BOXING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 61, 11 February 1925, Page 9

BOXING.

(By "Flush Left."} In various newspapers lately the earnings of some successful pugilists have been recorded, with those of Jack Dempsey given S|)eeial prominence. For five lights lie totalled £195,200 (pounds) ; but incidental expenses, his cuto manager, and Uncle Sum's taxing department knocked his glass over when it was holding a good drop of this stuff. The winnings of some equally famous fighters are interesting, and show what a sweated profession it was prior to the formation of "The Pug's Smother and Hug Union." Jem Mace, on October 22, 1855, beat Slack, of Norwich, in nine rounds, taking nineteen minutes, for £5 u side. But he was too great a man to be kept down, for we find him next meeting Bill Thorpe for a £25 purse, and beating him in eighteen, rounds, taking twentyseven minutes. Then on he goes meeting Brottle, Pash and Travers, till he faces Sum Hurst on Juno 18, 1861, to win in eight rounds, lasting fifty minutes, for u purse of £2OO and the championship of England. On January 28, 1862, lie got away with the great Tom King in fortythreu rounds, taking sixty-eight minutes, for the championship and"£2oU. In November of the same year Tom returned the compliment in eighteen rounds, lasting thirty-eight minutes. There must have been a slump in butter, or something, for only a £4O purse was attached to it. About this time Join started tho habit of meeting Joe Goss, drawing once and beating him twice. For settling Tom Allen on May 10. 187 C, in ten rounds, lasting forty-five minutes, Jam received £IOOO. Then one Joe Cobu.ru comes on tho scene. Joseph was born in Middletown, County Armagh. Ireland, and emigrated to America. His first fight was with Ned Price (subsequently a noted New York lawyer) for a £6O purse. They fought 160 rounds, lasting three hours and twenty-live minutes, when darkness intervened, antl the referee declared a draw. It was cheap lighting. Joe then issued a tlefi to English Tom King, who had gained a decision over John ('. lleenan, but Tom had retired from the ring by that time, and it was transferred to Jem Mace. Jem refused to fight in America, hut expressed willingness to do so in Ireland. Coburn lost no time in reaching Pierslown, Parish of Kihnard, County lipperarv. They were to have fought "on October 4. 1864, for £IOOO, but could not agree upon a referee, and Muce returned to England and Coburn to New York-. On May 11, 1871, they at last met for £4OO a-sido and the championship of the world at Port Ryoson, Canada, but tho military stopped proceedings. Another match for £6OO was arranged, and they fought at Bay St. Louis, near NewOrleans, on November 30 1871. Coburn at 12st 21b, Mace at lOst 121 b. The referee declared a draw after twelve rounds, taking throe hours forty-eight minutes. This was Coburn's last battle in the ring. Mace had many more fights. He toured the world giving exhibitions and boxing lessons, and it is safe to say ho influenced the upright style of English boxing more than any other man that ever stepped inside the ropes. He was born at SwafTliani. near Norwich, in 1831, and stood sft 9iins, and fought at lOst 121 b. Ask any old English fight fan who was the greatest pugilist his country ever produced, and he will not hesitate to name Torn Sayers, and will probably add that Tom was not only the greatest pug England ever brought forth, but all other countries also included. And there is quite an amount of reason for this contention, apart from the sentiment that always clings to the name of Tom Sayers among Englishmen. lie was born at Pirnlico, near Brighton, England, in 1826. He stood sft Bin in height, and his fighting weight was lCst 101 b. We find him on March 19, 1849, lighting a person quaintly named Aby Crouch for £5. Tom won. In fact the only time he ever lost, without a doubt was when he met Nat Langhum on October 18, 1853, for £IOO. Nat methodically set to work and closed both of Tom's peepers, as the fancy used whimsically to put it. Sayers wandered about the ring feeling for his man, hut the referee put an end to the inevitable and gave Langham tho verdict. Nat could not be porsuaded to again take on the job. Tom fought anyone who came along for purses that a fashionable pug nowadays would express loud scorn at, and in matches he had at times to give odds of 2 to 1, as with Sims, Brittle und others. Some of tho nomenclature in those old days was singular, as instanced when Sayers fought "The Tipton Slasher" for £2OO. The name, somehow, suggests a pastoral. The most memorable of all Tom's fights- was with John O. Heenan, "The Benoeia Boy," for £4OO and tho championship, at Farnborough, England, on April 17, 1860. John was born at West Troy, New York, on May 2, 1835, and stood 6ft 2in in hoight. and fought at 13st 81b. lleenan was 25 years anil Sayers 34 years old so that, as pugilists, go, Tom was aged, as well as vcrv 'light for such an undertak ing. The battle was a terrible one of

thirty-Seven rounds, lasting two hours and six minutes, when the referee left the ring; but they fought on without him for seven more rounds , when the ropes were cut, allegedly by friends of Sayers. Heenan's records have it that the contest ended in a wrangle, Tom's as u draw. The correct decision would appear to In a matter of patriotism. Which reminds "Flush Left" that last Saturday he read in a paper that Benny Leonard was going to forfeit his lightweight title, and would be the first to do so since the undefeated Jack McAuliffe. Jack's records, no doubt, show that ho retired unbeaten, but Australian Griffo, a feather, smothered him at Seaaido Athletio Club, Coney Island, on August 27, 1894, although referee Maxwell E. Moore, gave the verdict against GrifTo, anil English Jim Carney, at Revere Iseach, near Bosion, on November 16, 1839, after 74 desperate rounds, had McAuliffe boat to a standstill when tho hitter's supporters rushed tho ring and robbed Carney of a hard-earned decision.