AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 24, 30 January 1888, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

•j§*fr (Per s.s. Alameda.) I **f *

Boxing Match Between Bnrke

and Foley.

Sydney, January 26. Since Lawrence Foley and Miller fough_. their great glove contesb some five year ago, no meeting of athletes has caused such a stir in the sporting circles of the colonies as that which took place at the Carriugton Ground on Monday afternoon between Foley and J. Burke, of America. There are few men better known in Sydney than Foley, whose reputation, dating from his victory over Ross in 1871, was firmly established by the decisive manner in which he beat the Victorian champion, Abe Hicken, in 1879. Since then Foley has contented himself teaching boxing, for which he is eminently fitted, having learnt his lesson from Jem Mace, one of the cleverest boxers that ever donned gloves. Foley was born on the Turon River Diggings in 1851, and is in his 37th year. John Burke, his opponent, arrived here from America in November. He is a native of Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, was born in 1862, and is therefore in his 26th year. The men having^fitted the gloves on, faced one an other and shook hands, Major McDonald' acting as referee. Although their weights t were as nearly as possible the same —list 101b —Burkes seemed better distributed, and his chest and arm muscles stood out clearer. There was nothing in Foley's face to enable anyone to judge of his feelings ; but Burke looked confident and smiling. The positions of both were easy, and Burke showed by the Avay in which he kept his right drawn back that he intended to make good use of it, if possible. As the men sparred for an opening, it was noticed with some astonishment that they were taunting each other, and during the mimic battle such remarks as "I don't think you can fight!" "Now, then, let us have a round !" " Can't you fight better than that?" were exchanged. There'was little or no display of scientific boxing. The men would spar out of distance for a time ; Burke would make a rush at Foley, accompanying it with a terrific blow, and then would follow a clinch and the usual order for the men to separate. At the end of the first round Burke had a slight flush showing under the eye, and that was really the only hard blow he received. For the remainder of the match Foley contented himself almost entirely with acting on the defensive, occasionally hitting a half-hearted blow, of which Burke took no notice. Burke showed from his stylo of hitting that he possesses* great strengthand quickness of limb; but hishitting, especially with the left, was a wide departure from the old theory of straight from the shoulder, while with his right he showed a tendency to hit down. At the opening of tho contest the spectators were in breathless expectation. In tho middle they exhibited impatienco, and tho sixth round closed amid a chorus of hoots and groans from all parts of the ground. Foley fought from tho first round on the defensive, evidently with the intention of making a draw of it, while Burke, with all his strength, did not display anything like the science required to win a battle against; a man well versed in boxing, In fact,the exhibition created a .deep and widespread feeling of disgust, and it was generally canvassed in a manner hostile to the standing of both men." As they were able to box to the end of the six tli round, the match was of course a draw ; and, as a matter of fact, neither man was marked, although Foley had to bear some heavy but not continuous punishment received in his opponent's impetuous rushes. Burke seemed dissatisfied with tho gloves, and at the conclusion tossed one contemptuously to the crowd, apparently considering that it was too large. Jackson then mounted tho stage and offered to box Burke to a finish, but the latter, entertaining the State's prejudico to colour, declined to answer him, and left the ring. The spectators left the ground sloAvly, talking over the event, and in tho city dvjring the evening the contest was generally discussed and alluded to in terms that were the reverse of complimentary.