A Diary of Sport NEW ASSOCIATION FORMED

Southland Times, Issue 24235, 19 September 1940, Page 10

A Diary of Sport NEW ASSOCIATION FORMED

Sport Of Boxing In Southland CHAMPIONSHIPS IN REVIEW By VERITAS A new boxing association has been formed in Invercargill. It will fill the gap caused by the disbandment of the Southland Boxing Association, which went into liquidation early this year. The new association will be called The Boxing Association (Southland). It has been granted affiliation to the New Zealand Boxing Association and it will carry out all the obligations and functions of a provincial governing body. Mr A. E. Tall, one of the best-known personalities in the sport of boxing not only in Southland and Otago, but also in New Zealand, has been elected the first president of the association. Under his guidance the new body should not want for inspiration in the fostering of the sport in Southland. He was a prominent member of the defunct Southland Boxing Association when it was at the peak of its fame as a successful promoting body from four to six years ago, and since his retirement from that body a season or two ago he has played a leading part in the coaching and development of some of the foremost boxers in the province. It is not likely that the new association will conduct any tournaments or promote professional matches this year. Failing that, however, it hopes to make an early start next season and arrange an attractive programme. One of the points of the policy of the association will be to encourage local and country clubs by giving them a direct link with the association in the form of affiliation. In that way a better understanding between the parent body and the clubs should be obtained. BLUFF ACTIVITIES The Bluff Boxing Club has been very much in the news lately because of the enterprise shown by the committee in conducting three tournaments, including the Southland amateur championships last week, in the short space of about two months. This club has not yet completed the season’s programme, and if everything works out to schedule it is possible that a professional bout will be arranged in the near future. The principals named are Cliff Hanham, professional middleweight champion, and Bill Enright, the Invercargill amateur who won the New Zealand middleweight championship last year. Enright has reached the peak in the amateur division and as he is a very promising boxer he should do well in the professional ranks. Enright has held the middleweight championship of Southland for the last three years. He was not called upon to defend his title at Bluff last week. A professional bout to end the season would be welcomed by boxing men in Southland. Judged on recent performances the Bluff Club would certainly make a success of the event. SOME PROMISING BOXERS

Although the standard as a whole was not as good as in other years, the championships decided at Bluff last week uncovered some first-class talent among the boxers in the lighter divisions. Only six of the nine classes produced competition, but there was sufficient seen in some of those classes to show that there are several good boys about.

The most outstanding boxers were W. Brown, who retained his featherweight title without challenge and won the lightweight title, M. Wilson, winner of the junior featherweight class, L. Bolger, the new welterweight champion, N. Drake, a paperweight who has been coached correctly, and M. Tennet, a featherweight from Bluff, who was little behind Wilson as the most likely boy in the whole of the championships. Brown has been well in the championship limelight for several years now and since he first won a title four years ago he has not failed to gain a championship. Four years ago he won the bantamweight title and for the last three years he has won the featherweight title, an extra distinction this year being the winning of the lightweight championship. Brown’s record is an imposing one, but it could be said that he has never been seen to greater advantage than last week at Bluff, when he won the lightweight title in impressive style. His work against a clever boxer in P. Rushton, the Otago champion,- was very pleasing, largely so because he discarded tip-and-run tactics and boxed and fought his man as a champion should do.

Brown had no difficulty in disposing of M. Beadle in the final, even allowing for the handicap of an injured thumb under which Beadle boxed. He took full advantage of openings and all round gave an excellent exhibition of two-handed work. To his trainer, Frank Padget, a lot of credit is due for turning Brown out in such good condition. CLEVER NOVICES

Wilson followed up his first-class display at Bluff a few weeks ago by producing something out of the ordinary to win the junior featherweight class. He was clearly superior to M. Turner (Bluff) in his first bout, but in the final against Tennet he was extended to the limit and had to give of his very best to get the verdict of the judges. For a boy of 15 Wilson showed ability much above the average in novices and as he has proved in three fights that he can fight as well as box, he looks certain to play a prominent part in boxing in Southland for several years to come. He has the make-up of a champion. The bout between Wilson and Tennet was an epic in novice boxing. It was the best bout of the programme, and at times it produced the highest standard of boxing. Tennet did not show the same confidence as Wilson in the early stages, but once he got over an apparent nervousness he boxed Wilson and mixed it with him like a veteran. Many good judges were prepared to say that Tennet outpointed Wilson in that final. He certainly went very close to it, and late in the third round he rocked Wilson with a right which, if followed up, might have altered the result. It certainly was “anybody’s” bout at that stage. Tennet was a surprise packet indeed and, like Wilson, he has a good future in the game. The next meeting between the pair would be an attraction on any programme. N. Drake won his paperweight title by doing the orthodox things correctly. Against J. Mclntosh (Mataura) he took a lot of punishment and in the second round he appeared to be a shade behind in points. Good straight work in the third brought him success, but it must have been by a very small margin. In the final of the paperweight class Drake boxed a “swinger” almost perfectly and picked him (Anderson) off with lefts almost at will. It was a good

display for a small boy. Anderson showed much gameness and a fair amount of ability for a little chap. He should do well with experience. HARD-HITTING WELTERS

Of the other bouts probably the best was the welterweight final between L. Bolger (Mataura) and D. McKenzie (Woodend). Bolger did not have matters all his own way in this bout. McKenzie stood in close and risked a knock-out, and in doing so he got the best from Bolger and gave a good display of mixing himself. Bolger now holds both the Otago and Southland welterweight titles, a duel distinction held by Tom Denny a few seasons ago. Denny fought L. Braithwaite last week, and he showed that although camp life had increased his girth and his poundage he could still use his arms and legs. He fought in the light heavyweight class, but he did not take on Enright in the final. Braithwaite is a good trial horse who has been battling for several years. He is just a shade under championship class, but he is not afraid to take his place in the ring with the champions. He deserves a prize for consistency. “Tiger” Bates brought a good sort of bantamweight in Edgeler from Temuka. He had little difficulty in beating F. Baldey, who, however, shaped promisingly. F. Brown, holder of the flyweight title for 1938 and 1939, spoiled a second-to-none’ chance of completing the hat trick by dancing around instead of boxing. A. Ogilvy desexwed the verdict against Brown, but no one would gainsay Brown’s ability in the class. He has one consolation—he holds the Otago bantamweight title. Three titles were not challenged, the featherweight, middleweight and heavyweight, W. Brown, W. Enright and D. Anderson respectively retaining those championships. The Bluff club is to be congratulated on the success of its first Southland championships. The support accorded by boxing enthusiasts from all over Southland showed that interest in the sport is far from dead. THE NEW CHAMPIONS

The champions for the 1940 season are as follows: Paperweight: N. DRAKE (Ocean Beach). Flyweight: A. OGILVY (Invercarg Bantamweight: J. EDGELER (Temuka). Featherweight: W. BROWN (Invercargill). Junior Featherweight: M. WILSON (Invercargill). Lightweight: W. BROWN (Invercar--8' Welterweight: L. BOLGER (Mataura). Middleweight: W. ENRIGHT (Invercargill). Light Heavyweight: W. ENRIGHT (Invercargill). Heavyweight: D. ANDERSON (Invercargill).