BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 287, 26 April 1913, Page 7

BOXING.

NEW PLYMOUTH BOXING ASSOUA--1 TION. The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Boxing Association was held in the Pantechnicon last night. Mr. L. B. Webster presided over a very fair attendance. The balance-sheet showed that receipts had amounted to £45 Is, of which £42 I lis represented takings at the tourna- : ment. Expenses amounted to £46 os lOd, the tournament accounting for most of it, medals alone accounting for £2O Bs. The balance at October 31, 1911, was £8 lis 4d, which had now been reduced to £7 6s <3d. Championships were held, and good fights were fought. As they thought it was as well to give the competitors good trophies, so as to encourage them, the medals for the tournament cost £2O Bs. After Olliver's good showing it was decided to send him to the championship meeting at Wellington. The expenses were £3, and all but lis 9d of this was subscribed by members outside. Letters had been published talking about the stagnation in boxing, but he pointed out that what was required was workers. In the past about five men had had to do all the work. A suggestion had been made that a professional bout should be put on, but he advised them to go warily. They would have to consider the financial aspect. He was not against a professional bout, although he was of opinion that in amateur bouts, if the skill was not so great, one could be certain that they were well fought right out, whicli was not always the case in professional events, as they often heard a day or two later. Mr. Williams, in seconding the adoption, expressed pleasure at the satisfactory balance-sheet. He believed that with the enthusiasm Bhown by members they would have a successful year. He i was a believer in a professional bout being put on, but of course recognised that they must consider the financial aspect. Officers were elected as follows:—President, Mr. L. B. Webster; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. C. 11. Weston, W. J. Williams and Geo. Grey; committee, Messrs. Geo. Griffiths, Geo. Tabor, Ben Tippins, A. J. Langhnm, R. Walshe; secretary and treasurer, Mr. E. W. Griffiths; auditor, Mr. K. Webster; lion, medical officers, Drs. Home, Wylie, Leatham, Walker, McCleland, Suttee and Blackley. The subscription was fixed at ss. A recommendation was passed suggesting that the incoming committee should utilise the .money in hand towards purchasing the ring furnishing and mat. A suggestion that the charges at the next tournament to the body of the hall should be 2s and 'ls, was not adopted, members being of opinion that the charges were low enough. A vote of thanks was accorded the auditor, to Mr. Langham for the use of his room, and to the press. At a subsequent meeting Mr. Ben. Tippins was appointed chajrman of committee. .

BOMBARDIER WELLS GOES DOWN. (By W. W". Naughton, in Sydney Referee) San Francisco, March Hi. Poor Bombardier Wells! A few days ago they were, wondering in New York whet Tier he would be able to bring Luther MeCarty to turns for a world's championship bout. Now he is a full-fledged member of the Down and Out Club. And it's all because he ran foul of Gunboat Smith, who is sometimes described as the weakesthearted and the hardest-fisted of the American hopes. An old saying has it that a match well made is a match half won. On the same plea a. lighter well matched is a champion half made. Hut the Bombardier was anything but well matched when he agreed to hook-up with the American navy man. It came about this way. Wells, who was always well (bought of around New York, even if he went under to Al l'alzer, came back to this country recently, expecting to be matched with Luther AlcCVrty. The Briton bad his mind set on a ten-round go in New York, feeling, apparently, that it was his duty to favor the Ootha'ni promoters, as they had been so kind to him in the past. , The terms offered did not suit McCarty, and he refused to sign. Thereupon Wells delivered himself of a few I pertinent remarks, hi the course of which he endeavored to impress upon the sportloving public that he meant business, and that McCarty was afraid to face the issue. Ho said ho would follow .McCarty to the confines of the. vaudeville belt'and twit him nightly with his reluctance to box. "Whv not try ■someone else while McCartv is thinkiiisr it over?" suggested ye matchmakers of big, busy Gotham; ,whereupon 'the bombardier remarked: "Capital idea—trot out your best." You see. with McCarthy doing stage stunts, Jess Willard barred from New York, and Al Palzer abroad, it looked as though the best they could offer Wells was a contest of the pot-boiler variety with some no-account heavy. Gunboat Smith was picked upon as the best of a bad lot. Ho. was in San Francisco early in February preparina for a bout with newly-retumcd Jack Lester, but the moment the Bombardier Wells matter was broached to him he threw Lester over and took the first East-bound flyer.

