BOXING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3699, 7 December 1912, Page 10

BOXING.

(By “Wallop.”)

The Amateur Tourney.

It must have been gratifying to the local Association to see so much improved talent taking part in the recent tournament. Compared with the last contest controlled by the Association the displays given by the amateurs last week was infiinitely superior —taken all round— to those in the former competition. With but one or two exceptions the bouts were full of incident and interest. Mr O’Connor did not hesitate when making his decisions, and in my opinion his most difficult bout to adjudicate was the semi-final for the light-weight division when Frank O’Connell beat N. McRae. The decision, O’Connell wins, was, .however, the 1 correct one. McRae had a look in at the commencement of the last round, but his tactics in that session precluded any possibility of the verdict going his way. I was somewhat disappointed at McRae’s showing. .His bout with Frurc at the last tournament showed him to be the possessor of a good guard and a 'very effective straight loft. During his fight with O’Connell on Friday last the American, methods of fighting seemd to have pervaded his tactics, and more especially so in the final session. O’Connelf put up a clinking scrap and thoroughly deserved his win over Mcßae, and even more ■so over Fruro. To be called upon to go through two torrid contests in the one evening is a big thing, and his securing the * championship honors is all the more meritorious when it is remembered that his final opponent had had a bye in the semifinals. Though badly in need of more wind in the hollows towards the closing stages, O’Connell out-boxed Fruro to such an extent that the latter had no chance of winning except by the K-O. route. Then again when Fruro rusrod to close quarters O’Connell stood to him and slamming home rights and lefts heat the nuggety man to the punch. In being.awarded the medal for being the most scientific boxer O’Connell got no more than his due

* *

The final of the bantam division did not produce anything startling in the way of science. In the opening bout Dooling nnd-Horridcre put tip an interesting and willing go. Horridge, who

was giving away 8 pounds in weight, fought a plucky battle, but was a good way behind his opponent in the matter of points whon the final gong sounded. In the second bout Dennett put up a good showing against Davis, but the lad was not rugged enough to prove very effective against the older man. At long range he got in some good work, hut when matters wore mixed Davis had the better of the exchanges. When Davis and Dooling met in the final the latter was expected to give Davis a good run for the medal. Davis, however, hutted in to such purpose in the first round that lie was practically the only one in tho hunt, and it was a matter of much conjecture whether Dooling would see tho distance out. Davis possesses a weighty clout in either hand, hut- does not pay a great deal of attention to the scientific, side of the question. ' Lie will meet a stocky lad one of these days who possesses a solid straight left and is a bit shifty on his feet, then he (Davis) will wonder if he has struck—’nuf sed!

The opening of the feather division proved an interesting bout, but Adair, who seems to have gone hack since, his last appearance, was a good way behind on points when' the final gong went. Sutherland, though he outboxed Adair can hardly be said to have outfought him also. Sutherland has a good straight left, but it lacks the weight necessary to make it very effective. He poked it on to Adair’s nasal organ a sufficient number of times to have completely knocked - that ornamentation off his opponents face had it carried any steam. Sutherland was also smarter on his feet than Adair, who on several occasions missed very badly, though one or two weighty wallops found their mark. Sutherland repeated his good performance on the second night. Fryer, his opponent, took things too quietly for the first two rounds, while Sutherland piled up points, and when the, final session came the latter made the pace and kept it going so that Fryer had no chance of making up the leeway. Had Fryer gone after the goose from the opening his ability to hit. harder would certainly have told in his favor, and it is probable that a K-O. might have been registered to his credit, and even as it was Sutherland passed through one or two queer situations.

A. Richardson carried too many guns and too much weight for Frank O’Connell in the welter division. The latter did well hut a light-weight (or any other weight) unless he be of exceptional ability, cannot bo expected to come out on top when he goes out of his class to meet opponents. Besides, Richardson is no ordinary welter, as he proved when he, too, went out of his class and signally_ defeated Cate for the middle-weight championship. In that battle Richardson, hit, ducked and clinched to such purpose that Cate’s principal mode of offence was useless, and he was entirely at sea. With a man that will stand and slog Cate will always have a good chance of victory, hut when he meets a hefty opponent who brings into use the artifices of the ring, and who slips away from that dangerous right—-unless he slips over a lucky punch—Cate will never be in the hunt.

An element- of luck entered in the determination of the heavy-weight bout. In the first mix-up Cate handed over a wallop which carried so much steam that,' had it landed squarely on the jaw, it would have probably made a different ending to tho contest. As it was tho blow connected, hut in such a manner that it did not make contact with its full pressure. The bout was so short that it is impossible to make much comment. One thing it did, however, and that was to show that V. Lowe has a humming wallop, for Cate was out well over the allotted ten secs.

