Amateur Boxing Champion Adopts Professionalism

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 601, 1 March 1929, Page 7

Amateur Boxing Champion Adopts Professionalism

present New Zealand feather-weight champion, Leslie Urquhart, intends turning professional, and immediately following this announcement in THE SUN, efforts will be made to secure liim bouts so that he can make his bow as a paid fighter. Urquhart has hacl a long career as a boxer. Taught and trained by liis father, ivho is well-known in connection with the ring, he has been acquainted with boxing-gloves since he was seven years old. He crowned his career by winning the title of New Zealand amateur feather-weight champion at the New Zealand championships meeting in Auckland last year, under the name of G. Leslie. In the final he defeated Tommy Donovan, of Taranaki , the 1921 champion. In December of last year Donovan turned professional and to date he has had two contests, winning both by the knock-out route. Therefore Urquhart should do all right if he does not aim too high for a start. He will be well advised to tackle the lesser lights until he gains experience in the professional ranks. “He needs to cultivate a. straight left, as n.ost of his punches arc round, but he, lacks nothing in gameness. I would advise him to tackle Donovan for his first, professional fight," Archie Leckie told the writer. Urquhart is by no means a polished boxer, but he is a very willing fighter and if he chooses his opponents carefully for a start lie should do well.