TOM HEENEY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3718, 17 November 1927, Page 1

TOM HEENEY.

MAY MEET GENE TUNNEY. CHAMPION’S OPINION. New York, October 19. Gene Tunney sends word from the Maine Woods that he wants to defend his heavyweight title twice next year. One of his opponents, he expects, will be none other than Jack Dempsey, back for a third try after two failures. The champion thinks his other opponent may be Tom Hecney, the New Zealander, who is considered by Gene the best of the crop of heavyweights who are aboiit to take part in the eliminating eontests, with a veiw to choice of a challenger to meet the champion. Tunney said he hoped to defend his title on 4th July and again in September. He insists that , the contest in future will go fifteen •rounds, unless, there is a decision earlier. Had the last gone* to fifteen, he says, he would have disposed of Dempsey. In view of the tremendous following Dempsey has still, it is suggested that the first contest may be with the ex-champion, and the second with Heeney, who everyone anticipates will come through eliminating tests. Richards’s remark that he might stage one of the championships in London lends colour to the view that the TunneyHeeney contest may be the one scheduled to take place in London, so that the heart of the Empire may have an opportunity of witnessing the New Zealander in action "against the American for the woi’ld’s title.

“I draw the colour line,” said the champion, when asked as to the possibility of a meeting with Godfrey, the negro heavyweight. “I have never met a negro boxer, and never shall,” he observed.