BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 9

BOXING.

CBr Meroukt.)

COMING EVENTS. September 7 and 9. —Australasian Championships, Brisbane. September 9. —Horowhenua, Association's Tourney (Levin). September *9.—Otago Association's Meeting (Dimedin). October 7 and 8. —Hawke's Bay Championships. November 24—Tourney (Opera House). Though the issuo of the Gosling-Ireland contest was so flattering to the former's supporters, it must be confessed that tho bout—and. iu fact, the wholo evening's entertainment—was rather disappointing. Not that "this was any fault of tho management or tho association — far from it — but the shortness of tho big match on top of M'Kibbon's alleged injury to his hand ill the preliminary contest and his consequent "quit- r ting " made the entertainment too short for the public taste. However, this is a phase of tho game that its followers must be prepared to meet occasionally, and in a 4 philosophical spirit. Gosling, who. at 9st. 9Jlb. was four or five pounds above his usual fighting weight, looked all the better for the extra flesh, and fought a faster and stronger fight than we havo seen him do for a long while. His experience with Gault is .bearing fruit, as was evidenced by the care with which he kept himself covered in his long range work, in' strong contrast with his former practice tof stepping back with his hands down and then throwing them up above his head. Tho improvement in this respect, and iu the matter of keeping his hands closer in generally, was marked, but there are still times when his openness when over-eager causes his friends much anxiety. The winner knew that his chance of victory deperidod on forcing the opening rounds and reducing the opposition as much as possible before nis condition ran out, and he carried out this programme thoroughly and well, so well, indeed, that tho fight was practically won in the second round. Ireland showed some pretty footwofk, and». scored well with a variety of quick though light body punches—mostly iabs in the short ribs—until he received tho blow that eventually lost him the battle. It was a half swing half jolt that landed on the jaw, a punch that has been a good friend to Gosling in the past, and one from which its recipient on this occasion never recovered. He came up at tho word " eight," however, but had a horrid time until the sound of the bell, which saved him defeat then and there. After-that it was a question of keeping clear of tho aggressive Gosling until' tho effects of the gruelling had departed. 'For tho third round tho Australian kept clear, fighting gamely and well, but in the fourth was caught again, and it was all over. Ireland all through the chapter has shown himself to be a thorough little sport, and in a degree is the victim of his own generosity ill accommodating the association by taking on- a man with such a handicap in weight. Recognising this the association very properly added a bonus of £10 to his end of tho purse. The visitor fought a game fight against heavy odds, - and showed glimpses of what he would be capable of when opposed to a boxer of tho Godfrey order, but one cannot help thinking that his ring generalship was not above criticism. Knowing as ho did that Gosling was short of condition, his best plan would seem to have been to have played a long range waiting game until his opponent was tiring. Instead of this, he played right into Gosling's hands; by going' in to make the fighting, while the local man was fresh and strong. •

Ireland left for home, yesterday, and carried with him the best, wishes of 'the boxing public for being a clever, game, little boxer,' who had run against bad luck, and of the members of the Boxing Association in particular for extricating them from a nasty hole in meeting them in tne sporting spirit he did. Before leaving, ho said ho bad fought his last fight, but no doubt' be will reconsider this, and if .so may good luck follow him through his battles on the other side of tho Tasman. ~. , Of the professional preliminary, the less said the better. Burns showed an inclination. to make the fighting, and showed form at times that made one wish to see him against an opponent who would play tho game and give him a chancs to show his paces. However, M'Kibbon would not fight, and as it takes two to mako a quarrel, even with gloves on, the verdict could only go one way, and it is not an unmixed evil that it went that way as soon as it did. Tho Physical Training School boys made an. excellent showing in their oponing turn, and if tho exhibition, which. did great credit to their instructor, has the .effect <>f -making, more of our lads take- the .game on, the object of the management in putting tho bout on the programme will be achieved. Tho "wash up" in connection with the Burns-Squires fight has occupied considerable space in tho Australian press during tho ; week,, and I append eacn man's personal statement regarding the battle as culled from the "Referee."

How I won.—"Things hadn't been going well with me in my training. There was that jarred arm and the cold on my chost early last week, as well as the chill suffered in the ring on Friday, and I kinder thought it v/ould be best to save myself as much as possible, as I knew Squires to be dangerous, but he set me a livelier go. than I expected, and had me on the move always. It was, to my mind, better to lot him rush and tire than to. stand up and' mix the work, as lie possibly might last longer than I, and there were visions of that close call in Paris before me all the time. - Bill is a bravo fellow, as I told you Sydney people before, and he put up a great fight, but I had the punch when the opportunity came. It made'' me feel liko 30 cents to have to go and knock so good a fellow out; that's the'worst of the fighting business, you've got to do it to win." —Tommy Burns.

How I Was Beaten.—"On my previous battles with Tommy Burns and what I consequently knew of his fighting, I rated my chance this time particularly good, and after we had been at it a few rounds my confidence was greater. He gave some hard knocks in those clinches and about the ribs, but I knew at least a few of mine told. Burns is a good hard fighter, and one who will take a whole heap of beating, 110 matter who he faces. I may not be able to bit with the force that I used to, but I fancy many 'of those punches which landed on Tommy Burns would have a much more severe . effect upon other men. I think after I have another fight or two there'll be a different tale to tell. I have been shaping better in every battle since .leaving America. Burns is a man in thousands. He is very quick on his feet, a hard puncher, a : , shrewd fighter, and has a frame of iron."—Bill Squires. The cinematograph reproduction of the. Bums-Squires fight, the world's rights of which have been secured by Messrs. MacMahon and Carroll and Edwin Geach, has proved very successful. Cable advices received in Christchurch 011 Saturday from Sydney describe it as a remarkable achievement in animated photography. Messrß MacMahon 6re making arrangements for their New Zealand tour, which will commence almost immediately. The picture and plant arrived in the Dominion on Monday.