THE BOXING RING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 456, 11 September 1928, Page 13

THE BOXING RING

Notes From Far and Near

-By“LEFT COUNTER”;

A decision regarding the offer of Stadiums, Ltd., has not yet been reached by Johnny Leckie but negotiations- are still being carried on. * * * Jack Carroll and his manager, Sammy Chapman, have returned to Sydney. While in New Zealand Carroll had three contests, losing to Casey, defeating Purdy and beating Casey in a return contest. • * * Competent Referee Wanted Wrestling still holds sway across the Tasman and boxing is still occupying a back seat. In the opinion of Dave Smith, a former champion, the loss of popularity is due to incompetent refereeing and he considered that a competent referee would do much to bring the game back to favour. He has suggested that a meeting of boxing writers, trainers, authorities on boxing and old-time boxers, should be convened to form a committee to compile a set of rules to govern ihe game in Australia. * * * Exhibition Bouts Matt Hatton has recommenced teaching boxing at the Y.M.C.A. and on the opening night last Wednesday a number of exhibition bouts were given. Tommy Mclnnes, who is to fight Ted Monson on September 24, sparred with A. Hogg, who put up a good showing though he should cultivate his defence a little more. Other bouts were given by Johns and Fraei, Empson and bailey, McCarthney and Mullins, jSwift and Mull, Hoffey and Bardsley, Robertson and Simpson, F. Lindesay and K. Lindesay, and Munro and Simpson. An exhibition of muscle control and skipping was given by Taft Davies, the well-known physical culture expert. • * * Australian Amateur Control Morgan, the New Zealand amateur the welter championship at the Olympic Games. Thi« speaks highly °* the methods in New Zealand in developing their amateurs, who are allowed to box the preliminary constates a writer in the Sydney Referee.” And yet, according to ♦u 6 kjghest authorities jn the world, , e New Zealandei*s do not, evidently "jse their amateur status in doing so. Here, a boxer who appeared on a professional programme would be defmred a professional. When will the body controlling amateur boxing in Jbls country wake up and follow the lead of the various associations across tne Tasman Sea * * * Leckie Meets Defeat fK ]p le most outstanding performer in tne professional ranks since Purdy \vk met k* s professional set-back. *hen ho first met Tommy Barber, ohnny Leckie continued his unbeaten by knocking out the Australian b the third round, but in the second fleeting last Wednesday Barber took be decision on points, thus stopping i-'Cckie’s unbeaten record. Tho decision v as very unpopular with the crowd but sports state that the verdict was corfbt. it is now an open question jvhether Leckie has been working too bard or not. He certainly has not wasted any time between bouts, is service being in demand throughbut New Zealand. However, his first reverse will do him no harm and he jfi be as eagerly sought after as beer® if he keeps on fighting in the way ulch has characterised him since his 21g* contest in the professional ranks. ■ LAWN TENNIS

Last Wednesday evening at the Y.M.C.A., G. Leslie, Auckland featherweight champion, was presented with a leather wallet by Mr. Frank Burns on behalf of Leslie’s friends. * * * Owing to indisposition W* G. Leckie, elder brother of Johnny, was not seen in action at the New Zealand championships last month. He was considered to have more than an even chance of taking back the featherweight title to Dunedin. He is stated to pack the hardest right-hand punch of any boxer in tho Southern city. * * * New Zealand Titles Reviewed. Fighters in the lighter classes in New Zealand at present are very few and an effort should be made by some of the associations to match the available boxers for the vacant championships. At present the titles are held as follows: Fly-weight, vacant; bantam, vacant; feather, Johnny Leckie; light, vacant; welter, Artie Hay; middle, Harry Casey; lightheavy, Eddie Parker; heavy, Eddie Parker. The bantam-weight title could soon find a holder. Frank Taylor, of Auckland, Tommy Griffiths, of Dunedin, and Herbert Larsen, of Wellington, are all bantams. Taylor has beaten Larsen so he should be matched with Griffiths, although it is probable

that as the pair have met three times already the associations are not anxious to match them. Honours between the two are even, each having a win, and the other decision being a draw, so one can hardly be awarded the title over the other. Taylor can also make tho fly-weight limit of eight stone but it is doubtful if an opponent •j ♦- that weight could be found. Hay still holds the welter-weight title but he has not defended it for a long time, and, as has been pointed out in these columns before, it is extremely doubtful if he could make the weight if called upon to do so. He has been fighting at weights over the 11-stone mark and he would find it difficult to make 10 stone 7 lb. Purdy will probably be after the light-weight title which he lost by staying away from the Dominion over the specified time allowed. No opponent at 9st 91b appears to be available at present so Purdy’s chances, of regaining the title rest in making a claim to the New Zealand Association, which would probably allow It.