THE BOXING RING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 633, 9 April 1929, Page 13

THE BOXING RING

| Notes From Far and Near j

Bv “LEFT COUNTER”;

Jim Broadfoot Jjias a great deal „of admiration for hist old opponent Pocock. “Pocock ta&es more punishment without flinchtfng than any boxer I know,” he told tine writer. Advice has been received that Tommy Cribb, the Australian middleweight, is contemplating a trip to New Zealand. He should make a good opponent for Jfm Broadffc>ot. For four fights, in wlfcich he showed Australia how it should be done, Fidel La Barba received £3*ooo, and although the figure appeatrs large it is not so to a first flight American boxer, who sometimes makes metre in a single bout Challenge To Parker Jim Broadfoot issues a challenge to Eddie Parker, light-heavy-weight and heavy-weight champion of JfcTew Zealand for the former title. Bre*adfoot is of the opinion that, by virtue of his two wins over Parker, he shofcild hold the title. If the champion is not prepared to meet him for the chajmpionship he intends to apply to the* New Zealand Boxing Council to have the title awarded to him, as Parke** has not defended it for longer than most people care to remember. Theije is justice in Broadfoot’s claim, and the council should give the claim serious, as well as favoux*able, consideration-

“Trowern “won 12 rounds of the 15 when he lost to Paul at Christchurch,” said Jim Broadfoot, who saw the bout. In his opinion Trowern was an easy winner. Speaking of his contest with Pocock Broadfoot said that lie considered. he had won the bout at Westport, which was given a draw, as well as the one at Greymouth. Remarkable Record Twenty-two years of boxing is the record of Barney Williams, or, as he is better known, Battling Levinsky, and during that time he has met most of the high-class heavy-weights including Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpen tier. The old-timer has not been in the front rank for some time but he has been battling among the lesser lights, and showing many of the young ones the finer points of the game. However, he met Herman Weiner, a young and practically unknown heavy-weight, recently, and was knocked out in under two minutes. After the fight he said he was finished with the boxing game, which he had always loved and the interests of which he would always have at heart.*

New Zealand Titles The list of holders of the New Zealand professional titles will be in a poor position soon. The fly’-weight and bantam-weight titles are vacant and no attempt has been made to either award the titles or to match the two or three available boys for them. | Leckie. holder of the feather-weight •crown, is in Sydney, and is not likely ito be back before the time limit is up, Heaving another title vacant. Th* l^ght-weight must be vacant by this time as Charlie Purdy has been ovpf tine* other side for a long time. True lie has visited his own country, but he «did not defend his title, and was soon away back to Australia. Consequently it can be said that he has forfditod it. Hay, the welter-weight eham|pßon, has not been called on to deferrid liis title for some time, but that is not* his fault and he remains the legitimate champion. The middleweight which Casey holds, will soon be vacant unless its holder returns to* New Zealand. He has not done anything in Australia to merit the title..of New Zealand champion; neither he a champion in New Zealand, and a change would be welcome. ;The light-heavy-weight and heavy- titles are in the keeping of Eddie idarker, and he has them locked up int a safe. He has been beaten twic|? by Jim Broadfoot, but neither of the*.titles was at stake. Thus soon only tine welter, light-heavy’, and heavy-weight titles will have holders and Hay is ibte only real champion by name in the Xfcominion. It is time the controlling bendy in New Zealand woke* up and did something, or even tried to do something to keep the titles of New Zealand filled.As it is, nothing is heard of the highest honours the country can offer, exempt about once a year when a title is dtifended. The majority’ of followers, otf the game in New* Zealand do not kmww whether the titles have holders m* npd, and half of the associations r + ~i b*o in the same fix.

Another Knockout Victory A scribe in the South has nameii Tommy Donovan “Two-rounder Donovan.” but* it took more than two rounds* for the Taranaki whirlwind to stopl Frank Taylor, when they met at Waitara on Saturday. In fact it took six rounds, the most Dono\an has had to tight in his four professional bouts. lie won the first in three, and the next two in two rounds each. Taylor took on a hard proposition when he tackled Donovan, not because of Donovan’s ability, but by reason of his tearing methods, which make a big handicap when there is nearly a stone difference in weight. Donovan’s record looks impressive, but he has not yet met a feather-weight of any class. He is gain- j ing experience and making money, but j sugar-plums will not always come his j way. Speaking to the writer last even- j ing, Mr. Eugene Donovan, Taylor’s trainer, said that Taylor was beaten by roughing and mauling. He was not knocked out in the true sense of the word; he was worn down by Donovan’s tactics. Even had only boxing ability been employed, however, the trainer thought that Donovan would have won as he was too strong for the 101 b lighter Taylor. Mr. Donbvan said that his namesake was 100 per cent, better fighter than when he fought in the amateur championships in Auckland last year. He was a good two-handed in-fighter and would beat a lot of the boys in his own class if he were allowed to fight as he had been doing.