BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1922, Page 11

BOXING.

A LOST ART. JIM CORBETT’S OPINION. “I hit the other fellow as often as possible, and never let hlun hit me if it was humanly possible to save myself. “There isn't a champion to-day who knows the real science of blocking punches. The basic law of boxing is ‘Protect yourself from being hit,’ and ‘hit the other fellow.' ” Gentleman Jim Corbett grows sad and still sadder every time he gazes upon the fistic folk of the present era. "Boxing has become a lost art," sighs the man who brought it Into being. “I’ve seen every ckaunpion and near champion of the last few years, and not one man of the vast group seems to know a thing about feinting nnd countering, which were among the most effective ring tricks in my days. "It’s usually the custom of veterans to insist that there never was anything like the good old days of their time. And I suppose, because of that some folks may be inclined to discount imy criticism of the boxers of 1922. But I know boxing when I see it—and I haven’t seen any real boxing since the old times faded from view. "Tlere’s nothing new in boxing—nothing. Not a distinctly new punch has been introduced in 30 years, or a new trick of defence. Other sports have improved—new features and new trickery have been added. But boxing not only has been at .t standstill, but has gone back, because the men of to-day have forgotten the best licks in the game, and its cleverest, most scientific features.

—Result: They All Tire Easily.— “The knack of relaxation during a fight, which every man of my day knew to perfection, is a thing of the past. The boys of now simply do not know how to relieve the strain on their -muscles while the battle is being fought. As a result, they all tire easily and slow-up as the rounds pass along. “There isn’t a champion to-day who knows the real science of blocking punches. They all catch them with their hands close to their heads. When that haouwia. ga- •

drives their hands nnd arms to their head, and momentarily their vision is obscured by their own hands or those of their opponent's. Then they can't hit back even if there Is an opening. “Countering won a multitude of fights in my time. If any man to-day learned the trick, he’d probably be able to whip any •man in his class sole\y by the use of It, for no one else seems to know it, and there- J fore everybody else would be a mark foe iU"