicol before he won the New Zealand title by defeating Nicol in. a second bout. In 1935 Billy Crawf or'd took his promising pupil to England. There he made a sensation at once by defeating Ben Foord, of South Africa, in three rounds on a technical knockout. The referee stopped the bout in third round, when Foord had a nastry cut over his eye. "But Strickland could not lose" commented Crawford, in recalling the bout. The climate of England did not suit the New Zealander and he did not keep this form. In June, .1935, when he met Jimmy Wilde for the heavyweight championship of England he was beaten. "The- critics in England," remarked Crawford, "rated him after the fight with Foord as the best heavy-weight in Europe. He is a- great vvorker who trains well." Crawford sold his contract with Strickland to an Ameriean promoter, who took a team of three to America. only to have them all beaten in their first matches. In New York. subsequently, Strickland fought a couple of draws in 10-round bouts, and in one of them in March last against Arturo Godoy, a Chilian heavy-weight, the spectators manifested in no uncertain manner that they considered the New Zealander should have got the verdict. Strickland had only been a couple of days back in London when he got a luck opportunity to meet Baerlund. His star may be in the ascendancy again. Billy Crawford, the former trainer of Maurice Strickland, and who was in Barney Downs' corner in Auckland in the bout with Herb. Bishop, looks back on a very long record of success in preparing men for the ring. For some little time Billy has. not been in the best of health, and has been taking things quietly at his home in Newtown, Wellington, thpugh when he was called on this week for a reminiscent chat he was found giving friendly hints to a youngster whose nuggety build and clear eyes suggested something promising in the boxing ring in the near future. Billy agreed with this estimate, adding "I never waste time on duds." Billy has 28 years of boxing experience behind hijn, but his stocky figure is sprightly, and if yoii get him talking of ring-craft he can aptly illustrate his arguments, though you must watch closely, as the movement is all over in a flash. That he has used his years of training experience to good advantage is suggested by the fact that Billy Crawford trained four heavy-weight New Zealand champions — Bert Lowe, Fred Williams, Tom Heeney, and Morry Strickland. He also produced three champion featherweights — Lynn Robinson, Bert. Brown and George Curan. His training work has been distinctive in other respects, and it would take a long catalogue to recall the names of those who have owed their prominence to his help. Trainer of Tom Heeney Starting his boxing in Palmerston North in 1898, Billy, who is a Cockney, went to Gisborne a few years afterwards. He had found out his capacity as a trainer, although in the ring himself he had become a representative amateur for Manawatu, winning a championship in 1904 and also in Wellington. Fairly started on the training business in Gisborne, Billy turned out two champions in Lynn Robinson, featherweight champion for two years, and Bert Lowe, who won the heavy-weight championship. Tom Heeney came to him for training in 1918 when he was fresh, but Billy's comment on this doughtly fighter who made such a bid for fame is that he did not take up boxing early enough. He was 26 when he went away and Billy's opinion is that he made too late a start. ;