BOXING

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1932, Page 2

BOXING

BRITISH ALLEGATIONS. LORD LONSDALE’S VIEWS. LONDON, August 5

Allegations have been made that boxing matches in England have been ■arranged and that fights are faked. This matter was the subject for discussion at a meeting of the Council ol the British Boxing Board of Control. The stewards met in private, and among those present were Lord Lonsdale Lord/Tweedmouth, 'Colonel R. L. (Myddelton and Mr Onarles F. Donmall, secretary of the 8.8.8. C. In an interview afterwards, Lord Lonsdale made the following, statement :

“I ' brought up the subject of ‘racketeering’ and ‘faked’ fight© before imy fiellow-stewards at to-day’s meeting. None of ns lias ever heard of ‘racketeering’—as the Americans call it—and-we do not believe that such a thing exists. Those who brought the charges >hav e been misinformed. “I, myself, attend all the big fights at the Royal Albert Hall and elsewhere,and I have never heard of anything of the kind, nor have the other stewardsBoxing now is legal, to all intents and purposes, and the 'Home „ Office &fid 'Scotland Yard are represented at the big fights. I asked Scotland Yard whether they have any cognisance or 'racketeering,’ and they said they had not. Their men are everywhere, and they, surely, would discover anything of that kind. If'-anybody -should come forward with specific charges, then it f,s'not for the Board to deal with the matter, but for the police. ’ . Lord Lonsdale added . that private talks with all sort© of people connected with boxing had convinced him that boxing was a clean ©port. “I talked with everybody who might throw gome light on the matter,” he said, “and no direct evidence has been brought forward.

NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN. <6.W e intend to take no action, because there is no. action to be taken.

~ Lord Lonsdale added that there may be instances 'where the length of fights is '.arranged. “But,” h e said, “I do not think that is detrimental to boxing. When a young man is opposed to a •seasoned' fighter, and that young man hffjust starting on his career in the ring, it may be just as well that the othbr fellow spars about with him, content to win on points. For, after tail, it is only by meeting men his superior that a youngster cap hope <P°, improve, and his heart may •be broken by a good drubbing early on. As/a matter of fact, the Board are looking into the question of young men of, Bay, nineteen, meeting people outside their cljase, but it is a difficult blatter.” Mr TreVor Wipgall, of th e “Daily (Express,” challenges Lord Lonsdale And his fellow-stewards, “If they are not conversant with what has been going on," h e writes, .“then it is time they made way for other people who can ©ee cloarly, and who will form an organisation, the principal aim of which will be the cleaning up of a business tha, thas ones again become crooked in certain quarters.

POLICE AND LEGALITY. “Lord Lonsdale’s references to the police and the legality of boxing are astonishing,” says Mr Wingall, m another part of his article. “If there is a death in the ring, all parties are still liable to a charge being made against them, and the polir- still have to make that fact clear. Boxing no more legal i.n Britain to-day than it i has been for years, and Scotland Yard has nothing at all to do with faking and racketeering. 'lf a fake were brought to the notice of the Yard it is practically certain they would take no action. That is not tlhe’r function. When the police are asked to jsupply men for fights—uniformed men for .the streets outsid e -the stadiums and halls, and plain clothes or evening dressed men for the ringside seats —they do so when they are able, • but there they Stop. ‘

“Lord Lonsdale, I notice, has said nothing about those gamblers and gangsters Who have taken possession of boxing. That is a queer omission. The old refrain, ‘All this is hurting th e game,’ is once more abroad in the land, but if Lord Lonsdale will call an open meeting, and see to it that the dozens who will be only too glad to be present are given a fair hearing, there will be brought to his notice facte that will astound him. Private chats, such as the one of yesterday, to which the Press was not admitted, are'of absolutely no use. Let the British Boxing Board of Control arrange a meeting, invite to it . all who care, to attend, give them leave to speak their minds freely and without interruption, and il promise them they; will‘be given 'plenty of data on Which they can work.”