Amateur Boxing Break Opposed

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 441, 24 August 1928, Page 11

Amateur Boxing Break Opposed

PRESENT CONTROL EFFICIENT ASSOCIATION’S OPINION Opposition to the movement to establish amateur boxing under separate control is to be made by the New Zealand Boxing Association. At the present time the association has the distinction of looking after professional and amateur interests. At its annual conference yesterday afternoon the association decided to urge the New Zealand Boxing Council to fight the attempt to combat the present control. A resolution deprecating the movement to set up a separate association was passed, and the meeting affirmed the principle that boxing, both professional and amateur, should be controlled by citizens’ associations for the betterment of.the sport, and not pecuniary gain. The conference thought that the existing unified control was in the best interests of both branches of boxing, and the public. * MORE AMATEUR BOUTS At yesterday afternoon’s conference, Mr. E. A. Craig (Auckland), chairman, quoted figures telling of the increased number* of amateur bouts. These had nearly doubled since 1925, and the sport was being fostered. On the other hand, there had been fewer professional bouts. ( • If Parliament granted the petition by the so-called amateur union, the association decided that chaos would ensue, and the result would be the encouragement of cash, amateurism, and the introduction of the private promoter. A remit from the Northern Association, that associations should have the right to pay purses up to £2OO without the permission of the Boxing Council, was defeated. “QUALITY FIGHTS WANTED” “To get star bouts, you have to pay for them,” said Mr. W. Dervan (Auckland), “and, to get the crowd, quality fights are wanted.” He said that the McDonald-Mclnnes fight had given a much-needed filip to the sport. Opposition on the grounds that the larger associations could offer more and so could secure the services of the boxers against the offers of the smaller associations, came from Messrs. A. Beban (Greymoutli), T. W. Hercock (Napier), and J. Garcia (Taranaki). Mr. Craig pointed out that £l5O was the limit purse without the permission of the council. The conference decided that the president of the association is to be an ex-officio member of the Boxing Council. NEXT AMATEUR CONTESTS Three applications came for the holding of the next amateur championships of New Zealand, and it was decided to give the Greymoutli Association the event in 1929. “Boxing is a clean sport, and there is no need for amateurs to hide behind assumed names; the game should be kept clean,” said Mr. J. Ivilmartin (Otago), in upholding a remit from his association asking that assumed names should not be permitted, in amateur boxing. The remit was carried. One delegate told o.f an amateur who went right through to the Dominion championships under an assumed name, without his people knowing he was boxing. The conference decided to start an insurance fund and contributions came immediately from three of the large associations. Wellington anounced