BOXING.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 44, 12 January 1912, Page 16

BOXING.

MCVEA BEATS LANCFORD A DECISION ON POINTS.

Twelve thousand whites stewed in the stin at the Stadium on BoxingT)ay (.reports the Sydney "Daily Telegraph) while two coloured boxers, 'McVea and Langforcl, fought for what was virtually the heavy-weight championship of the world. There are no whites good enough' to extend the blacks, and so tho latter, in view of Johnson's announced retirement, are settling tho argument among themselves.

McVea, who was taller, heavier, more scientific,. arid who has a longer reach, than Langforcl, secured the decision on' points after tho stipulated 20 rounds had been fought. McVea weighed list 51b, Laugford 12st 71b. McVea is sft lOjin. in height, Langford sft 7in. McVea is magnificently proportioned. Langford is a freak. He has -a, 44-in chest,.j w'h.iohr\vh.ei^'.i'p : Eopojrt.iori..isj ll cojieernod, is ridiculous compared, with .his, height. But he is light-Jeggedj wit;h low forehead, overhanging | brows,. flat nose, thick lips, and arms, that./oach down below the knees. Altogether Jic, is tho perfect fighting machine.'j but he' is too small to be a worldrbeater, .-'

The onlookers viewed the spectacle without a tremor. The crowd was the quietest over seen at ah important boxing engagement. This, was due to a complete absence of partisan feeling. There was no racial interest, as on a former Boxing Day, when the black race took from the white the fighting supremacy of the world- ;A few spectators tried to lash themselves into a pretence of enthusiasm, but it was like fanning yourself in Arctic regions. The.big bulk looked on as even-eyed onlookers, with every sense normal. They would have been just as excited over a hen-laying competition. Two blacks were fighting—they didn't care "a tuppeny clump" (whatever that may lie) who won. It was a depressing speetablo for many looking for a descriptive story. If you talked of "tremendous excitement" or ran in any other superlatives you would be simply lying—because there was.. not any enthusiasm visible nor anything else that makes a man gasp, or shout frenziedly, or poke his neighbour in the ribs in his bubbling excitement. Instead, the breeze which tempered the fierceness of the sun's rays outside missed those in tho stewpan within the Stadium, and instead of the usual exhibitions at big fights the crowd rammed its handkerchief inside its collar in a vain effort to keep that idiocyncrasy of civilisation from looking like a jimp rag.

McVea is a clever boxer, with a punch that hurts but does not annihilate. Langford is a hard hitter, who has a knock-out in either hand, heaps of stamina and pluck, and is of the do-or-dio order, who go far in anything they undertake. But he has no particular skill, and his brute force, 'undoubted oourage and bulldog-like worrying propensities were of no avail against a bigger man who had science on his side.

Mo Yea. took fine care to make a boxing match of it. Except on one or two isolated occasions he had this dominant idea packed tight in his thinking apparatus, to the exclusion of everything else. Langford followed him up in every round, trvinsr with left arid right to get home th* blow that wo have made him virtual champion of the world. That was the idea that dominated him, and in the clash of wits the scienced man won. The man with the higher intelligence came out on top. A glance at the two disclosed the difference in mental calibre. Both were stripped for the most important engagement of their careers. The result was all in all to eaoh of them. Languor was placid as a cow and unafraid. McVea was highly strung, and his nostrils dilated like those of a blown horse. Langford attacked to the point of recklessness. McVea never took a chance. He was caution personified. He waited for tho other man's attack, countered it, and then scored for himself. Very soon it became apparent, as it was probably known beforehand to Langford 'himsclfj that his only chance of victory was a knock-out. McVea never gave it to him. Despite Langfofd's extraordinarily long reach, McVea had a longer. He used it to great purpose. Ho wa3, too, as quick as a cat on his feet. He sprang about the ring as agilely as a mountain goat hops from rock to rock. Ho was continually backing, but, in addition to scoring points for defence, piled them up, too, for offensive work.

McVea relied on tho left that put Loafer's head out of shape. It is not a straight left nor a left hook. But it travels, fast as a cat's paw, from wherever the glovo ha]>;> ns to be. Langford was unable to stop it landing

twqntj times in any singlo round. .Soofti'lus right eyebrow began'to'swell. Plutng, plump, plump, came McVca's glqre upon the injured member, and witjhioverv blow it became biggor, until the end it closed the right eye altogether, and McYe-a was tighting a ono«e*»ed man. Even then he did not lose his caution. Heincvcr let up from his policy lor i a moipent. But he was now less n'ifclily stritog, and was cool without an effort. At the close of the twentieth-round lleferee Baker placed his hand on McVea's .shoulder, and then the repressed feelings of the winner were relaxed. He capered round the' ring it" a transport of joy. But in the middle of his exhibition of unaffected -delight, ho paused suddenly, and, walking oyer to the beaten man, shook hands with him. Thirty seconds later Langforcl got up from his corner and shook hands with the victor. (He said, 1 "uess the best man won." " And the crowd walked out mopping what was left of its collar.