Few tougher men left the shores of America between the two World wars than Petey Sarron, who made a trip down under in the early 1930's.

During his time, firstly in Australia followed by a sojourn in the land of the long white cloud, Pete Sarron engaged in battle in the ring with two of the best featherweights ever to climb between the ropes in our country.

The Syrian American scaled the highest peak in winning the World Featherweight title in 1936, reversing his previous bout with fellow American Freddie Miller, to take the World title on the 11 May 1936, in Washington DC. He defended his world crown against Baby Manuel and Freddie Miller, before being knocked out by one of boxing's legendary pugilists in Henry Armstrong during October 1937.

Sarron, like so many of his time hopped into the ring at the drop of a hat, engaging in 135 professional contests from 1924 until eventual retirement in 1939. He was also credited with another 20 no-decision fights, with his official record showing a neat one hundred wins and just twenty-three losses and twelve draws.

Sarron settled in Sydney for seven months in 1929, taking on nine opponents before crossing the ditch for nine months, to box on ten occasions at various venues in Dunedin, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington and Napier.

During his time down under, he met Johnny Leckie on five occasions and fought Tommy Donovan three times in front of a combined audience of 32 thousand fight fans.

Leckie, was the first Kiwi to meet the American at the old Sydney Stadium at Rushcutters Bay in June 1929, on Sarron's trip to Australia. Brian O'Brien's definitive boxing bible on the early days of the sport in New Zealand, 'Kiwis With Gloves On' described the contest "Petey later proved to be Johnny's master, but this time the arc lights were in as much danger as Leckie, for Sarron punched great holes in the air trying to bring down the speedy Dunedin boy".

A month later Sarron had his revenge and stopped Leckie in the thirteenth to terminate Johnnies Australian campaign. Leckie would meet the American terrier on three further occasions in New Zealand, tasting defeat in Napier, Wellington and Palmerston North.

Much has been written on the three Tommy Donovan verses Pete Sarron encounters that took place in just 49 days, in early to mid 1930. Sarron was well in front in the first bout, but was repeatedly warned by the referee for illegal blows behind Donavan’s neck, before being disqualified by the referee in the seventh stanza.

Just two weeks after their first meeting, would-be spectators began queuing outside the Kilbirnie Speedway Stadium in Wellington around 11.30am, some four hours before the scheduled start time of Donovan verses Sarron – part two.

Over seventeen thousand one-eyed Kiwi fight fans, jam-packed into the Wellington speedway in anticipation of the Fighting Fireman repeating the New Plymouth result. This time Donovan immediately took the fight to Sarron. 'Kiwis With Gloves On' described the final round saying "The fifteenth round was the most willing of all. Like wildcats they fought and brought forward all their skill".

"It was indeed a fighting finish to a thrilling contest and even before referee Earl Stewart raised Donovan's glove the crowd were handing a ovation to the boys, who with the sunshine on them, had battled with such sustained vim for a full hour".

The third encounter between the pair took place at Dunedin's speedway stadium, with a big crowd of biased Kiwi fans again on hand to see if Donovan could keep his winning record against Sarron intact. The six thousand fight fans, that patronized the Otago Boxing Association promotion, took the total attendance at the three Donavan verses Sarron stouches to over 32 thousand patrons.

Brian O'Brien's observations said that "Donavan's relentless forward march appeared to tire Sarron by the tenth round of their final set-to and the New Zealander's grandstand finish scarcely was necessary, to sew up another decision in his favour".

Donovan v Sarron

15 March 1930 (Western Park New Plymouth)            Tommy Donovan df Pete Sarron - disq

29 March 1930 (Kilbirnie Stadium Wellington)           Tommy Donovan df Pete Sarron - points

3 May 1930 (Speedway Stadium Dunedin)                  Tommy Donovan df Pete Sarron - points

Leckie v Sarron

June 1929 (Sydney Stadium)                            Johnny Leckie df Pete Sarron - points

July 1929 (Sydney Stadium)                             Pete Sarron df Johnny Leckie - KO R13

January 1930 (Municipal Theatre Napier)        Pete Sarron df Johnny Leckie - points

1930 (Wellington)                                             Pete Sarron df Johnny Leckie - points

1930 (Palmerston North)                                  Pete Sarron df Johnny Leckie - TKO R13

Article added: Thursday 28 September 2023