BOXING.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1927, Page 1

BOXING.

DEMPSEY AND TENNEY. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) NEW YORK, Sept. 19. Chicago reports state that Gene Tunney has concluded his active training to-day, with a boxing drill that impressed the observers. Tunney is stronger and more skilful than he was a year ago.

Tunney declared : ‘‘l am fit. I can say that I have never felt better in my life.”

To-morrow and on Wednesday, Tunnoy will punch the bag a little. His last boxing session showed liim as accurate in timing deliberate blows ns in feinting for attack. Dempsey, who boxed yesterday, remained inactive to-day, and be considers his training is complete. The onlookers consider Dempsey to be in good condition. Efforts to stop the fight will he made by a Minister of the Gospel seeking an injunction on the ground that such bouts are brutal spectacles, degrading and immoral.

A campaign of open lettters also promises to continue. It is understood that Dempsey will again demand an explanation of T””lvey’s activites previous to the Philnnoy’s activites previous to the Philadelphia fight.

The betting is now even money, with large sums offered by the Dempsey backers. THE COMING FIGHT. The fight between Jack Dempsey and Gone Tunney for the heavy-weight championship of the world is to he staged in Chicago. Tt is probable that for attendance and financial returns it will lie the biggest spectacle ill the history of pugilism or any other branch of the showman’s art, writes the New York correspondent of an English paper. Tex Rickard, the millionaire sports promter, chose Chicago primarily because the maximum price he may charge for the best seats in the State of Illinois is £B, as against £5 in New York, and because there is seating in Soldiers’ Field Stadium for 150,000 persons. Tf people are as eager lo witness Dempsey’s attempt to regain his crown as Rickard thinks they are, they will have the privilege of paying something in the neighbourhood of £1,000,000 to gratify their desire. Apparently not all the citizens of Chicago believe that a great prize fight will contribute anything to the fair name of the city, which has already been considerably sullied by its reputation for crime, corrupt politics and graft. The decision to permit Rickard to use Soldiers’ Field Stadium was obtained only after a heated discussion before flie board of directors and a vigorous protest by Mrs Bentley, president of the Gold Star Mothers’ Association, representing mothers whose boys wove killed in the World War. Mrs Bentley declared that the fight would ho one of the most disgraceful affairs ever permitted in Chicago, and protested against it being held in a “stadium that had been solemnly dedicated to tho dead soldiers of all the wars.” The president of the hoard of directors assured Mrs Bentley, however, that the stadium was dedicated not only to the dead but to the living, and was designed as the home for sports, pageants and contests between champions, whether amateurs or professionals. Rickard will pay £20,000 for the hire of the stadium for one night.

LEOKTE INJURED. DUNEDIN, Sept. 20. Owing to nil injury received to his shoulder I>y Jolinn.v Lcckio, when following his work n.s n plasterer, liis contest with Tommy Griffiths, for the featherweight championship on Saturday night has boon postponed. Tt will probably bo a month before T.eelcio is again able to enter the ring.