CAMPMATES CONFIDENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 414, 24 July 1928, Page 1

CAMPMATES CONFIDENT

HEENEY VERY POPULAR VISITS FROM FIGHTERS (Special to THE SUN) GISBORNE, To-day. “Everyone connected with Tom s camp says he will win; but the majority of the newspapers still say that Tunney will retain the title,” says Jack Heeney. in an interesting letter to A. F. Sise, of Medford, Massachusetts, the radio amateur. “They give Tunney a three-to-one chance; but I have not seen that reflected in the betting, for I know no one who has been able to get two-to-one, though plenty are ready to take it.” In view of the appreciative acknowledgment of a previous communication, the letter was forwarded on Sunday for transmission by wireless to Mr. Ivan O’Meara. REDUCING WEIGHT “Tom started training with a great deal of superfluous fat, weighing about 2201 bin ring gear,” writes Jack. “As a result of hard, steady training, however, he has got down to 2031 b, and expects to make 2001 b for the great night. “The weather has been far too hot for training in the afternoons, so lie has regulated his inside work to start at 8.30 p.m. Tom found that in the afternoon work he was losing as much as 81b, only to put it on again. Yesterday he sparred six rounds with eacn of three specially-selected partners, one being a good mixer, another a straightout boxer, and the third a firstclass mixture of both. The last-men-tioned fought Battling Levinsky last week, and he was victorious against that hard-head.

“Tom’s work was watched by a large crowd. Among many fight-fans present were Mickey Walker, middleweight champion of the world, and Jack De Mare, a leading heavy-weight. The latter only arrived yesterday afternoon, and made a great fuss of Tom, the two having been firm friends since Tom beat him about 12 months ago in one. of his first fights in Amer- “ Tom is very popular with everyone, and creates a good impression wherever he goes. He is almost idolised by kiddies, and goes out of his way to give them a good hearing. “GOOD OLD GISBORNE”

“He is very keen on taking a trip home. Often he says how good it would be to see old Gisborne, and the old folk again, but it is a case of making money while the sun shines. We have not really discussed future plans yet, as I don’t think Tom can really consider the question until after the fight. “In the meantime, we are all having really a wonderful time here, and making a number of good friends. “With only four days to go before the fates decide whether Tom will reach the height of his life’s ambition, everyone in the camp getting intensely excited—everyone, that is, except Tom, who is not affected by anything. “He k'eeps on training in a goodnatured way, never worrying about anything, and apparently, suite confi-