THE BOXING RING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 166, 4 October 1927, Page 14

THE BOXING RING

Notes From Far and Near

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"LEFT COUNTER”

An amateur tournament for all classes and open to boxers from all over New Zealand is to be held by tire Otago Association on October 22.

Several associations have approached X.es Murray with good offers but he is not accepting engagements until he is satisfied that his shoulder is fully recovered.

Following the introduction of electric hare racing, which has greatly affected the attendance at the Stadium, the management of the latter has decided that from October 7, when Pilhingion and Purdy meet, all big contests \¥ill be held on Friday nights.

An English exchange states that three Welsh boxers are leaving for Australia. Eddie John Welsh, flyweight champion, W. Nicholas, amateur light-weight champion, and Willie Jsvans, a promising feather-weight, are the boxers concerned. It is expected that Nicholas will turn professional on reaching Australia.

The Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, the scene of many contests during the past 21 years, has been demolished. On September 2 the last bout was staged and among the huge audience were many old boxers who had frequented the rink since its opening. A new- arena with a seating accommodation of 10,000, is to be built at a cost of about £ 60,000. . ...

Sid Terris, foremost contender for the light-weight title, has been commissioned by Florenz Ziegfeld to teach the Ziegfeld “Follies” chorus girls how to box. An American writer comments: “Sid accepted with pleasure the job of showing the 1927 edition of outstanding American beauties how the Black bottom is done on resinsprinkled canvas. He has promised the girls he won’t sock any of them on their pretty little turned-up noses, or give any of them cauliflower ears as souvenirs. At the same time, we’re figuring that some of those blue eyes may knock Sidneh for a loop. It’s fcreen done before.”

Tommy Mclnnes, the Scottish wel-ter-weight, has arrived in Australia and will fill his engagement wAh madiims, Ltd. He expects to be in the Commonwealth for about three months. Writing of this boxer an Knglish scribe states that Mclnnes is one of Scotland’s most popular boxers. He has hud more fistic misfortunes than the Scots consider his due owing principally to his favourite mode of fighting body punching bringing Mm under the referee’s disfavour. Some critics consider Mclnnes one of the best body punchers in England, and he is expected to make good in Australia.

Good clean scientific boxing was witnessed at the Drill Hall on Saturday night, when the finals of the Auckland Military Sports Association’s boxing tournament were staged. Throughout last week fine contests were the order and the’association is to be congratulated on the successful way in which the tournament has been managed. Many good boxers were seen in action and also others who will profit by the experience gained. Most of the contests have been of the willing variety, but only in the lighter classes was any outstanding worfc done. That in not to say that the other competitors were inferior boxers, but only that the lighter boys were in most cases the more scientific.

The Australian amateur championships are to be held at the Sydney Stadium on October 18 and 20, when the champions from all the Australian States will compete in both boxing and wrestling. • * * It is possible that the feather-weight champion of Australia, Tommy Barber, will come from Sydney to meet Johnny Leckie. If the Australian does come he will probably be engaged by the Wellington association. After his fight with Johnny Leckie, in which he was severely punished, Darby O’Connor, the Australian feather-weight, e.omplained of pains in the head and when he consulted the doctor the medico advised him to take a rest. Consequently he has returned to Australia. • » « A message from Los Angeles states that Ad Wolgast, former world's light-weight boxing champion, was adjudg id hopelessly insane at a hearing he d in the psycopathic ward of the general hospital, and was ordered to be transferred to Patton Asylum. Wolgast had been under observation and he- was reported to be suffering from general paralysis of the brain. • • • Jack Sharkey, according to Tex Rickard, is not a back number as a heavy-weight contender, despite his defeat by Dempsey. Rickard planned to match the former sailor with the winner of the Delaney-Uzcudun bout and this in the opinion of the promoter would supply another big heavy-weight bout. Rickard thinks that a bout in which Sharkey figured would draw house worth about £40,000 at Madison Square Garden, New York. Sharkey may yet have the heavy-weight crown on which he has set his heart, in his keeping.

Writing of the Casey-Hay encounter, the Wellington “Evening Post” comments as follows: —The final blow, a left hook to the solar plexus, a Bob Fitzsimmons punch, caused a great deal of discussion after the contest. Many contended that it was low, but from the Press table the blow appeared to be a fair one, and Hay’s attitude when taking the count bore this out. When a boxer is hit low with a punch sufficient to send him to the canvas he draws his knees up to his chin and holds the injured part of his anatomy with his hands. There is no mistaking the look of anguish on the face of a boxer who has been fouled, but none of these signs were apparent on Hay. Casey had landed a legitimate blow that had snapped Hay’s wind. Friendship ceases for the time being when two boxers, who are also friends, meet in the ring. At least this should be so. Two boys at the military boxing finals at the Drill Hall on Saturday night apparently did not realise the fact. By the way they conducted themselves during the bout it was evident to the spectators—and the referee —that they would not see a blood tingling encounter. Hardly a blow was given in the first round, and the referee told the boxers to make a better The reprimand had no effect and the next round was the same. Again the referee spoke and warned the pair that if they did not fight he would put them ! out. The last round was different, the pair doing much more boxing. It is always a pleasure to see two good friends, but friendship has its place, and even if the two boxers concerned were not friends, no other construction could be put on their bahaviour on Saturday night. When in the ring boxers are not only there to earn the decision but also to entertain the spectators. The place for a friendly bout is the gymnasium.