THE BIG FIGHT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3820, 19 July 1928, Page 1

THE BIG FIGHT.

LETTER FROM HEENEY’S

BROTHER

GISBORNE, July 17. A letter from Mr Jack Keeney, brother of Tom Heeney, written a? few days ago to Mr A. F. Sise, and transmitted by wireless to Mu 1. O’Meara, gives some interesting information regarding the preparations lor Heeney s tight with Tunney. “Tom sparred three rounds with a giant named Ralf Smith, who stands Oft. s|in. and weighs 15st. 101 b,, wrote Mr J. Heeney. “He also sparred three rounds with Raul Swederskr, doing what was probably his best work-out since he started training, it has been a wonderful thing to my brothers and I to seo tho elaborate training arrangemnts, and we find it hard to realise just how different a boxer Tom is to when we last saw him. jt’or to-night live huge electric lights Cl 1000-watts each were erected over the outdoor ring and 100 people gathered to applaud Toni’s efforts. The idea of working in the open was to get him used to the power lamps that will bo used on the night of the fight. Toni has been very pleased to have us with him, but ol course is completely wrapped lip in his work. I asked him what lie w,as going to do after the fight, but he only grinned and said that there was time enough to tlnnk ol that when the fight was over.” . Further light on Heeucy’s training activities is revealed ill the iollowing dispatch from the Boston Herald on Sunday morning, which was also transmitted by Mr Sise: —“In the deepening gloom of the night with automobile headlights flooding the scene, Heeney went back to his training grind last night after loafing for 24 hours. The challenger boxed in an outdoor ring under the flare of special lights in the presence of a small crowd from the neighbourhood. Heeney skipped, shadow boxed, and punched the bag in an old barn, where the spectators began to gather shortly after dusk. After the New Zealander had finished his bag punching a heavy robe was thrown over las glistening shoulders, and he elbowed his way through the crowd into a held \yhere an outdoor ring had been pitched. Several changes are to be made in his staff of spar-boys. Starting to-morrow, Osk Till, a middleweight, who once trained with Tunney, will join the crew. Mr Harvey, Heeney’s manager, .also plans to bring a fast lightweight into tho camp to speed up Honest Tom in tho remaining few days of his training. Jay Lawless, the Newark light-heavyweight, will also join the sparring staff. Rosy Ron tot and Jack Dessmoz departed last night. “The first expression of opinion from one of Heeney’s board of strategy concerning the New Zealander s chance against Tunney came from Charlie Harvey last night on his arrival in camp after an absence of several days. “ ‘lf the battle goes past ten rounds,’ said Harvey, ‘Heeney

stands an excellent chance of knocking Tunncy out. Tumiey lias had only two fights in three years, and both against the same man and over ten rounds. All Tom’s fights in the last five years, except those in this countny, have been over 15 or 20 rounds. We know that Hecney can go the rounds and keep up his strength and speed, but there is some doubt concerning wliat Tumiey can do after stopping through ten rounds at a fast clip.’ ”