THE RING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1201, 8 March 1895, Page 25

THE RING.

From, Our Special Correspondent. London, January 26. FRANK SLA YIN. Frank Slavin and the other pugilistic Frank known to fame as “The Coffee Cooler ” have come to terms. They met on Monday at the Mirror, of Life office, Fleet street, and without indulging in more than a fair allowance of “ talkee-taikee,” appended their signatures to an agreement which binds them to box ten or twenty rounds with fourounce gloves, under Queensberry rules, within seven weeks from January 14th. Two hundred pounds a-side and the biggest purse obtainable are the financial details of the agreement, and fifty a-side was posted with “Pony ” Moore on Monday. Probably the National Sporting Club will bid for the fight, but- the purse won't be a very big one. The N.S.C. has paid very dearly for contests between notable fighters once or twice, and the resulting exhibitions have been very short and sweet—a couple of rounds and one man done for. With Slavin and Craig in the ring, and meaning business, the fight can’t last long. The Australian, of course, must win in short order if he wishes to continue at the business, and, putting aside bis defeat by Jim Hall as being the result of “crooked” business somewhere, the big Cornstalk would seem to have a “ soft job ” on hand. He certainly seems pretty “ fit V at present, and the celerity with which he put out the big wrestler Marshall at the Central Hall a few weeks ago proved that he can punch as hard as of yore. Craig, of course, is very tricky and quick as a cat, and if Slavin commences to fight the “ Coffee Cooler ” in his usual slovenly fashion the coloured man may bring off a fatal right in the first round. The Australian lost his fight with Peter Jackson through loose sparring at the commencement of the tenth round, and McAuliffe was literally “ all over" Slavin in the first two minutes of their fight at the Ormonde Club. Jim Hall got a right hand punch fairly home on Slavin’s jaw before they had been at work ten seconds, and those people who do not believe that the big man was hocussed point to that blow as the cause of his shocking display on that occasion.

GEORGE DAWSON. George Dawson, the Australian welterweight, seems to have made himself particularly popular in Chicago, where he figures as boxing instructor to the Athletic Club. On Christmas Eve, whilst George was putting an aged pupil through his facings, a delegation of clubmen broke in upon the lesson in order to present Dawson with a handsome gold watch and gold and aluminium chain. George stammered out his thanks and confessed himself ready to do anything in his power to show his gratitude. The delegation was prepared with a task for

Dawsoff, They had concealed Bob Fitzsimmons in axi outer room, and they asked Dawson to return thanks by punching Fitz for three rounds. George quickly assented, and the twain gave a very pretty display, at the end of which the delegation voted them “ jolly clever fellows.”