Larry Foley on 'The New Boxing': “I'll make it all as clear as a white cat in a dark cellar. This in-fighting that is going on is really prize fighting without throwing.” "The recently introduced American system is not adapted to interest the lookers-on, for the men hold and wrestle, and hit when they have the chance with the free hand. Johnson did some of his punishing in the recent contest in this way and as a spectacle, it was not admired." The Premier of NSW Government, Charles Wade, moved to introduce legislation to prohibit do away with "in-fighting" along with gloves lighter than 6oz. The following is from the Weekly Times on January 23, 1909: LARRY FOLEY'S OPINION. Larry Foley, the well-known (retired) boxing champion, was asked for his opinion with regard to the new boxing legislation which prohibits the use of gloves lighter than six ounces, and will also do away with "in-fighting" Mr Foley was busy with a large contract at "Bayview" where he is erecting new baths, but he spared the reporter a minute. "I cannot say, just off hand," he said, "all that I want to tell the public about in-fighting, but I want to tell the public, however, the difference between real in-fighting and wrestling that has been going on. I'll make it all as clear as a white cat in a dark cellar. This in-fighting that is going on is really prize fighting without throwing. "It's like this: Tom, Dick or Harry gets in and punches away at Bill, or Joe, and he says 'Now, Bill, be a gentleman, none of that. The referee's looking' Of course, Bill looks at the referee, and Tom, Dick, or Harry hooks. That's American in-fighting — all talk and fighting when in holds." "But listen to me," continued Foley, "no man can in-fight against a good left hand. A good left-hand fighter, like Peter Jackson, with a good straight left, would beat all the others easy. They'd have to find an easier way of committing suicide than by trying in-fighting. Charlie Campbell used to say I had the best straight left he ever saw. He used to say I'd beat anything, even a circular saw. Wade don't know the difference between real in-fighting and Tommy Burns style. If you stop in-fighting you stop everything. Stop wrestling and hitting in holds. But that's not in-fighting. Wade should interview an expert before he starts making legislation on boxing. He can have my services for L500. "Wade reminds me," went on Foley, "of the celebrated pilot. Ever heard of that celebrated Irish pilot? No, well listen to me. You'd better say a German pilot, it wouldn't do for me to talk about Irish pilots. Well, this German pilot went on board a ship, and the captain said, 'Any rocks in this channel? 'Yes,' he said, 'thousands of em.'How do you know where they are?' asked the captain. 'Well, I know as soon as I bump one,' replied the pilot. 'There's one now,' he exclaimed, as the ship nearly tore its bottom off. "Now, that's like Wade. He knows when he strikes one of ‘em where the rocks are. "You see it's like this," continued Foley, "In-fighting is allowed under the Marquis of Queensberry rules, but that is only when the hands are free, or only one man is holding. What Tommy Burns calls in-fighting is when both men are holding and wrestling, and if they get one hand free they can hit. That's not boxing, but prize fighting without throws being allowed. The gloves don't make much difference. A man can hit as hard with 6oz. gloves as with 4oz. The pictures show what Tommy Burns' in-fighting is. The part of the glove that covers the palm should be padded, as that is what often does the damage." "I can't talk about this new legislation any further now," said the veteran, "but come up and put the gloves on tomorrow and I'll give you an explanation, and, also I'll show you how the gloves have been altered from what they were in the old days." The reporter promised he would accept the invitation, and went away to try to hire a suit of armour.
