THE BOXING RING Notes From Far and Near

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 331, 17 April 1928, Page 14

THE BOXING RING Notes From Far and Near

By"LEFT COUNTER”=

Cotterell, the Wellington featherweight, who has decided to join the ranks of the professionals, has had 30 contests, of which he has won 27. * ♦ * Lachie McDonald, the New Zealand middle-weight, was scheduled to meetTed Monson for the Australian middle-weight title at the Leichhardt Stadium last Friday night, but so far word has not been received of the outcome of the bout or of a postponement. Teddy Green, the Australian boxer who recently fought Johnny Leckie, is leaving for Sydney. He is reported to be suffering from blood pressure, and if his condition does not improve he will give the game best. His brothers Jackie and Theo are also leaving. After he had gone down to Billy Melton in two rounds Jackie Green stated that he had finished with the boxing game. After a long absence from the ring Green attempted a come-back, but it was not successful. » * * Better Than Griffo A cable has been sent to Mr. R. Lean, manager of Stadiums, Ltd., who is at present in America, by Mr. John Wren, stating that he is prepared to back Billy McAllister, the 21-year-old bantam-weight champion of Australia, against the word’s champlion, conditionally upon the bout taking place in Australia. The cable reads: “Consider McAllister the greatest boxer ever produced in Australia, not excluding Griffo. Am prepared to back him against the world’s champion for a bantam-weight contest, to be held in Australia.” McAllister fought as. fly-weight champion of Australia, at the age of 17, in the curtain-raiser to the first world’s championship wrestling bout staged in Melbourne. Critics proclaim McAllister as the most brilliant boxer Melbourne has produced for many years. His balance, timing, and ringcraft are that of a polished and stylish boxer. • * • Boxers for Australia According to a cable from Mr. Lean he has secured the services of Joe Woods, light-heavy-weight national champion, who has 22 knock-outs to his credit as an amateur and 18 successive knock-outs as a professional. Woods was due to leave America last Saturday as a special opponent for “Tiger” Payne. He should be a worthy opponent for Payne if his record is anything to go on, and should also rival the negro’s punching power. Payne is the hardest hitter seen in Australia for many a long day. Mr. Lean has also engaged six wrestlers and 10 boxers, and is reported to be negotiating with “Young” Stribling, the one-time wonder boy. it is understood that Lean will not engage any coloured fighters. • * * Three Champions Dunedin fight followers received full value for their money on Saturday night when Tommy Griffiths defeated Norman Gillespie, feather- yeight-

Cleverley to Go

champion of Australia over 15 rounds. The Australian was too slow, and the Dunedin boy made him miss badly throughout the contest. On April 28 Johnny Leckie, tHe New Zealand champion, will oppose Gillespie, and there should be a fight worth going a long way to see. Johnny Leckie has yet to suffer defeat as a professional, and only two men have succeeded in going the journey with him—Tommy

Griffiths and Billy Melton. As Leckie PriL. f ;! eC^ a n ed 9 rlmths a "d Griffiths has edgred Gillespie, the odds are that ,T lU " in ' This does oot al*°llow 111 the boxing game; more often than not bouts do not work out as they do on paper. But Griffiths was too fast and elusive for Gillespie. Beckie is no sluggard. He is quite as fast and clever as Griffiths, and he punches harder by far. Gillespie will “ v ®- a ha J d task to set the edge over tne .tew Zealand champion, who. if he emerges from the encounter victorious, will be the recipient of offers from Australia, with lucrative matches at the end qf the offers. The result of the contest will be eagerly awaited throughout Mew Zealand

Olvmnl r 18 deter mined to go to the hllhi Games. The sum of £7O 5“ subscribed by the railway and k S S throughout the Dominion, ?" d ,v, Cle^ e , r i ey s fa *-her has raised a a™™, r £30 ’ makin s £IOO in all. The necessary for the trip is £4OO. ?W *L thiS ,f. um Is not forthcoming and Z' U work his "ay across Kurnev ''■!!' P ? y for his return rp ,. n .h. "11l Join the other repV Ve f, ln Lonion ' and until his relr of Jv! !* at csty will h< With the ilir nron® l . eam - U dees not seem a tair proposition that Cleverley must A

work while the other represent*: * are enjoying themselves on deck, n Cleverley is willing to work his m across. If spirit and keenness bin anything to do with it Cleverley sfcr-i come hack to New Zealand wHh a amateur light-heavy-weight cta> pionship of the world. If gtaerm sportsmen would come forward ra donations to enable Cleverley to v* his proper place with the team *J? would be doing a service to boxfep 2 this country. Whichever way C!r» ley makes the trip across, the wishes of the New Zealand boinf public will go witlt him and Mor-v. the light-weight representative C-w luck, Cleverley and Morgan! Auckland’s Next Fight Mr. J. Watts, secretary of the Son ern Boxing Association, is ing to arrange a match between Jofctf Leckie, feather-weight champion New Zealand, and Billy Melton * Australian, the fight to take Auckland on May 7. This bout i* materialises, should give Auckland thusiasts something worth Leckie needs no chronicling and - • ton’s performances show that he if - mean fighter*. He recently went full distance with Leckie, lo®*, points, and he knocked out Green, a fellow countryman, 1® rounds. • • • A Coming Feather-weight Mr. J.’ McKnight, of H**; writes: I have picked up one best feather-weights in- the nwF , I have seen since the palmy Griffo and Billy Murphy. He■ 18 years old, and a good, boy. I gave him a try-out of the boys at the fire station- ~ acquitted himself so well that . taken him in hand altogether shall be very much F u fPs l ®*l does not turn out a real ] I am not pulling the long bo -J\ say that he can punch as hara « in his best days. My son lstarted strict training. nately, he had to give up n • ment with Loveredge v i tracting a bad cold. He in the pink when he el * ter * :? and then we shall know * * American trip has improv * experience he gained mus beneficial to him. tc he<! will have to fight, and if * a good opponent the fight g, worth seeing. My younge rie McKnight, is keeping in *oc» % I hope some of the assoc rVkep him busy in the f this winter. I am P lea tune**- " that I am getting ov *“. span . a* although past the alottea Jeft _ still plenty of vim and vise sincerely hope good ola KP o<l < will bring home the bacon Xew Zealand. ,

Writing from Londo ? ' j her** 11 Mrs. George Cook *-P rei S*? £, see i follows: "It was amusing husb *' an Australian paper lha Ho* was all through' as a Ago , judf ever, time will tell, and l for snot*' Cook will be at his best i fishti n five years. Whenever a P•«*?; England, there is al»a>s house, because support the know they will alw a - go in? money s worth. "« “f? 8 America in a few mont -- 0 • •

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