To those who were—and are—ac- J quainted with Gunboat Smith's peculiarities, it did not look like a wise investment for Bombardier Wells. It was argued that a victory over Smith would, not enhance Wells' reputation a, jot, whereas a reverse at the American's 'hands would mean disaster. Of course the same kind of reasoning could be applied to any match where a widely advertised fighter and a scrub were engaged, but in this particular instance it was figured that there was more than the ordinary degree of risk. For Smith' is a Puncher from Punch's corner, whatever else he may be—a fellow with a reputation similar to that which one Jim Fogarty bore in the old White Horse days. ; Gunboat and Bombardier met at Madison Square Garden, New York, on the evening of March 14, and Wells went under in the second round. In the first! round it was all Wells'. The Englishman is undoubtedly a superb boxer, and he cuffed Gunboat as a playful kitten cuffs a ball of worsted.

TJie Wells' left was seldom out of the Smith .face, and every now and again the Wells right came hurtling across to the Smith chin. Smith tried his "haymaker" a time or two, but found nothing but air. Come to think of it, that is not entirely right. Smith unbalanced once while unwinding his favorite assault and found the floor. He was up again in a jiffy, and was a mark for the bombardier's- prods and pokes until the bell called a halt. Smith has a guide, philosopher and friend in the person of Jim Buckley, a chunky Xew York Irishman. It was Buckley who first saw possibilities in Smith, and who has nursed him along for a year or more. Buckley was in Smith's corner, in the Wells match, and he gained possession of Gunboat's ear in the resting spell. "He can't hurt you, and you've just got to go at him," said Buckley. "If you allow him to stand away and spar he'll peck his way into the good graces of the crowd, but if you rush him and cut loose with your favorite wallops he'll last no longer than a snow ball in Yuma." "Go to it!" yelled Buckley, as a parting admonition when the advance sounded again, and Smith went. Meanwhile, Wells was squnter from his corner with a smirk of a fellow who was thoroughly master of "the situation. He had had things so much his own way in the opening round that he acted as though he thought it was all over, bar'the shouting. Reading between the lines of the ringside reports it seems to me that Wells was over-conlident.

It may have boon, of cotir.se, that the result would have been the same if the Briton had been ever so much on guard, but in any ease, Smith did not give him a chance to "get set," as the railbirds of pugilism say. Smith rushed and planted a cruel right on Wells' ribs. Ah the bombardier cringed, Smith reached the jaw, and down went Wells. He was up again, but very wobbly. The end was in sight. So far Smith bad not found fair lodgment for his best punch, but after the second knock-down he caught the Briton with a full-range right, and it was ten minutes before Wells «mc to sufficiently to leave the ring. Even then he hud to be assisted t'o his dressing-room. That, I guess, is the finish of Wells' American career. He may—an- probably will—figure in other bouts around New York, but there is small chance of him being regarded as a championship possibility again. As for Smith, we must wait and see. He is a big man in the. eyes of fight followers right now, and his manager, Jim Buckley, is demanding a match with Luther McCarty. There will be a threehanded talk feast, no doubt, with McCarty, Smith and Jess Willard as the principals, and I expect to hear of a heavy-weight championship contest being arranged for the Fourth of Julv.

ih_._- TOMMY BURNS. "' ; " T ».fc ■' " That Tommy Burns is by no means rated as a spent force in American pugilism the following telegram sent him by 'Jack Curley, the biff Chicago promoter,' and published in different quarters of the United States, proves:— "Sorry that you are matched with Pelkey. Tough proposition. Fought Jess Williard draw. Have 13111 McCarney all lined up for Luck MeCarty to meet "you. Think I can swing match. Let me have best terms and make it first week in April. I think this should be your first matcli. Wire me, Hotel Sheridan, Chicago, as soon as possible. (Signed) J. Curley." Tommy wired in reply: "Will take on Luthbr MeCarty on May 24 if successful with Pel key." As Australia was informed a little over a week ago (says the Sun) Burns out-pointed Pel key handily, knocking him down four times in the six rounds contested. At latest (March lo) Tommy Burns was working hard for his matcli with Pelkey, who had arrived in Calgary, and created a great impression. Pelkey is described as over Oft high, "with a'fine breadth and depth of chest." He talked a good deal of his succes against Willard, and desired to meet MeCarty, whom, he said, would surelv go under in anothr match with Willard.