The Professional Difference. A large number of spectators did net take too kindly to Referee O’Connor’s decision when he disqualified Murphy for fouling Truscott. It was certainly disappointing to those who had attended the tournament in the hope of seeing something out of the ordinary rut iti the matter of scientific boxing, and even more so to those who prefer to see the red blood flow fast and free and the final decision come to by way of a knock-out after a strenuous period of heavy slugging. That Truscott was fouled there can be question, and all who were in a position to see are unanimous on the matter. A point has been raised, however, as to whether the punishment meted out to Murphy was too severe for the offence. In this connection it must Ire remembered -that we have rules governing th and it is only by a strict observance of these rules that boxing can be expected to flourish. What was real's’ the crux of the storm of abuse which greeted Referee O’Connor’s decision was that the spectators had struck something new in the matter of boxing referees, and that was a man who had sufficient back-bone to stop a fight in its earliest stages at the risk of becoming unpopular with the public. The ending was certainly unsatisfactory to the Association, which aims tp give its patrons full value for their cash and to those who had invested coin on the loser. But those arc secondary considerations compared with the principle involved It may not be generally known that the occasion of his disqualification was not the first time that Murphy had transgressed in the eyes of the referee and of others in close proximity to the ring. The breaches were no dofibt accidental—aud it should not be inferred otherwise—for the battle had not even commenced to become strenuous. The Association has certainly been unfortunate in regard to the two last professional bouts arranged by them, and it is to be sincerely hoped that better luck will attend their efforts in the future

Dave Smith Returning. Dave Smith is returning to Australia by-the RM.S. Ventura, which is fast approaching this side of the Pacific ; she is due in Sydney on December 8.

Australia’s clever light-heavy-weight comes hack under engagement to Mr Hugh D. Mclntosh.

Hughie SVJehagan Wins Again

- The following cablegram was received in Sydney last week : LONDON, Monday Night.

“Hughie Mehcgan, the Australian light-weight boxing champion.; who recently defeated Matt Wells, the then English champion, has placed another victory to his credit. “He beat Ward to-night in a contest which lasted the. full twenty rounds. “The crowd vented its displeasure in hoots and .hisses, and a. section afterwards mobbed the referee, Mr Hulls.”

Mr Hulls is a member of the London “Sporting Life” staff, and a very competent referee, who has had considerable experience. Thank goodnees our boxing crowds never go as far as the English mob did.

Notes. It is understood that Bill Rudd will go to Western Australia, provided that ho receives a guarantee of two fights. Have Smith should not remain idle long when ho lands back in Sunny Sydney. Already Les O’Donnell lias intimated that he is anxious to be the first man to be pitted against the exNew Zealander on his return-

Mr B. Aislabie has promised a cup to the Gisborne Boxing Association for competition among the amateurs, as the Association mav decide.

B. Lowe left for Auckland on holiday on Thursday last-

The “smoko” at the Royal Hotel the other evening, when the prizes won at the last tournament- were presented, was a most enjoyable one in every way. The speeches were happy and interesting, and calculated to impress on the “young idea” the importance of keeping the sport above reproach. Bert Lowe was enthusiastically toasted and he took the tributes paid to him with his usual modesty. He remarked, however, that he would always do his best for the Gisborne or any other association ho was fighting under. If the local association cared to put him on again lie would do his best to give them a good fight. It is wonderful how modest some boxers are when' they are asked to respond .to a toast. At- the function

under notice one promising amateur when called upon remarked, “Ibn no good at speeches and 1 would sooner do a round.” The chairman smilingly assured him that they had met for a convivial evening, and that he was not going to let him do a round of the room in preference to a speech. That would not suit a number of the guests who had assembled.

An American correspondent of a London paper wrote last month: “James J. Corbett, upon whom an operation for appendicitis was performed at the Jefferson Hospital on Tuesday night, October 1 is reported ‘improving.’ It’s hard to kill off these fighters, even when they’ve been out of the ring a long time'. Some of the people who are afraid of athletic work because they have heard of the ‘athletic heart’ and other things attributed to ‘oxer-exercise,’ would do well to look the records over and see what becomes of the old-time athletes and fighting men. As a rule they are fought as -whalebone, always ready to give the old gentleman with the scythe a hard run for it. Even college oarsmen, who go through one of the hardest strains in athletic work when they row a four-mile race, live longer, on an average, than the nnatldetic students of the same colleges. Carefullycollected statistics prove the truth of this statement. Mrs Corbett, who is with him constantly, declares he will recover. More than 5000 messages asking about- Corbett’s condition have been received from all marts of the world.” There is a good deal of truth about what is said of the vitality of the athlete—the athlete of course* who does not overdo.