GLOVED GLADIATORS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 78, 4 May 1929, Page 12

GLOVED GLADIATORS

DONOVAN AGAIN JO-NIGHT. ARTIE HAY NEXT WEEK i : CNotes by ,,UppercuE,-,)

To-night Tommy Donovan, the fighting Waitara fireman, steps into the ring again. This time his scrap is at New Plymouth and his opponent is G. Leslie, of Auckland. The Auckland boxer's real name is Leslie Urquliart, but it was under the name of "G. Leslie" that lie won the final of the amateur featherweight championship at Auckland last year. Presumably he is retaining the same name for his ring activities. * * * i howl over verd1ct. I It will he remembered that when the ! verdict went to Leslie in that amaj tenr hout, a big howl went- up, and j ever since, Ihe point lias been one for ! froquent arguments. To-night the aigunient should be scttled. his first outing. Tliis, of course, is Leslie's first professional encounter and he must real-i.-e that he is up against it. Not yet has he tried liimself out over a loround journey, but neithcr has Donovan for that matter. He hasn't had any need to ! should win again. Since that amateur hout, Donovan has gained a lot of experience, and he has won all his battles by the shortcut route. To-night he is up against

a rast and rairly eJever ooxer, wno is well trained and who can stand a lot of pnnishment. Leslie will undoubtedly try Dono- \ an out, but when the numbers go up it will probably be found that Donovan's list will contain another k.o. win, for his terrific speed, his forcefnl tactics and his hard puuching will surely wear the Aucklander down before the end. * % % artie hay. Next Saturday liight the eyes of Rawke's Bay fans will tuni to Dunedin, for our own champion, Artie Day, steps out to dofend his welter crown against Jack Paul. Paul, of course, is tlio New Zealand scrapper who did so well in Australia and then came back and aecounted for Reg Trowern. He should be in great nick, tlianks to plcnty of contests and that he can puuch, and punch hard, thero is no doubt. Therefore it looks as if Hay might bo up against it. for it has been a long time between figlits with him. At the same time, Hay aiways keeps fairly fit and doos not require much preparation. In science and speed he will probably have tlie edge on Paul and his long reach and his str.aight left will prove dangerous. Taking things on the whole there is goid reason for expecting Hay to retain his title with a points win. Artie's welter title will be at stake. * * * a questioned verdict. It was stated in last week's Referee that if Teddy Green heat the AYelshman, Tancy Morgan, an effort would be made to get the workl's flyweiglit champion to Australia to mect Green. According to reports, Green got the decision over Morgan, but didn't deserve it. One critie says that Morgan gave the Austrnlian an artistic lacing and a real boxing lesson. If fhis is so, Teddy has either slipped on his New Zealand forra or else Morgan is one riglit out of Ihe box. * * * v/anted his forfeit. "VYheri AYillie Sirtith and Jack Roberts met in Sydney, tlie house j ftas worth ahont £/00, leaving lialf Lo he cut up between the two hoxers, of £175 each. Iloherts, however, was under a forfeit of £100 to make 9.3 lingside weiglit. He actually scalod eight ounces over and Smitli grabbod ihe £100. Ile was nrgod to forego it, but "business is business," said the Springbok and he collected. Therefore Ilohertg got and Smith £275. * x * made his name. At the same time, although Iloherts ,iici not come off too well fmancially, l,o really didn't lose _ much, for he made liis name and his next appearance will rnean a packod honse. Whom his next oppunent will he is hard i o say, but Cbarlio Purdy is freely -pokcn of. Thero is no doubt that Purdy would npplv to real acid test to the Aussie, tor the New Zealander can take punisliment and his speed and science makes him as slippery as a cake of

sonp in the batli. If these two do •dash, tho writer is one wlio will bank >n Purdy. * * * nothinc doing. Tommy GrifRtlisj and "Cocoa" Jackson wero- scheduled to meet in MclIjourne last week, but so far no word of the scrap has come through. Leckie >s also on tlie idle list for a tiue and now it will be as difncult over there as it was here for him to find wortby ••pponents. Perhaps he will be matched again with Claude Wilson, or else they will be after him to meet Iloherts. v Unless Leckie can get the latter down to a reasonable weiglit limit, he will not be wise to tackle the "oneround king." S: * * wrestling on top. The fact that La Barba afid Grirne met in Melbourne does not seem to liave started any boxing boom in that citv and it looks as if wrestling will still be on top with the Melbourne fans. At any rate, the Melbourne Rtadium manager wlio is now on a world tour. . lias contracted with Jolin Pesok, of i Nebraska, for a senson's wrestling in j Australia at a fee of £10.000. _ • Pesek has lodged £2000 as a side

stake for a match with any man in tho world. * * * his second defeat. A short time back the American welter, Jack Sparr, suffered defeat at tlie hands of Jack Carroll. He was not satisfied that he had given his best and sued for a return. He got it, but Sparr won't be looking for any more, for this time Carroll gave tlie Yankee a terrific hiding. Sparr, by the way, is now 31 years of age, so is not young as far as hoxers goa • • com1ng to n.z. There is every prospect of Freddie Welsh and his mate, "Tancy" Morgan, tlie pair from England. now in Australia, visiting New Zealand shortly. Welsh, it will be' remembered, made a job of Tommy Barber, but was beaten hy "Cocoa" Jackson, the present featherweight champion of, Australia. * « • up a step. Jim Maloney's claim to the world's title went up a peg when he upset the Irish champion, Con 0'Kelly, in the thiyd round. At the same time, no f.ne has heard of O'Kelly as a prospective world beater, so perhaps the vic-" tory didn't amouut to much after all.