BOXING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1179, 2 December 1913, Page 4

BOXING.

MONEY FOR GOOD MEN. STARS GET BIG FEES. A thousand pounds for an evening’s work seams a stiff fee (remarks an Australian paper). Who, other than Melba and the greatest boxer, can command it ? Yet it appears to be the most easily won money in Australia. Most men would be prepared to go into an 18ft ring with “Matt” Wells or “ Hughie ” Mehegan for and a few would still be satisfied with their bargain after their week in hospital. It is safe to say that no one, except perhaps, the other four boxers training in Melbourne for the Cup week contests at the new Stadium, would be worth the money. Wells and Mehegan drew more than ,£IOOO each for their match in Sydney, when Wells obtained the verdict, after 20 strenuous rounds. The sum is by no means a boxer’s fortune. Not so long ago the sport was in a poer way. World’s champions were glad enough to get a few pounds by showing at country fairs. Pugilism was a synonym lor brutality, and the public, as a whole, has never had time or money for brutality. These days are gone, and boxers are now among the most richly endowed of mortals. Few sports are so liberally patronised in English and French speaking communities, and a successful boxer can bank thousands of pounds a year, while he keeps the favour of the crowd. James J. Jeffries made £25,000 out of his contest with “Jack” Johnson. It was all over in a few minutes, but it produced iu gate money and biograph receipts more than ,£IOO,000. A world-famous boxer of any weight cau make or £SOOO a year without the trouble which the average man puts into his daily occupation. In this boxing boom, which is practically a world phenomenon, Australia has played a leading part. From this point of view of money spent, America leads the way.

Australian boxing began seriously five years ago. The Sydney Stadium was built by Mr Hugh D. Mclntosh, as a temporary shelter for the crowds at the Squires-Burns and the JohnsonBurns matches, and since then the public has poured such huge sums of money into the game that Australia has become recognised as the happiest hunting ground for boxers, in the last five years 350,000 people have attended the Sydney Stadium yearly. The total takings have been ,£250,000, exclusive of ,£20,000 raised for charity by use of the buildings. The weeding out of the objectionable features formerly associated with boxing has brought it into favour with a good type of patrou, and at present there is no class iu Sydney not represented at every contest. Sydney now possesses the largest boxing stadium in the world.

Great expense is necessarily incurred in inducing the leading boxers to come to Australia. Mr R. L. Baker, who bought the Sydney Stadium irom Mr Macintosh for .£30,000, and now has stadiums in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, had to give substantial guarantees tq nearly all of the 70 leading boxers he has at present under contract to him.