LECKIE WILL HAVE TO BE AT HIS BEST

NZ Truth, Issue 1302, 27 November 1930, Page 15

LECKIE WILL HAVE TO BE AT HIS BEST

TOMMY WANTS

TITLE Napier s Fight THE THIRD MEETING Late on Saturday night the question will be settled — there will N either be a new feather champ, or the old holder will still be monarch of all he- surveys. I COR the third time as professionals *• Johnnie Leckie and Tommy Donovan meet. Napier is' the venue, and what the association lost over its last fight it will • more than' recoup from this one. , • The first time the p.air met Johnnie, after having a good lead on points, smashed home a right hand m the eleventh and then at the beginning of the twelfth the referee stopped it. Tommy thus failed In his endeavor to lift the title. Some time later at New Plymouth, m a non-title match, Donovan showed/ great improvement, and after a very willing fight m which Donovan had his share of the points, the referee satisfied all by calling a draw. Now comes Saturday night, and taking a line through' the New Plymouth bout, Donovan, will have to improve -little to get home on this occasion. ' ■ , A As against this it is an undisputed fact that Leckie fights best at Napier. He will need to, fight to his very best. That New Plymouth defeat by Ed- . wards'' will help Johnnie, who was altogether too big m condition. Donovan will strip well, and m saying that there is no need for embellishments. Tommy wants that title and he will be all but from the word S °- : '- A Earl. Stewart was to have been referee, but his departure for the States caused the association to look elsewhere. Early m the week "Truth" was advised that Geoff. Watchorn, of Palmerston, would most likely be the third man.

His First Defeat I EO. BANDIAS- the heavy-weight " champion of Victoria), lost the first fight decision .. of his career, when he was beaten by the New Zealander, Jack O'Malley,, at the Sydney__Stadium on Saturday night, cables our special rep. ' • . Had the affair been . a loot-race, Bandias would have been a furlong in front at the end of eight rounds, but as* it was a fight O'Malley had a substantial lead on points. The referee told Bandias to stop running and start fighting in the ninth, and over the concluding stages the Victorian did a lot better, having O'Malley wobbly .on occasions. Still the New Zealander held the advantage, and although the decision in his favor was hooted he was a comfortable winner. •• # • ' Sullivan Slammed AT Leichhardt on Friday night, cables " our special Sydney rep., Jerry Sullivan was beaten in eleven rounds by the Filipino, Young Gildo. Sullivan was dead game, but he was pounded to a standstill, and the referee intervened to save him from annihilation. # # # - ■ Back Home lOU BLOOM got back to 'Frisco " okay, and he drops a card. "Arrived sound and have a couple of fights lined up. "Will then start for Columbus, Ohio. "Started training, and am getting down to my real weight. If I make good in my starts here you can count on me coming back." ■ • Training is what Bloom wants. Absence of it here was responsible for his failure to show his r:g:ht form. # # # Second Contest ■ ■■' ; „• ;

THERE is an argument m progress * at Glenside. An inquiry comes from that locality asking if Donovan and Leckie have ever met for the professional feather title.,, 'i'he answer is m the affirmative. They met for the crown m Napier -last May, when Leckie won on , a t.k.o.

About Weight HECTOR LECKIE writes from Dunedin that he is stillready to defend his title.. When he fought Norman Gillespie Hec. had to give away a chunk of weight, for at the four, o'clock weigh in Gillespie was 9.9% and Leckie was 9.3. Hec. reckons that , five hours later Gillespie looked like 9.12,. and it is possible about another three-quarters of an hour later he looked like 99.12. # # * Stewart in 'Frisco .CARL STEWART arrived in 'Frisco *■* last Friday, but the Wellington-asso-ciation had not received any cable advice from him up till Tuesday. A note to "Truth" . from Rarotonga conveyed the news that Butler Billy Edwards was King of Kara for the day. "Mick" was not putting on condition on the ti-ip over, he and Edwards indulging in a lot of hard training. ... As "Mick" put it, he was giving the jabs and Edwards was handing out the Boston crabs. * * # Get The Shoehorn THE New Plymouth Association will * have to order an oversize shoehorn if it wants to get in the crowd which will attempt to witness the bout between Tommy Donovan and Llew Edwards. • This fight is set down for December 13. ■ Edwards, as the visitor, has asked that Dick Meale, who controlled his contest with Leckie, be again in charge of operations. '* . * # Rush Sets In XITHEN Llew Edwards arrived in New V Zealand he could have, the place to himself, but now that he has beaten Johnnie Leckie he is the most sought after guy in the -land. Everybody wants him to fight, and offers are pouring in. Seeing that there are only two opponents for him it is hard to fathom how all the associations are going to i get set. " ...

For Auckland THE; Northern Association is keen to * get a fight, for Christmas week, and George Bush has "been, sorting over the 'material on offer. It is just possible that Tommy Pairhall \yill be offered a bout with* Reg. Trowern for December 29. •If this contest is fixed there is a show that there . wvIM be a: ten-round pro. preliminary. ■ •■ ■