CHAMPION PUGILISTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 284, 25 August 1908, Page 4

CHAMPION PUGILISTS.

Yesterday even tho 'great American fleet of battleships excited less interest in Australia than a boxing match. Even in Sydney itself the contest for tho world's boxing championship between Burns, the champion, and Squires, of Australia, appears to have* been the topic of the hour. Despite the high prices chargcd, ranging from £a to £l per head, something like 18,000 persons thronged the huge stadium specially erected for the purpose of the contest in order to witness the struggle between these champion pugilists, and scores of thousands throughout Australia,New Zealand, and, in fact, the whole British-speaking world,, have been eagerly awaiting news of tho result. To many people the interest cxcited by contests of this nature is a profound mystery, To some tiic idea of two highly-developed specimens of muscular mankind pummelling one another until one is exhausted oils beaten on points is utterly repugnant. They can see no possible benefit to anyone—unless it is a financial gain to the

winner—and they, as a rule, are firmly convinced that the whole exhibition is tt demoralising if not a brutalising spectaclc. On the other hand, wo find ranged men of standing, men holding responsible positions in the public life of tho nation,, who not only tolerate such exhibitions, but view them with favour as affording 1

wholesome lessons of courage and selfrestraint. The contest decided yesterday at Rushcutters Bay was strongly opposed by a section of people in New youth Wales, and tho promoters, who wore committed to.serious financial risks, experienced' considerable difficulty in inducing the authorities to permit the arrangements to be carried through. If one side was determined to protect the community from a contest on the scale proposed, the other was equally determined 'that Australia should have a visit from the world's champion boxer, and we know which party carried the day. No doubt there is something to be said for both points of view. Boxing as boxing is a very fine sport—a splendid physical exercise. It not only develops tho muscles and tho physique generally, but it teaches self-restraint and endurance to a degree unequalled by any other form of sport. The idea that it is a brutal snort is erroneous. The injuries sustained in a boxing contest when tho men arc in a fit condition to take'the ring arc almost invariably superficial, and the recipient next day experiences only tho minor discomforts of a black cyo or a split lip. When boxing, however, is liable to become an undesirable adjunct to our forms of national sport is when its management falls into bad hands and tho contests develop into prize-fights pure and simple. This is tho danger which from time to time has threatened boxing, and which has won for the contests the bad opinion of so many people. It is not an easy thing in a vigorous sport of this nature to lay down very fine distinctions between boxing and fighting; too often it is a distinction without a difference. tJntil the knock-out * blow - is penalised boxers will continue to practise this speedy and convincing method of securing -victory;' but- a good many admirers of a manly, sport hold the view that tho

sport would lose none of its merits if the knock-out blow did not necessarily carry with it the palm of the victor, but that the contest should be decided on points. This no doubt would be regarded as rank heresy by many, but it has much to commend it, especially in amateur contests, where the best boxer frequently falls a victim to the hard hitter in the last vigorous round. Yesterday's contest may bo expected to provoke much controversy throughout Australia. That it will stimulate boxing throughout the Commonwealth is certain, but it is equally certain that the opponents of the prize-ring will not permit their side of the matter to go by default. Such controversy should benefit the sport, for even if it does not produce improved management it should at least prevent any falling away in the standard already set.