THE PRIZE FIGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13950, 5 January 1909, Page 7

THE PRIZE FIGHT.

" NAKEDLY BRUTAL SCUFFLE."

HOW THE CHAMPION FELL.

The Sydney files to hand by the Mokoia yesterday, contain very full and detailed accounts of the recent boxing contest for the world's championship between Burns and Johnson. In the course of a leading article, the Sydney Morning Herald refers to the fight as "A nakedly brutal scuffle, which ail edified public paid the promoting syndicate £26,000 to see, and for which the perfonnere charged the syndicate, so we are told, £7500." The same journal says:—"The interest excited by the meeting of the American champion, Burns, with the Australian Squires, great as it was, could not compare either in intensity or extent with the interest which centred on the event which resulted on Saturday in the passing of the belt to an American black. A crowd, estimated to number between 15,000 and 20,000 persons, paid high prices to witness it. More than as many again, unable to gain admission to the Stadium, lingered in the vicinity. Men were there from the other States and from the furthermost comers of this State. The cables were kept busy, for there were corresponding sections of people who wanted to know the result in both Britain and America." THE FIGHT. In the Daily Telegraph's account of the fight the preliminaries are thus referred to: —" It was 20 minutes to 11 when Johnson climbed into the ring, with his attendants, and received the cheers of the crowd. Tommy Burns followed, -and was hailed with loud, invigorating cheers and cries of "Good boy, Tommy." But the white champion did not seem pleased with things. He looked crocs, and his smile was not a really friendly one as he acknowledged the salute of the assembled people. His looks were far less cordial, too, when Johnson crossed the ring, smiling broadly, and showing his heavily goldfilled teeth, as he approached "the little fellow," and, saying "Tahmy," held out his hand. Burns took the big black fist in the tips of his fingers and let it drop. That was all; but to those who were near enough to see, it confirmed much of what rumour had said of the personal feeling between the two." After some trouble caused by Johnson insisting upon Burns removing the elastic bandages he was wearing on his arms, the fight began at 11.5 a.m. They moved round each other for a moment or two before Johnson led a light left, and ' the pair got to close quarters, fighting fiercely, while the referee frantically endeavoured to separate them. Johnson puirched a heavy blow to the chin, while they were close, and sent Burns down, to stay eight seconds. Rising, Bums worked in and landed blows on the body then there was more clinching, till the referee interfered again. Johnson swung a right to the jaw, and come scuffling, during which Burns pounded at the body, followed. Johnson held his man with both hands, and tried to get an uppercut home, but Burns was too clover for a while. Ultimately, Johnson's right made a heavy impact with the eRr, and Burns went down, to rise quickly. After a short lull Johnson swung the right, and miesed badly through Burns' clever ducking. Johnson essayed that effective uppercut of his again, but failed. So far it became plain that Johnson was much too big and heavy and etrong for Burns, and, besides, he fought very coolly. Croat cheering followed the men to their chairs.

In the second round Burns' friends were better pleased with him, and during the next Johnson looked more serious for a •while, there being some good punching exclianged. The fourth round was remarkable for some eager infighting, and in th© fifth there were some hot exchanges. Burns made a fine effort in the sixth round, but the other man had too much over him. Johnson made a fierce rush beginning the seventh, and lodged left and right oil the body, and. following up, literally showered blows about the head of his: opponent, whose capacity for punishment proved truly wonderful. The expression on Burns' face at this stage indicated that he was determined to do or die, and another heavy righthander saw him still coming on. During a clinch. Burns' right to the ribs and head brought applause from thousands, Johnson upper-cut the jaw with the right. Johnson sent home a stingful left punch as Burns came in, and the latter fell to the floor, to rise quickly and rush his man again. Johnson dealt out a very great amount of punishment in this round. Johnson continued to make things warm throughout the eighth, and it now looked certainly only a matter of time when he must win, but Burns kept going bravely, and hero and there scored a good blow, but his punching didn't appear to have anything like the power expected. It was very much Johnson during the ninth, and Burns' pluck and persistence evoked admiration on all sides, while every now and again he would do something that encouraged his friends to hope he might yet succeed, but the odds were too great. The tenth saw Johnson put in some great work, though a couple of times he sprawled clumsily. Burns scored a fine left to the nose, and jumping clear knocked airainst the referee. It seemed fortunate for Burns when the " corners" command clanged, as be appeared on the verge of going down. The fighting was still vimful and exciting in the eleventh. Johnson did a lot of damage with those uppercuts and shortarm jolts to the head and jaw, and once he held and hit his opponent twice—both right uppercuts, that certainly troubled the recipient. With all the wear and tear he had suffered Burns still seemed strong. The twelfth round was somewhat similar to the preceding one, and the bell found Burns on the lower rope enduring a torrid time.

' A quick " succession of heavy punches landed on Burns in the thirteenth. One of them—a particularly severe blowcaused his already badly swollen face to become worse.

The fourteenth -was the last round. Johnson got to work quickly, and served out punishment at such a rate and in such heavy doses that ultimately Burns was sent down for Bs., .and as Johnson rushed to finish him after ho rose, Police-superinten-dent Mitchell called a halt, and Mr. Mcintosh declared Johnson the winner. A FAIR WIN. As to the fight itself (says the Herald), all that need be said of "it is that the more powerful fighter won. That Johnson won fairly and decisively enough hardly anyone questions, although Burns believes that, had not the police interfered, he still had a chance. If, in the absence of such intervention, Burns had eventually beaten his man, it would have been a greater testimony to his superior morale than to his fighting skill. No one who witnessed the affair will agree with the ex-champion that the police intervention was ill-timed or unjustified. Burns was outclassed by an opponent who, in addition to skill, had on his side very much greater size and weight. The smaller man, therefore, suffers no ignominy in going down in a struggle in which the factors were so unequal. Johnson, however, has robbed himself of any acclaim which- an Australian public—or that section of it that concerns itself much with these exhibitions — have accorded him on his victory by the display of what the circle he moves in would understand as " flashness."