The Story So Far 100 Years of Boxing New Zealand By Barry Leabourn and John Mitchell Copyright © 2002 Barry Leabourn ISBN 0-473-09168-2 Contents Forword i Preface ii The Early Days 1 The Tailor and the Blacksmith 3 Coming of Order Formation of the New Zealand Boxing Association 4 A First Championship 6 The Godfathers 10 The First Two Decades 13 Temporary Peace 15 After the War 18 Prosperity in New Zealand 21 Golden Days Continue 23 A Decade of Change 26 The Millennium Beckons 28 2002 Onwards 31 Brian O’Brien 32 Olympic Gold 35 Jameson Belt 38 The Families 39 The Third Man in the Ring 42 The Mentors 44 The Record Holders 47 Women Make Their Entrance 49 Statistics Venues of New Zealand Amateur Championships 51 Past Winners - N.Z. Senior Boxing Titles 52 Past Winners - N.Z. Intermediate Boxing Titles 57 Past Winners - N.Z. Junior Boxing Titles 59 Past Winners - N.Z. Female Boxing Titles 63 Senior Championship Trophies 64 Jameson Belt - Most Scientific Senior 65 Joe Thwaites Shield - Trainer, Jameson Belt Bill O’Connor Memorial Cup - Youngest Titleholder, Senior 66 Parker Memorial Trophy - Best Loser, Senior Treston Shield - Senior Association, Most Wins 67 Earl Stewart Memorial Shield - Senior Association Points Trophy Brian O’Brien Trophy - Services to Boxing 68 New Zealand Boxing Cup - Most Scientific Boxer, Intermediate Dick Dunn Trophy - Trainer Most Scientific Boxer, Intermediate Tommy Harris Cup - Best Loser, Intermediate 69 Sommerville Cup - Most Scientific Boxer, Junior Gary Anderson Cup - Trainer of Most Scientific Boxer, Junior Otematata Trophy - Best Loser, Junior 70 O'Leary Cup - Points Prize, Junior Tyrer Cup - Points Trophy, Junior 71 Olympic Games Representatives 72 Forword The story of the first hundred years of Boxing New Zealand started shortly after Barry Leabourn was elected to the New Zealand Boxing Council in 1996. As the program manager for Media Relations I kept suggesting that the story should be put in print to celebrate the centenary in 2002. Originally I started the research with the intention of finding someone with journalistic skills to write the story. In 1998 John Mitchell was also elected to the NZBA Boxing Council and offered to assist with the statistical information. As the years sped towards the new millennium it became apparent that with much of the research material on hand actually writing the publication was a lot less daunting than it seemed at the beginning. The real problem was getting the myriad of statistics right as many records at the NZBA had been lost over the years. I said to John Mitchell one day "how the hell do we get the championship records right". John came back a few months later and said that he intended to research and record every single fight that had taken place at every New Zealand championships. Hundreds of hours later after countless visits to the Christchurch Library and Christchurch newspapers he had indeed categorised every New Zealand championship. This research allowed the authors to believe that the statistical records are ninety-nine point nine per cent correct. The other problem in compiling the story was not so much what to put in but rather the many stories that have been left out. The authors decided that the story told would be the first hundred years of amateur boxing in New Zealand as the original intention in 1902 was to cater only for amateur competition. One hundred years later few professional contests are conducted under the auspices of Boxing New Zealand. Thanks for assistance with the story are extended to: Pat Bishop – for the loan of many copies of the "Sportsman" periodical. Kerstyn Leabourn – for typing of the statistics. Malcolm Maclean and Gavin Boyd – for advice and assistance with the typesetting. John McKay, Bob Lyall, Keith Walker, Nuki Johnson, Tom Dunn, (New Zealand Boxing Council) - for five years of assistance and advice. Deirdre Rogers (Boxing New Zealand Executive Officer) – for encouraging the original concept, and support over the last five years. Peter Gilligan and Michael O’Neill – for proof reading and general advice. Dave Cameron – For advice and supply of many of the photographs. Acknowledgements New Zealand Sportsman New Zealand Sports Digest Brian O’Brien and Kiwis With Gloves On New Zealand Free Lance Christchurch Public Library The Press (Christchurch) John Mitchell and Barry Leabourn i Preface Boxing is one of the oldest combatant sport of all, dating back to 3000BC where the Egyptians used pugilism as an integral part of the self discipline and self defence education of their children (The Santori Children), and was formally introduced in 688BC at the Games of the 23rd Olympiad. Today the sport of boxing fascinates most, is repugnant to many as its heroes