In the Ring

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 177, 13 August 1937, Page 15

In the Ring

BIG BOUT .FIXED Earl McCready to Meet "Strangler" Lewis YOUTH v. EXPERIENCE How good is the British Empire wrestling champion, Earl McCready? That is a question which tflousands o.f New Zealand sports enthusiasts are asking themselves. In all the 1§9 cpntests which MeCready has had in the last three seasons tn New Zealand, it Ua doubtful if lie ha§ CVCS heen fqlly extended, True, ho has lost one of tlibsq matclies — ^but that was by sheer mischanco when lie fell out of the ring in an open-air bolt in Auckland, hump' ing his head against aa electrie light standqrd and knocking ' hiniself put, McGready's pppopeat QB that oeca' in an open-air bout in Auckland, bumpsion was the twice world champion Ed Don George, ivhom he later defeated decisiveiy.

Rankcd third among wrestlerg, MC' Crqady faeeg the geverest tegt pf hig career wiien lie. meeta the flve tiinesi world champioib Fd. f9tpangler'» , Lewis, at Wellington, on Saturday night, after the flrst Hugby test b0' tween New Zealand and South Africa, Never before have two such outstand' ing suecespful wrestlers met in a New Zealand ring, Though MeCready is npw ranlced abovo iiim, many authoritieg hold flrm belief that Lowis, unquostionably thp greatest wrestler of all tinie, is still thq true champion of-tho world,. • . . McCready, flnest wrestler the British Empire has produced, was regarded as unlucky not to have lifted the world, title when he met the now ex-champion, Doan Dotton, a few months ago. Having seored 17 consecutive wins against tlie best men available in the United States, McCready was matched with. Dotton, but was disqualifled when an oxcited second jumped into. the,. ring after McCready had hbd all the better of the match. , i,;^ j • Stranger's Amflition. Sp that, even apart from its strong flavour of internatii>nal rivalry, , the meoting of Strangler Lewis anfl McCready will have speeial eigniflcance. "Tho Strangler" has mada it elear that his ambition is to win the world championship for the sistk tirne, Before he may justiflably seek a title match with tlie new champion, "Bronko" Nagurski, he innst flrst dispose of McCready 's ciaims. The British Empire champion was under a guatftntoe of £2000 to meet Dotton fpr the world championship in f Australia. He Is rated next to the ciia'mpiQn and ex-champion as leading the wrestlers. Ccrtain American sports authorities contend that Lewis is still tlie rgal champion of the world. And McCready, best of the Empire 's matmen, has gaihcd wride recognition in tho Sthtes, America may hold undisputed swa-y in the bo^ing world; it is for McCready to prove whethcr the same i3 true in wrestling. That McGready realises tht magnitude of lijs task is proven by the faef that lie has declined to accept aay matches for a week before his megtipg with Lewis, desiring to undergoi speeial training preparations for tho major cvent, It is understood that certain of his training segsions will bo opon to the pubiic, Alregdy superla« tively flt,. McCready realises the prestige that "a victory pvpr Lewis would give him. "The Strangler," too, has been in solid :%aining for his projceted encounter with the " almogt legendary Hmau superiuaii, Gama, and Btate's that he- has never beoh in better qpndition. This co.utontion is fully sub* stantiated by his form in his New land appearances so far. Lewis' Wonderful Record, In ovor 6000 matshps, beginnlng as a youth in his 'teens, Lewis has beon do. l'eated fewer than 30 times. Eeputefl to be wrestling 'g wealthiest man, he has drawn more attendance money than any other sporting personality. He heada his nearest rival, Jack ' Dempsey, by pver flve miljipn dollars, Lowis is now 45 years old, is still in his wrestling primc. He has perfect balance, and the skill pf experience with, whicfl to ofl'sot McCready 's possibly • greatpr strength and speed. On this occasion McCready will havo an opponent to make him give of hi# last "ounce. The fact that in three years ho has lost only falls dccjsiQn (thnt whon ho kuockod hiniself out) proves his eJae» Men of tho calibre of former world champions^ Ed, Don. Georgc and Joe Savoldi, as well as the great Mohammedan, "Tiger" Dualfl, havo been l'orced to acknowledge MeCready tlie better man. To what heights he ' can Tiso when prossed no one can tell, If ropntation plus present performauco eounte for anything, • Wtranglcr" Jhewis should help to suppiy the answei, Np other twj> catch-as-catch-can wrestlers at prjesent in competition could . stage a match to evoke wider interest than the meeting of McCready and Lowis. Still young in the sport and makiug his way steadily towards the top, McCready has everything to gain from this bout with Lewis. The match will epitoinise the ever real struggle between Youth and Age; Ambition and Experience,