BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 990, 3 December 1910, Page 12

BOXING.

(By "l!crcury."J How Fares Lang? The cablo published during tho week that "Bill" Lang, tho Victorian heavyweight now in America, had been matched with "Jack" Burns for a 20-round contest has given riso to. some speculation in' town as to tho identity of tho Burns mentioned. There is an imprcsson abroad that tho cablo man has made a mistake in tho Christian name, and that tho ator mentioned is our old friend "Tommy."' This, however, is not so. "Jack" Burns is a boxer who has been rising through the second-grade "heavies" in the States of late. By the latest American mail .ho is noted as having arrived in New York, and as having made a good impression there ill some minor engagements, with tho. result that ho had been matched with "Jim" Stewart, another second-rank boxer of repute. The result of this engagement has not reached us, but Burns must havo either won it or made a very good showing to havo been matched with Lang. It will be remembered that tho Australian was, beaten by Al. Ivaufmann in his first American battle in a six-round bout, and consequently his stock felL considerably. It transpired .later, however, that Lang had broken his hhnd in the second round of this battle, and in consideration of this fact his porformancs in staying tho distance with Kaufmann restored him to favour with tho American critics, and judgment on his real form has been suspended. Apropos of tho above, tho following .paragraph from a recent American sporting file will bo of interest: " 'Bill' Lang writes from his training quarters at Stamford, Conn., that he is nursing his right hand, which was badly injured in tho second round of his fight with Al. Ivaufmann. 'Bill' hopes that he will havo a chance to show what be can do with two good hands for six rounds or more, but I doubt if he gets it. Few of our heavyweights would care to tackle tho Australian, who is a good 'un from every point of view." The World's Light-v/eights. Recently it was stated in this' column that "Battling" Nelson, tho world's exchampion light-weight was in the lists again with the idea of recovering his lost laurels from his conqueror, Al. Woigast, tile present champion, and that these two had signed on 'for a championship contest for Christmas 'Eve. News has come to hand during tho week that has a serious bearing on this arrangement. The champion is reported to have broken an arm in a recent bout, with "Tommy" M'Farland, and, as it is tho second time that this self-same arm has been broken, it is feared that his fighting days aro over. Nelson's , championship , aspirations would likewise appear to be at an end, as tho 'cables told us a few days ago 'that ho had been kuocked out in tho twelfth round of a 20-round contest by Owon Moran, tho Welsh light-weight. If both theso boxers aro "settled," the position with regard to tho light-weight championship is a very open one. The. next claimants in point of merit aro apparently Moran. and "Packy" M'Farland. According to "Boxing," it is-Wolgast's idea that Moran should be his successor. To quote tho journal mentioned;' "Woigast says Moran is the greatest lightweight in the world," . and continues: "Well, that is high praise for Owen, isn't it? Praise, moreover,, that is pretty fairly substantiated by Wolgasfs carefulness to avoid fixing up a -contest - with him. Moran, however, would appear to wish tb justify himself .even further, as ho has definitely approached 'Packy' M'Farland with overtures for a match. 'Packy'. is said to have been quite agreeable, and to havo signed articles, but here again everything is very nebulous." An Astonishing Story. "Boxing" publishes, apparently in all seriousness, the following extraordinary story as to 'tho reasons for tho defection of Reggie Walker, the great, little Natal amateur, to the professional running rallies" ' ' • "Tho world of . athletics has been.sadly perturbed . 'during the last few weeks. That world-famous pet of the amateur brigade has. gone -over to the paid members of the fraternity, and everyone has been wondering why. Walker was earning a decent living at his profession, could ' easily havo continued to gather pots and prizes for somi years to come, and yet, suddenly, without oven a hint of his in.tcntions, it is publicly announced that Walker has signed up to run Jack Donaldson, the famous South African sprinter, at Johannesburg during , the forthcoming Christmas holidays. All arrangements havo been settled, and Walker is leaving England at tho close of this month. "Now, there is an unsuspected reason for this sudden step of his. "Reggie" is out , after the money attached ' to tho matoli, but he isn't out for tho money .because he wants it for himself.. He wants to ■ seo a white man champion of the world at tho boxing game, and he would like thdt white man to own South Africa as his birthplace. "Moreover, he thinks, and has good reason for so doing, that tho most likely man to wrest the crown from Jack Johnson's head.is a South African. He feels convinced that Storbeck can do the trick, and he is going to lay himself put to persuade tho amateur champion of Africa to make tlie attempt. < "Overtures have, wo believe, already been made, to Storbeck .to break his amateur status, and to set himself seriously to the task suggested for him, but hitherto Fred has shown considerable. coyncss. He doesn't see his way to. personally afford tho necessary preliminary expenses, and he doesn't like to ask his friends and relations to find itheni for him. "Walker was told about this difficulty, and with characteristic sportsmanship set himself to solve the difficulty. It had been suggested that a match between Donaldson and himself would attract a tremendous gate out in Johannesburg, so ■Walker asked how much might be forthcoming: The answer was eminently satisfactory, so 'Reggie' saw his path cleared at once.. ' , - ' "He would have to sacrifice his amateurism for the purpose, but ffcis will not trouble him' if only he can seo a South African wearing tho first boxing honour in tho world. He expects to return almost immediately after his race witli Donaldson, and hopes to bring Storbeck with him when he does. so. Indeed, so confident is ho of this initial success that ho has already approached Mr. Hugh D. M'lntosh for tho offer of a match, and has been promised several contests. "We earnestly wish him every success he could wish in his expedition, for wo feel that ho has got hold of the right man." Comment on this seems unnecessary. It "may" bo tine, but . The "Cyclone" and His Antagonists. Last Wednesday, at the Stadium, Sydney, "Cyclone" Johnny Thompson, the American boxer, who so rudely dealt with Rudolph Unholz recently, was to havo met "Hughio" Meliegan, the Australian champion, for the light-weight championship of Australasia. When tho American beat Unliolz so badly he was many pounds over the "light" limit, for which reason his victory was a very unpopular one. This timo tho ten-stono mark was set down as compukpry, and ho agreed to make it or forfeit £100 to the Stadium management. Consequently, for the first time in tho bouts in which tho American contingent now in Sydney havo been engaged, Wednesday's affair was tho first upon which their Australian opponents have not been conceding big handicaps in weight, and so the result would he really tho first to show the relative virtues of the representatives of the two countries when starting on even footing. For which reason the result' will bo keenly waited for here.