bleed, risk their health, even their lives in the pursuit of recognition, fame and fortune and surprisingly fun. Boxers – the athletes are usually very ordinary yet extraordinary men (and women) who understand the cost of their chosen sport better than most. They understand instinctively, not in a pretentious or academic way. Boxers and those closely associated with them inhabit a very special world indeed. Jimmy Wilde defined as the "Art of Self Defence"; the Yanks call it the "Sweet Science"; the Poms the "Noble Art". To me the object of boxing is to hit without being hit requiring skills like no other sport. Boxing was included in the modern Olympic Games in 1904 in St Louis and in every Olympics since except Stockholm in 1912. New Zealand boxers have won three medals – gold by Ted Morgan 1928, silver by Kevin Barry and bronze by David Tua 1992. The first Empire Games (later Commonwealth Games) in 1930 included boxing and it has been part of those games since. Kiwi boxers have won five Empire and Commonwealth Games Gold Medals: Frank Creagh 1950, Wally Coe 1962, Bill Kini 1966, Jimmy Peau 1986 and Michael Kenny 1990. The continuing progress in increasing safety aspects particularly for Olympic boxing has allowed it to thrive as a modern global sport. It is unfortunate that in New Zealand today there are less than five hundred competitors, making it a "minor" sport. There have been few formal publications dealing with boxing in New Zealand. Brian O’Brien in 1960 produced "Kiwis With Gloves On" being the best known. Bob Jones (later Sir Robert) wrote two "New Zealand Boxing Yearbooks" in 1972 and 1973. Chris Tobin produced a recent biography on Bob Fitzsimmons entitled "Fitzsimmons" celebrating one hundred years of the winning of the World Heavyweight Crown from James J Corbett in 1897. Boxers are exceptional people. Why?? Because is about all of life’s ingredients – pain, honour, nastiness and nobility. This biography of one hundred years of Boxing New Zealand written by Barry Leabourn and John Mitchell is a tribute to the rich history of New Zealand amateur boxing. The story will aquaint today’s fans and boxing enthusiasts with an insight into the many Kiwi personalities that have entered the "square ring" to do battle during this time. John McKay President, Boxing New Zealand Inc ii The Early Days The sport of boxing in New Zealand had its early foundations in Canterbury. The first recorded bout was in July 1862 when a London prizefighter, Harry Jones beat local, George Barton, for a purse of 100 pounds on the banks of the Waimakariri River. Jones was declared the winner after 30 bare fisted rounds lasting 70 minutes. The police attempted to stop the fight cutting the ropes and even entering the ring with drawn revolvers, before being driven back by the 600 spectators. Legal proceedings were initially instituted before being quietly withdrawn, when it was discovered that the Crown Solicitor and several magistrates were in the crowd. An early character was Professor Stackpole who arrived and took the London Prize Ring into many corners of New Zealand during the decade 1870-80. In a unique fight Professor Stackpole was engaged in a contest with one George Ulyett who was a member of a team of English professional cricketers touring the country. The fight was held in New Plymouth in the Town Hall and was stopped in the eighth round in favour of the Professor. Jem Mace (Photo courtesy Dave Cameron) The next recognised figure in the early days of boxing in the Dominion was the arrival from England of Jem Mace in 1880. Mace brought with him Professor Miller who was also a noted wrestler and weight lifter. The pair put on exhibitions at the old Princess Theatre in Dunedin. Mace was the last of the old prizefighters that rubbed the brine of beef into the skin to toughen it. He had also fought under the London Prize Ring rules, which permitted 1 elbowing, kneeing and throwing. While he was over fifty years of age when he promoted the noble art of boxing in this country, he had been in the ring with the legendary Tom Sayers earlier in his career. Like many of his day he was a relatively small man weighing under twelve stone but was known to have fought men of up to seventeen stone. During 1870 Jem Mace travelled to America to beat fellow English born pugilist Tom Allen in ten rounds of desperate action. He was widely regarded as the real champion of the world with his victory over Allen. Mace opened a boxing school in Timaru and after a period announced that he was to hold the New Zealand amateur championships of boxing. Among the entries were R Fitzsimmons who took out the inaugural contest and also the second when he knocked out Herbert Slade, the first acknowledged Maori champion.