BOXING IN BRITAIN.

Shannon News, 17 March 1925, Page 1

BOXING IN BRITAIN.

A General Surrey (By Eugene Corri, Special Correspondent.) Jack Bloomfield has gone into training at Shoeburyness for his fight with Tom Berry, which is to.be staged at the N.S.C. on the last Monday night of the present month; and three days later at Brighton, so I am given to understand, Bombardier Wells will do battle with Soldier Horace Jones. So you see we are ging to start the New Year well, even though it is possible that the Bombardier will not clash with the hard hitting Canadian. At the moment I have not had confirmation of the reported match between Wells and Jones; if it does come off it should prove to be particularly interesting, not that Wells will find in Jones more than a very crude, half finished boxer, but assuredly one of the type he was never seen at his best against, even in his halycon days, Sloggers were never after the heart of the Bombardier. However, we had better see what will happen. Meantime,, it is good to know that Bloomfield and Berry have been brought together . I shall be bitterley disappointed if they do not .produce one of the best, bouts between the heavier men we have had for years. Later, when I have seen them at work, I will offer my opinion on their chances. For the present I will content myself by saying that the contest represents a most attractive kick-oil to what with average luck should prove a capital second half of the season at headquarters. And if the plans for a recommencement of boxing at Albert Hall work out according to ideas, the game is likely to enjoy quite a boom. It will perhaps be at the Natibnal Sporting Club, however, that we shall see the most notable contests. It is a long time since there was less occasion to exploit foreign material. There is certainly little or no inclination to exploit the American market; with the passing of Carpehtier and Ledoux, France has no considerable card to play. The younger men in France have not come along as was hoped and expected. For instance, we have heard verv little of Frietsch since his return from America; Mascart has cut little ice lately. About the best of the Paris lot is Fred Brettonel, the young lightweight champion, .who, so I gather, is to be put up against Johnny Dundee. The big noise among Continental boxers is repi’esen > a by the Dutch; and up to the welter iimi ; they'are decidedly formidable, a Joe Davis, of Hoxton, and others will readily testify. The management of the Ring, Blackfriars, are to be commended for their frequent introdnet .ons to London of young Continental scrappers; and the probability is that one or other of those we have seen lately will be finding their way to Cqvc'nt Garden. Plenty of Good Sport.

But home material is just now so plentiful that we may expect a succession of outstanding - bouts at the N.S.C. from now right up to early summer. I fear that we must suffer a shortage of big fellows for a considerable time. I can see none, other than Bloomfield, Berry and Scott ih the offing. But we can ring the changes with those of the lighter class in a way to ensure heaps of excellent sport. There is, for instance, Aidgate Johnny Brown. He must be asked very soon to defend the bantam title; and, when : lie does, lam far from sure that he will retain it. There is more than one youngster capable of extending if not beating him. If Harry Corbett, of Bethnal Green, could be sure of getting down to weight without hurting himaelf-— this 1 fear lie cannot do —1 doubt whether Brown would win. 1 hop® .that Corbett will b given an opportunity to fight George McKenzie for the feather weight belt. Harry Leach, of Doncaster. has had his chances* and failed though his two failures were in every way glorious. There is Bugler Lake knocking at the door, though on his more recent performances it may be questioned whether he will again get a place among the champions. And we must think highly , of Johnny Curley and Phil Bond. An opponent will very shortly have to bo rooted out for our lightweight belt-holder, Brnio Izzard. Which should not be difficult at all; and among the more tiny men Kid Socks stands out prominently. I have high hopes of this boy. You will have noticed, perhaps, that Danny Brush, who has not fought as often as he might have done, has got into action again. What about a match between him and Izzard? And Scotland represents a field of tremendous possibilities. She has got the best of the flyweights in Clarke; the first of the feathers in George McKenzie,, a'nd if there is a better boxer and fighter at his weight than Tommy Milligan, I should very much line to see him. And we must not forget Johnny Brown, of Hamilton, and Ireland Pact is the Scottish boys by themselves could keep the N.S.C. going. I suspect that "Peggy” Bettiflson is thinking of giving his prodigy, Joe Rolfe another try out; and it is not unlikely that the Bermondsey welter will have Ireland, the Scot, for his next opponent. If they are matched, and Rolfe beats him, Mr. BcttinsoTs discovery at the first available opportunity will be put up against Milligan Such a match would decide conclusively whether Rolfe is made of championship stuff. My opinion is that at the moment there is no British welter to beat Milligan. It is likely that we shall see quite a lot of young John'iy Sullivan, of Covent Garden. He is to receive most generous encouragement, and will not suffer by being out of the Descamps stable. I am surprised that the Frenchman did not stick to Sullivan like grim death, for,, if ever a boy looked like becoming a champion, Sullivan does; and a heavyweight at that. He improves each time he i.\ out; and no boy so relishes fighting He has a rare fighting name; he may be said to have been cradled in the ring. And for a year or more he has been tighti’ag full grown men!