BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 239, 2 July 1908, Page 5

BOXING.

GAULT- v.; GOSLING. A. Gault (of Auckland), who is to meet J. Gosling (of Wellington) in a fiftconrounds professional boxing contest at the Opera House on July 13, leaves Auckland for Wellington 011 Monday next. Gault, who will be accompanied by his trainer, AV. Partridge,. is reported to bo in first-class -condition, and .he expects to put up a good fight with the-Wellington-'-crack. Last year Gault fought a .fifteen-rounds draw with J.'"- Godfrey, the' professional featherweight champion of tho Dominion. The Secretary of the Wellington Boxing Association reports that' Inspector Ellison, with his customary promptitude, has forwarded tho necessary permit for the contest to take place. BURNS AND JOHNSON. STATEMENT BY THE CHAMPION. \ The Burns-Johnson controversy took a fresh turn on Saturday, May 16, when, says the London "Sportsman;" the 1 champion clearly and definitely announced to,an audicnco of 2000 that he would meet Johnson. He said:—"Gentlemen, I thank you for your generous reception. No doubt you have all read about Jack Johnson and myself -in the sporting papers. Jack Johnson is showing this week in 0110 of . the music-halls, and I notice on one of his bills ho says he has never been defeated. (A Voice: Ho has.) Now, gentlemen, I wish to say that Jack Johnson lias fought fifteen draws, and has been defeated three times by Joe Ghoynski, Joe Jcannctte, and Marvin Hart, and by • the latter, I may tell you, just eleven months before I defeated Marvin Hart for the Heavy-weight Championship of America. (Applause.) I wish to say this, Jack Johnson and I will meet just as sure as I am talking to you now. (Applause.) Now, let me tell you something olse. If you were tvorking on a job at £3 per week and somebody offered you £6 per week for tho same job, I guess you would certainly _ take it. (Applause.) Well, that's my position. You do not offer big purses here, and it would be foolish of me to accept a purse of half the size I can get in America. But don't forget I am going to fight Johnson just as sure as I am talking to you now. (Loud applause.) When the champion left the platform he was surrounded by an oxcited, surging crowd, ' , Burns has since entered upon a lucrative engagement, extending over five weeks, at the Holborn Empire. Referring to the announcement, "Cestus," tho special boxing writer 011 tho "Sportsman," says: —We have had so much of Burns and Johnson —especially Burns—that sporting men must bo getting a bit tired of -it. Johnson, 110 one can deny, is lioro prepared to fight, while Burns is after tho money. Burns is a past master in the art of advertisement, but while 110 was telling his hearors 011 Saturday night that Johnson had been defeated three times 110 might have acknowledged tho same number . of whippings 110 himself has had to take. Johnson and Burns aro on a par in this respect, saving that Burns has been beaten by smaller men in Jack "Twin" Sullivan and Jack O'Brien.