GLOVED GLADIATORS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 71, 26 April 1930, Page 12

GLOVED GLADIATORS

NAPIER' S NEXT CONTEST. CURRENT BOXING TOPICS (Notes by "Uppercut.")

On Wednesday night next, all steps should lead to tlie Napier Municipal Tlieatre, where the Napier Boxiug Association stages its lirst bout for the present season, and champion featherweight Johnnie Leckie will endeavour to prove that he has not slipped as some critics would have us believe, and that all he required was a nice easy rest to allow liim to build up to top form. * * * ERRONEOUS STATEMENT Probably on account of the fact that it hag been freely broadcast that this is a "come-back" effort on the part of Leckie, and also that it is a trial run to get him into foim to defend his title against the great Tommy Donovan next xnonth, a wrong impression has been created in the minds of fans and consequently their interest in the bout has been somewhat reduced. * » NOT A COME-BACK. Such statements should not liave heen sent abroad, for actually they are not the true position. Leckie is not doing a "come-back" stunt, for he has never been really out of the game. True he has been spelling, and after his spell he is ready again for business. The trial run suggests tliat this )s going to- be just a canter bout for the champion, but anyone wlio has that notion stowed away is in for a rude shock, for Leslie is going to be a liard nut for Leckie to erack. Even Uonovan himself could only defeat him on points and at the end, Donovan knew he bad been figbting. Leslie mav not be a Sarron or a Donovan, but be likes to mix-it and he won't be afraid to mix it with Leckie. The winter, at any rate, predicts a real, stirring battle. Leckie should win, but he won't need to loaf on tlie journey. * * * DONOVAN AND GRIME. If everything went to schedule, Billv Grime and Tommy Donovan were to meet at Hawera on Tliursday of this week. Writing before the contest, "Uppercut" expected Donovan to find Grime somewhat awkward, but Donovan's aggressiveness would probably gain him the victory. A knock-out win for the "Waitara man was not beyond. probability, -but the bout, on paper, looked ,like going the distance. THE TH1RD ENCOUNTER. Next Saturday Tommy Donovan and Tete Sarron are cjue for their third encounter. The results of the first two are well known, but it says much for the two boxers that in a third encounter, interest can be just as liigh as it was for the previous bouts. There is no doubt that Donovan sprung a surprise when be accounted for the Americarf at Wellington, but the writer is still unconvinced that Donovan is Sarron' s master. In the Wellington bout Sarron's hand caused him a lot of trouble, and on this mit, the result in Dunedin will also depend to a great extent. If Sarron's hand cannot be used at its best,

then it looks like a repetition of the Wellington encounter, but if the hand has mended sufficiently to allow him to use it as he would like, then the writer prdicts a win for Sarron, and what is more, a win by the short-cut route. After all, Donovan is not a better fighter than Sarron ; he cloes not puneh any liarder; he has not the same speed uor the same experience, and much as another win for Donovan would be welcomed, on the face of it it looks as if Sarron should bent him. If he does, will there be a fourth clash? * * * HAINES WINS AGAIN. At Sydney, on Saturday night, the Australian middleweight champion added still another win to his list, when he beat the Italian, Lombard, on a T.K.O. in the tenth. , Listening to the radio description of ihe contest, it seemed as if the Italian ■fought back gamely in the first round, but, spent the other nine running away trom Haines. In the end Lombard simply would nol fight back, being content to hold on to Haines- at the most available part of the body, and there was a good cheer when the referee intervened and stopped the contest. Haines must be the goods. * * . # PURSE STILL HELD. The Hawke's Bay Boxing Association is still lioldlng up Morgan's purse for his recent bout with Bloom, and ib has not yet heen decided what should be done with it. Legal advice 011 the matter has been taken by both the 'Hawke's Bay Association and Morgan, and now there is talk of Morgan taking tlie whole tbing to court. Gommenting on the withholding of the purse, a Wellington critic says: "Morgan has certainlv received several raw deals on the East Coast, and knowing bim to be a clean fighter with the best instincts of the game at heart. I have come to the conclusion that the refereeing is sadly at fault." The Wellington critic may know Morgan as he says, but he "did 'not see Morgan in action in Hastings. * * * THE HEAVY CROWN. On Mondav Jim Broadfoot and Alan C-ampbell will meet at Ghristcburch. to docide who will be the Dominion's heavy champion.