BOXING NOTES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 49, 31 May 1940, Page 55

BOXING NOTES

Underwood Fought Well + Looking For Fights + Stock, Woods and Greaney

HEN Ernie Underwood, the brilliant Auckland light-weight, outpointed Tommy Dunn, of Wellington, his victory was well deserved. Dunn is the amateur lightweight champion of the Dominion as well as the holder of the belt for the

most scientific boxer, He fought up to his usual standard. * * * Al Stock, erstwhile of Hamilton, went into camp during the present month. He is reported to be "fighting fit," so his claim to a bout with Jarvis or

Sharpe cannot be overlooked. Stock holds a decision over Vic Caltaux, * * % An Auckland welter of worth, who has not had a great deal of publicity, is Fred Woods. It will be remembered he held Don Johnston to a draw in his first and only fight as a professional. Woods bars none of the welters. * * * Two South Island boxers looking for contests are Cliff Hanham, middleweight, and Lex Greaney, featherweight champion. Hanham is somewhat

out of the running, as no suitable opponents are available, with the exception of George Allen, but for Greaney there are two Aucklanders in Les Wise and Fred Taylor. Both are willing, * * x "Who does not remember Merv. Williams, that vigorous Australian middleweight who fought in New Zealand during the 20’s? As boxer, and as wrestler, Merv. was first-class; and as boxing referee in Melbourne he later became prominent. When seen by George Aldridge during his trip to Australia, Merv. was well installed as a sporting journalist, and his criticisms carried considerable weight. * * * To be down seven times and then counted out on his eighth drop to the canvas, was the lot of Clarrie Rayner when he met Young Gildo at Auckland, Although he made spirited attacks and landed some straight lefts and a few rights to the head, Rayner appeared to be labouring under the inferiority complex from the very start, From the fifth

he was up and down regularly, It must be said that the Blenheim light-weight was no match for the Honolulu boxer. pane * *

What a surprise New Yorkers would receive when Lew Jenkins defeated Lou Ambers on a technical knock-out in the third round and won the light-weight championship of the world! In the February rankings Jenkins was rated eighth on the list, but in the ranking for December last he was not even mentioned in the first ten. He comes from Texas, and is 26 years of age. * * * The New Zealand bantam weight champion, Harold Foote, of Wellington, has decided to turn professional, His first bout will be with Jimmy Handley, the Australian feather-weight, in a tenround contest at Petone. Foote is a tailor by occupation. Handley has only had one contest in the Dominion so far, and in this he was beaten by Lex Greaney. * * News from Taranaki indicates that boxing is anything but flourishing. With the exception of Tommy Loveridge, who is now engaged in farming and is on the semi-retired list, there is no outstanding professional in the province that held Tommy Donovan. The Patea Associa-

tion, however, is continuing the good work of staging purely amateur contests.