THE RING.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1924, Page 4

THE RING.

-Mr Fred Dartnell, better known intder lii.s pseudonym ol “Long Melford,” is a recognised nuthoiity oil boxing, and lie lias set forth his reiiiiniscenee.s ul the ring in “Seconds Out!” wherein he chats discursively about pugilists, their trainers, and their patrons, lie. lines not allow that modern boxing has fallen away from the .standards of the past. No doubt in the old days, when men fought with nailed lists on a

green sward, and when there was no limit to the number of rounds, but the combatants pounded each other until one was hammered into a state of insensibility. there was more scope for sheer brute strength and endurance. But he thinks that in point of skill the moderns are not inferior to the stalwarts of the heroic age, lie believes that as far as science goes Carpent ier in his prime would have been a match for any of them. Mr Dartnell never saw the late J.es Darcy box, but [lays a tribute to his prowess. He considers that had Darcy lived lie would have been an ideal opponent for Dempsey, the present champion. He speaks of the Australian's remarkable Ivcinatijity of technique. Darcy did not rely on one type ol blow lor a knock-out, hut had au inexhaustible repertoire; Mr Darnell, by the way, mentions that many promising fighters have been spoiled by the fact that once they knocked their antagonist out, they forthwith became seized with the obsession that they had an irresistible punch, and bad to deliver it on ant and every occasion, with disastrous results to themselves.

The author comments on the changed status of boxing. Not so long ago lights were clandestine aflairs conducted in some obscure tavern or secluded Held, Wealthy sportsmen kept more or less tame pugilists, but the whole thing was sub rosa. Now. however. the ring is quite respectable in Kngland. individual contests between white and coloured men may sometimes be banned on the ground of public policy, but otherwise boxing is under no legal embargo. Fights arc patronised by Iloyaltv. and even b\ women—although Mr Dartnell is oldfashioned enough to disapprove of their presence at the ringside. Another modern development which lie condemns! is the huge increase in the prize money. A generation ago. by the time a boxer had paid his training expenses, oII I V a lew pdllliils. as a rale were left to him. "When in ]!>!)8 the Bnrns.lohnson encounter took place in Sydney. the purse, £7Ct)!> in all, was regarded as enormous. It was a record: but the champion of to-day would think it a mere bagatelle, unworthy of his attention. In the Dompsey-Carpentier fight tin l pair got half a million dollars between them for four rounds. It has been estimated that in America in 1 p.ej n ,oro than two and a-half million pounds were spent on boxing. Mr Dartnell i- satisfied that this inflation is inimical to the best interests of ‘ the game." (leorges C arpeiilier conti ibutes a short preface to the book, in which lie remarks that “boxing is an Knglish sport, in its origin.” It is miieli older. At various times it figured in the Olympic (lames, and in the “Aeneld" Vergil gives a most graphic account of a boxing contest. 'I lie participants fought under the “all in" rules rather than those of the Marquess of Queeusliiiry. It was quite in order for them to tear the muscles of arm and shoulder from the bone.