HEAVY-WEIGHT BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3763, 6 March 1928, Page 3

HEAVY-WEIGHT BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP.

ARRANGEMENTS iFOR NEXT BIG FIGHT. New York, March 3. Dempsey has definitely refused to get into condition before September —perhaps not then—so the talk of a June engagement for Tunney is swinging back to Heeney. Heeney received just over £BOOO as his share of Thursday’s bout. / ONE- OF THE GAMEST OF MEN. LONDON TRIBUTES TO HEENEY. London, Mai-ch 3. ■ The newspapers acclaim Heeney’s victory, and hail him as a possible British world’s champion. One writer recalls that it is just eighteen months since he saw Heeney sitting in a small inn on the outskirts of London, “broke” and despondent about the future. He said he had been offered a trip to America, but his luck was so bad that he was frightened to go. Mr. John Mortimer, of Southampton, who piloted Heeney to America, states that lie does not believe Heeney! will ever beat Tunney, but he is likely to get a chance of trying. “I hope so,” adds Mr. Mortimer, “if only, to prove that he is one of thefigamest men,who ever stepped into a - ring. New Zealand should be proud of him.”

“Sporting Life” says that when asked what position would be if Dempsey reconsidered his retirement, Mr. Mortimer replied 'that Dempsey and Heeney might then fight in London, the winner to meet Tunney in New York in September. Mr. Elvin, managing director of Wembley Stadium, said he had already been tentatively approached on the subject of staging a fight for the heavyweight championship of the world. The directors could not be the promoters, but they would give the project their very favourable consideration. ,