A BATTLE ROYAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 137, 9 December 1908, Page 11

A BATTLE ROYAL.

ON 26th DECEMBER. BURNS v. JOHNSON. SKETCHES OF THE COMBATANTS Boxing Day is to be a real boxing day for one Burns, world's heavy-weight champion, and another, Johnson, who hopes ±o capture the - laurels and the bulk of the "gate." The December number of the Lone Hand makes both champions do the march-past so that the public by gazing at their "points" and ways of life, may have abundant material for debate between now and 26th December. THE NAPOLEONIC BURNS. Bums has the same initials as Napoleon Buonaparte — for his real name is Noel Brasso (which some have transfoimed to Bruiso) — and his admirers say that his features suggest the head of the "Man of Destiny." His methods in the fighting ring, too, are said to be j comparable with the tactics of the mighty Emperor in the ring of Europe whe*n his genius caused the code military to be re-written. Burns has studied himself, and studied the game; he takes his own version of himself and his own version of the game in prefer ence to other people's — and he is the world % champion. A FIGHTING MACHINE. He stands barely sft 7in, but when he stretches his arms, it requiies 74in to join the extremities of his hands. He has a body, wido and deep, such a torso and thighs as had Milo, who carried a heifer along the Olympic racecourse, and he kicks with his hands. He lives cleanly, thmks cleanly. He believes that his lips, which are a Cupid's bow in times of peace and a thin red line in action, were made for other purposes than contact with tobacco, alcohol or medicine, which are all shunned by him. Since he began life, twenty- six years ago, he has had a cold or two, but otherwise fie and illness have been perfect strangers. Thus he has the essentials of a pugilist — physique, keen intelligence, character, and method. IHE SIMPLE LIFE. Preparing for his encounter with Johnson, Burns stationed himself on Mount Koscuisko some months ago, and mingled his work and play admirably. "He gets up at 8.30," wrote "Byrock" in the Lone Hand, "has a shower, and breakfasts at 9 off prunes, a couple of boiled eggs, tea, toast, and jam. An hour's loaf, and then he has a ride or plays handball, or takes a gun and goes shooting, or a heavy stick and walks hard. He always gets half a dozen miles and runs back. Another rest, and then lunch on chops, or a steak and vegetables and stewed fruit. At 3 or 3.30 ho starts 'work,' namely ballpunching, skipping, shadow-sparring, and Sandow exercises. These last about three-quarters of an hour, after which he Das a swim or a shower, is rubbed down, and finishes the day." A VOLCANO. All these exercises, with good digestion and sound sleep, keep the heart and muscles of Burns fit for the prizewinning. He is nimble when he is moving in earnest, but when there is no ("business" .ldc-ing.rhe/rlapsqs iniq,.bimself — *'a man of pale, small-featured face, impassive blue eyes," a banked furnace. "All Burns's movements as an ordinary member of society," says "Byrock," "are sldw, ponderous, almost ungainly. He walks heavily, sits down heavily, uses his hantls heavily. He suggests, in his unprofessional moments, ona who is tired and rather old. I never in my life saw a human being of his age — white, * brown, or black — who -was capable of sitting quite stiil for so long a time. He rises to show a hit he has 'figured out.' Straightway the lassitude is gone; every muscle is tense, under control, and in perfect relation, and the' onlooker realises in quick order that he is observing the fastest heavy-weight fighter the world has eter,known." A GLADIATOR. In battle Burns suggests a figure of a Roman of old armed with the short sword so much, dreaded by the Gauls of Caesar's time, and his head is his shield. His "crouch," which, in the opinion of some critics, might discount the classic in his pose, really emphasises the classic, for it more vividly suggests the gladiator picking the vital spot in his enemy's frame. Burns crouches under his shield, which is his armoured head. Sledge-hammer blows maycomo upon that iron cranium, but the face below flinches not, and the hands do not .slacken in their deadly work of pounding at the vulnerable points. The champion is very hard-headed, actually, and is also hard-headed in business. He regards fisticuffs as a profession from which he must get the best possible material advantages, honourably, while his brain and body stood him well. That is why he staved off Johnson till he had sent down the minor fighters and sent up his banking account. He was not afraid of Johnson, but believed that it would be a better business proposition to meet the negro at the end of 1908, say, than it would have been a year or more ago. THE GIANT JOHNSON. Scarcely two other men on earth stand in greater contrast than Burns and Johnson.. One is white, the other black ; one is sft 7in, the other over 6ft; one is classic in feature, the other very pronouncedly Ethiopian. Johnson has been fighting for half his lifetime, which is about thirty years. In his time Johnson has achieved conquests enough to make him vain. He worships his profession, and worships the power that makes his arms fly. He is fond of flattery, and has about him an entourage to keep him in sweet temper. Burns, to the disgust of Johnson, is satisfied with one trainer. The negro, regarding himself as one of the Kings of the Ring, keeps what he considers a proper court — a retinue of specialists. "He has the biggest staff of helpers the writer has ever seen in waiting on any fighter," comments "Leonce " in the Lone Hand. "The man who rubs him down doesn't run with him ; the runner doesn't put the gloves on with him ; his sparring partner does nothing but spuar." Johnson runs or walks about nine miles a day, "shadow spars." "He punches the ball with beautiful precision bub with less ' devil ' than Burns," remarks "Leonce." "He has a multitude of blows, which he delivers with either hand and in every conceivable position." For diet Johnson follows his own sweet will, which runs to puddings, cream, ices, jam; he smokes cigars, and will not turn away from a glass of beer right up to the day of the battle. "Burns is the most sarcastical man I ever met," runs a remark attributed to Johnson, and some of the champion's sarcasm has been directed at the, coloured man, so Johnson believes. At all events the negro confesses that he does not like "little Tahmy," as he calls him, and aches to lull him for ten seconds on Boxing Day. He admits that he will enter

the ring with a feeling against his opponent, and for this the \yily Bums will rather rejoice than grieve, for it is one of his axioms that a man out of temper is at the mercy of a cool enemy. Still, Johnson is sure that it will not be safe for him to allow his feelings to run away with his discretion. "It iB almost sure," declares " Leonce," " that lie will go for a 'points' decision."