THE PUGS' FRIEND

NZ Truth, Issue 1206, 10 January 1929, Page 10

THE PUGS' FRIEND

Death of Tex. Rickard, Great Fight Promoter Just how the passing of Tex Rickard will effect massive purses m the boxing- world is hard to conceive.

ANYHOW, it is certain that Tex t\ startled the sporting world when | he undertook to make milliondollar bouts a reality for pugilistic kingrs. ■ He has been the one bright magnet to whom every boxing exponent with any prospects of gaining world's honors has been attracted by reason of the financial lui;e' which Tex could hold out and the genius of his promoting ability. Not only was Rickard a magnet, but by ! his deeds the greatest magnate m his own particular line. He was certainly the top dog when it came to arranging big money, which would have been impossible for any small man without a fair share of this world's goods to encourage backing from others m his big schemes. Tex possessed the necessary .before he placed his genius m administrative ability, and indomitable will'into'.making' money from the ring; and though the last world's championship bout between Gene Tunney and New Zealand's own Tom Heeney ended m financial loss to Tex and those associated with him, it is saf e r to state that Rickard gathered millions' from boxing fans. . > He was not m the game merely for the fun of it. • While- he was raking m the shekels he was at the same time satisfying the human desire ,of pug. enthusiasts by sifting out the bfest possible exponents of the fistic art to stand toe to toe against each Other. . ! By his ability to do big things m a big way Tex was the means of extend- 1 ing the opportunity to all deserving champions to become really financially independent m. one swoop, and though some of the terms asked, by the world's crack boxers really seemed exorbitant, iiiiiiiuuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiuiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiuimiiiiiiiimiiiii

Rickard was not the man to stop at money if there was a genuine desire of sportsmen that any two exponents should^ be matched. Million-dollar bouts became a habit under Tex Rickard, but the top mark was probably reached when he staged the second Dempsey — Turiney bout at Chicago m 1927. At that contest the receipts reached the enormous total of 2,658,660 dollars, Tunney's share being 990,000 dollars and Dempsey's 447,500 dollars. It was estimated that over 145,000 paid their way into that fight. The initial world's championship fight between Tunney and Dempsey at Philadelphia m 1926 resulted m a gate of about 1,500,000 dollars, while the Carpentier—^-Dempsey affair at Jersey City realized 1,623,00 b dollars and the Dempsey — Firpo bout 1,177,000 dollars. The only real big financial reverse suffered by Rickard m connection with a big fight of importance was over the Tunney — Heeney contest, when it was esti- ■ mated the losses totted up to 150,000 dollars. • That experience would undoubtedly have some effect on the 'financial ar-, rangements made m future with aspirants for world's fistic titles, and it should .bo interesting to learn the nature of the purses to be reaped over the elimination contests arranged by the late Tex. ' Someone must necessarily arise to take Rickard's place as • the leading' promoter of world's boxing contests, but whoever lie may be he is set no easy task to rob Tex of any honors attached to being classed "the milliondollar promoter."