TUNNEY AND HEENEY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3804, 12 June 1928, Page 1

TUNNEY AND HEENEY.

CHANGES OP CONTESTANTS

London May 5

Mr. Trevor C. AVignall, Yvho says lie lias known Tom Heency ever since the latter turned his back on plumbing and landed in London as a heavy-weight without even a lighting reputation, discusses, in a London paper, the prospects of the Tunney-lleeney contest. For the first time for nearly 30 years (which was when Fitzsimmons fought and defeated Corbett), a Britisher who happens to have been born in New Zealand will be striving to gain tho biggest prize in professional pugilism. “There are peojile yvlio say today Heeney hasn’t one chance in a thousand with Tunney. I disagree,” says the writer. “Indeed, 1 would go further; if the matter is reduced to betting terms I yvoukl say the odds against him are not more than five to one, and for these very excellent reasons. A TERRIFIC PUNCH..

“The Heeney of the moment is not comparable with the Heeney of about 18 months ago, when lie was beaten on points after 20 rounds by Phil Scott. On that occasion he was a last-hour substitute, he was practically untrained, while for a variety of reasons his heart Yvas not in his job. To-day he is one of tho most furious fighters in the world, he possesses a terrific punch, while he is undoubtedly stronger and harder and more powerful than Tunney has ever been in his life.

“It will not surprise me in the least —supposing, of course, Tunr.ey goes in for holding, of Yvhich he is very fond —if one of his arms is broken. Heeney is so immensely strong that he can break any grip or hold imposed on him. Consequently, if Tunney loses because of an injury suffered during the bout let this statement be remembered. TUNNEY’S VULNERABLE SPOT. “I won’t let him hold me,” whispered Heeney in my ear the other day, as he grasped my arm Yvith his enormous right hand. I am quite convinced he will not. If there is much hugging and wrestling something like a Yvrist of a forearm is destined to get fractured. As a boxer pure and simple Heeney does not approach Tunney. The .present champion is undeniably the cleverest artist since the time of Jim Corbett, but that he is vulnerable, especially to clips on the jaYV, was proved in his fights with Dempsey. “I have every reason to believe Tunney thinks lie will beat Heeney without much trouble. But he lias never met a rock-ribbed, steel-jaw man like the New Zealander. When Heeney fought Risko and Maloney and Sharkey, lie broke their hearts by smiling at their hardest and most cruel punches. Delaney, in the first moment of their battle, Hit Heeney a right-handed punch that should have torn his head from his shoulders, but all that Tom did was to dig his heels in the canvas and switch on his grim grin. Delaney practically packed up from that second. MATTER OF AGE. “Some say Heeney is too old for a championship match. But lioyv can that be when he is still under 30 2 Tunney, as a matter of fact, is a few weeks older. But let these details be kept in mind. Fitzsimmons was 37 when he fought Jeffries, Corbett was 34 against Jeffries and 37 against Fitzsimmons, while the latter actually had a championship contest when lie was 41. It is his phenomenal strength and stamina that form the New Zealander’s chief assets.

“He is not a talented or clever boxer, and never will be, but as a plain fighter he grades with Dempsey and Sullivan and others Yvho depended chielly on their born lighting spirit, their refusal to go down, and their ability to land a winning punch when least expected. I belevc Heeney will be on his feet at the cud of the contest, whether it is 10 or 15 rounds, but naturally he cannot bo expected to Yvin on points against a fine boxer as lunacy. If he docs win, it will be with a knock-out. POSITION SUMMED UP. “Summed up, then, the position is this: On form, Tunney should keep his title, but if he is clipped on the jaYV, thrown out of his stride by the unorthodoxy of Heeney’s methods, or given an arm injury, lie will probably lose. “My own considered opinion is that Tunney will win on points, but I am not forgetful that the Fates have frequently been on the side of the challenger, and this year’s challenger, Heeney, has already done things that appear to be miraculous. In about 12 months he destroyed all the barriers that separate the obscure from the worldfamous. Yes, five to one accurately represents the odds against Heeney.”