Throughout the history of boxing in New Zealand three names continue to crop up—Griffin, Heeney and Leckie. The second generation of these fighting families has recently been taking a share of the fistic spotlight. “Young Jim” Griffin, after an interrupted professional career, has retired from the game, but Darcy Heeney, New Zealand welter-weight champion and Empire Games representative, and Neil Leckie were two of the stars at the New Zealand amateur boxing championships held in Gisborne a few weeks ago.

Darcy Heeney, who retained the welterweight title and the Morgan Cup, is a son of Jack Heeney, who was amateur welterweight champion in 1914 and later held the professional middleweight title. Neil Leckie is a son of Archie Leckie, former amateur middleweight champion of New Zealand and is a cousin of Johnny Leckie, perhaps the best featherweight New Zealand has produced. Neil did not win the bantamweight title at Gisborne, but he showed that the family tradition was in safe hands and next year should see him among the title-holders.

An interesting feature of the championship meeting was the presence of a grand-nephew of Bob Fitzsimmons, the first boxer to win world titles at three weights. This boxer, W. Jack, won the middleweight title under sensational circumstances, his opponent in the final being disqualified for unfair tactics.

A referee at the tournament was Mr. Geoff Watchorn, who won the New Zealand amateur welterweight title in 1912 and also represented New Zealand against Australia, winning a title.