THE WORLD'S BOXING CROWN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 78, 24 December 1937, Page 13

THE WORLD'S BOXING CROWN

PREPARING THE WAY FOR MAX SCHMELING

Sinee Max Schmeling knocked out Jo® Louis in the 12th. round at Yanke® Stadium New York, on June 19, 1936, he has been chafing at the delay at getting a match for the world heavyweight boxing championship. The German won it when he got that notorious decision on a foul iji the third round at Madison Square Gardea on June 11, 1930, against Jack Sharkey. The latter recovered the titi® on points in a 15-round bout at Long Island on June 22, 1932, after Schmeling had technically knocked out Young Stribling in the 15th. round at Cleveland on July 3, 1931. Schmeling had been matched to fight J. J. Braddock at New Ycrk early in June this year, but for finanrial reasons (owing to talk of a boycott by anti-Nazi interests) the promoter substituted Louis for the German, and the negro knocked out Braddock in the eighth round at Chicago #n the 23rd. of that month. No doubt Schmeling's claim to a title bout (Louis being recognised in U.S.A. as world champion) must eventually be recognised. To pave the way for this there have been arranged for the German some fights which, on the face of it, must be regarded as mere "pipe-openers." In an elimination bout at New York recently Schmeling knocked out Harry Thomas in 1;he eighth round. Both men weighed in at 14 stone. Meantime, it has been announced that Braddock is to have a ten rounds match at New York on January 21 with Tommy Farr, who was defeated on points (after a gallant bid for victory) by Joe Louis on August 31. This was billed as an American heavyweight title bout, and the British Board of Boxing Control still refuses to accept Louis as world champion on his win over Braddock at Chicago. Schmeling's proposed fight with his countryman, Walter Neusel, originally ,'fixed for November 29 (the same night as the Maurice . Strickland-Al Delaney match, won on points by the New Zealander in London), has been postponed until March 3. Farr knocked out Neusel at Harringay in the third xpund only six months ago. 'When the. twt> Germans met at

Hamburg on August 26, 1934, Neusel, with his face battered, remained in his corner at the opening of the ninth round. He told the referee that he had 1 relinquished the contest as hopeless. The fight was therefore awarded to Schmeling, amid the demonstrative

disappointment of a record crowd of J 80,000 for boxing in Germany. So i Neusel has a long way to fight back J to eliminate his compatriot from the list of the challenxers- 9f Joe Louis.