The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, June 1923
Boxing Club
Boxing Club
The "noble art" still holds its proud position as one of the leading branches of sport at Wikitoria, and the marked enthusiasm of members and particularly of the younger members augurs well for the future.
Serious training operations in preparation for the Inter-Varsity tourney at Dunedin commenced early in January, our popular coach, Tim Tracy, again coming forward to knock off the rough edges and to endeavour to instil a little science and brain work into the wild and furious efforts of the aspirants to representative honours. "Use your block, old man." "Think all the time!" Truly words of wisdom from an old general in the boxing arena, but very difficult to carry into practice in the heated excitement even of a friendly bout.
Every Wednesday and Friday evening things were moving "some" in the old gymnasiam, much to the concern at times of those engaged in more peaceful pastimes on the ground floor. There was never a dull moment, and as Easter approached it was apparent that in some weights competition for representative honours was going to be exceptionally keen.
Owing to the success attending the holding of a public tourney last year, the committee decided to repeat the same this year for the purpose of selecting the team to represent V.U.C. at Dunedin. The bouts were staged in the gymnasium and the movement was well supported by enthusiastic followers of the sport. In addition to the eliminating bouts, several no-decision bouts between local amateurs were staged, and the evening was in every way a huge success.
The Club's thanks are due to Mr. Earl Stewart, who acted as referee, to Messrs. W. J. Talbot and P. Woods, who acted as judges, and to the Wellington Boxing Association, who kindly lent the matting for the ring.
The contests were as follows:—Middleweight: E. Muller (10st. 12lbs.) beat D. Wood (10.st. 11lbs.). Featherweight: R. R. T. Young (9st.), the holder of the New Zealand University Featherweight Championship, fought a bout with J. Nixon, a local amateur (9st. fibs.). The decision went to Nixon, but Young benefited by the try-out and retained his title at the tournament. Hearty congratulations. Welterweight: V. F. Coningham (10st.) beat F. Barry (10st. 7lbs.). Coningham gained the welter-weight championship, a well-deserved honour, as in the opinion of many he was unfortunate in not getting the decision at Auckland last year. Congratulations. Lightweight: N. J. Lewis (9st. 12lbs.) beat J. Hart (10st.). Lewis was unfortunate in reaching Dunedin late, and having to enter the ring only a few hours after his arrival. Bantamweight: K. Vance (8st. 4lbs.) fought Percy Black (8st. 6lbs.). Wellington's best bantam-weight; he was beaten, but should do well in future tournaments. Heavy-weight: A. D. McRae (12st. 4lbs.) beat Bob Fitzsimmons, a Wellington amateur. In this weight the Club has been sadly lacking and an appeal is hereby made to the hefty muscular 12 stoners to join up and try themselves out. They must benefit by a course of training such as they get with the Club and the punishment is never too severe. The training in boxing is the best possible for football or athletics, and without competition for representation the standard cannot improve. V. Marshall (10st.) very narrowly, beat C. Ball (10st.); neither were trying for representative honours.
The remainder of the programme was filled by three interesting exhibitions between P. Charles and F. Barry, V. Gunnion and F. Alquist, and J. Crowley and M. Carroll.
If the keenness of members and the numbers justify such a course, it is the committee's intention to continue operations throughout the second and third terms under the instruction of Tim Tracy. Boxing is now a recognised branch of athletics in our secondary schools, and it is hoped that school champions and all others interested and ready to take an active part in the Club's affairs will make themselves known to members of the committee and will roll along on training nights and help to win the Inter-Varsity Boxing Shield outright next year.