THE BOXING RING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 314, 27 March 1928, Page 11

THE BOXING RING

Notes From Far and Near

By

"LEFT COUNTER"

Johnny Leckie meets Teddy Green, the Australian bantam-weight, at Napier to-morrow night. * * * Roy Storey, unbeaten light-weight, is receiving a helping hand from Sydney writers. He is described as a fine boxer with a very hard punch. Harry Gunn, the Southern featherweight, is training at Timaru in the hope of obtaining a fight in the near future. It is on the cards that Jack Elliott, the English light-heavy-weight. at present in Australia, will go to Brisbane to meet “Tiger” Payne, or the contest may take place in Sydnev. • * * Mike McTigue, former light-heavv-weight boxing champion of the world, took a bad lacing from Leo Lomski, in a 10-round bout in New York a few weeks ago. Harry Corbett, feather-weight, securing an early lead, defeated on points Johnny Cuthbert. feather-weight champion of Great Britain and holder of the Lonsdale Belt, at the National Sporting Club recently. Latest reports have it that Gypsy Daniels, the English light-heavy-weight may be brought to Australia to fight Payne. The Englishman is a good ringman with a solid punch, but he will have. a hard task if he meets the Terrible Tiger. * * * It was expected that George Cook would cable acceptance of terms submitted by Stadiums, Ltd., in regard to a contest with “Tiger” Payne, but no reply has been received. Before Cook and his wife left Australia, Mrs. Cook said she would not consent to her husband again fighting a coloured man. I have it on good authority that Charlie Purdy, the brilliant Auckland light-weight, will return to this city in June for a week’s holiday, after which he intends going to England to try his luck there. Purdy’s share of the purse after his fight with Jones nearly topped the £SOO mark. * * * The sporting world mourns the death of George (“Kid”) Lavigne. Born in the U.S.A., of Canadian parents. Lavigne was the first native American to become the world’s champion boxer in 1893. For many years lie ruled the light-weights, after Jack McAuliffe had vacated the title undefeated. Perhaps the greatest fight of Lavigne’s career was against the negro boxer Joe Walcott, the “Barbadoes Demon.” who was a welter-weight, and who had undertaken to stop Lavigne. Contrary to expectations, Lavigne carried the fight to the heavier man, and though the American had to take a severe punching in the early rounds, he stood toe to toe with Walcott, and a great slogging match was won by Lavigne, whose skill and pugnacity told its tale over the finishing rounds.

Reg, Trowern returned from Australia by the Marama this morning. The clever English light-weight, Norman Radford, who proved himsif a great little boxer when last in Australia, is again journeying to the Commonwealth. One of the New Zealand associations should endeavour to engage him for bouts in the Dominion after his Australia contract expired. Tunney wants Heeney and Heeney wants Tunney, but whether or not they will be opponents rests with Tex Rickard. Heeney may be put against another boxer whom he will have to defeat before he may meet the champion. Why this is so only Rickard knows. Heeney has accomplished all that has been asked of him and more. Few thought that he would defeat all the American heavy-weights to whom he was opposed, but this he has done. Tunney has signified that he wishes to meet the New Zealander, and now we will have to await statements from Rickard. Billy Melton, of Australia. only six days off the boat that brought him to New Zealand, could not stand the pace set by New Zealand featherweight champion Johnny Leckie. and he was a decided second at the end of 15 gruelling rounds, fought at Wellington. Leckie hurled punches at him from start to finish, and the Australian put up a very game showing, making a good fight of it. Leckie is making a reputation for himself that has spread to Australia, and more Australians are on their way to see about it. In the Dominion Leckie will draw a crowd wherever he appears. • * « After a good exhibition, Pearc ?y, the Auckland fiy-weight champion, was defeated by the runner-up, C. Verrall, at a boxing tournament at Otahuhu last evening. The first and third rounds were in favour of the champion, but Verrall won the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth and received the decision. This should create an interesting position, and be the makings of a good preliminary at the next carnival ot the Northern Boxing Association. In the final of the Auckland championships Pearcey was the winner and now that Verrall has reversed that decision the third meeting should produce some fireworks. On the same programme last evening Rickards, University bantam-weight champion, was opposed by Manson. This was a good fight, both boxers being on the move all the time and making good exchanges. The decision was a draw. In the last bout of the evening Moorhouse, Auckland University middle-weight champion, met Freer. Moorhouse received a nasty cut over the eye, which necessitated a few stitches, before the bout had been in progress a minute, so the fight was declared off.

Mike Flynn will probably be returning to New Zealand in the near future. While in Australia Flynn has had plenty of contests, and although he has not been a consistent winner be has put up some stirring fights. The middle-weight boxing championship of Europe has changed hands and Alec Ireland is the new holder. Tommy Milligan, the former holder, ha* not shown his old form since his defeat a' the hands of Micky Walker, and it ha* been stated in England that it is possible he will retire. • • • A cable from San Francisco stales that Jack Dempsey has denied the rumour that he is to meet Tunuev in September. Dempsey’s fighting days are over. "I am through with the ring,” he says. Many other champions have said the same thing, but before long they are anxious to be u;> and doing once more. Dempsey has madone come-back, but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that be will once again try his luck. If Heeney defeats Tunney. a fighter defeating a boxer—Dempsey, who acknowledged no peer as a fighter, will no doubt think that he can defeat Heeney. All tills is surmise, but with the statements which present-day fighter*, managers and promoters make, anything is possible. A statement can not now be taken as the gospel truth. In a hard-fought battle George Godfrey won a points decision over Paulino Uzcudun at Los Angeles recently before a record coast crowd of 40,001*. with the gate receipts exceeding £ 20,000. The burly negro won five rounds, and the Spaniard four, ono being even. Uzcuduns showing surprised the crowd. Both fighters directed their attack to the body, the Spaniard depending on punches in clinches, the negro on his powerful right- Uzcudun forced the battle in the opening rounds, and tho negro at the close. The decision generally nap popular, though mixed with groans for the referee, • • • Tom Heeney is the only New Zealand boxer who has won really "big monef.” but he has not got as high in champic nship rank as other New Zealanders. Billy Murphy, of Auckland, who is s:ill hale and hearty, won the feather-weight championship of the world in January. 1890, when, in San Francisco, he knocked out Ike Weir in 14 rounds. However, in September of that year. Murphy lost the title to Griffo. in 15 rounds in Sydney. Other New Zealanders, among them Dan Creedon and Dave Smith, have won national titles abroad, but have not been in the world s championship class. At that, we are allowing England the honour of claiming Bob Fitzsimmons, although he laid th* foundations of his boxing powers in Timaru.