THE RING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1248, 30 January 1896, Page 28

THE RING.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) London, December 13. Frank Slavin's bad luck in the way of matches seems to have no end. He has challenged Maber, Smith, Fitzsimmons, and the rest of them in turn, has been coquetted with by each of them, and is still lacking even a prospective job. Maher, after replying to his challenge favourably, has cut short negotiations in order to have a newspaper battle with Fitzsimmons, Smith has choosen Creedon for his next opponent, and Slavin is left out in the cold. The big Australian will have to take that long talked of trip to the Cape yet. Rut though out of work Frank looks well, and dresses in a prosperous fashion. 8o do his brothers " Bill •' and " Jack," who are familiar figures to hahitues of the Strand. It would lie interesting to know how pugilists contrive to live so w< 11, and clothe s:> respectably upon apparently nothing in the way of income. Poor Peter Jackson, who has the reputation of being the kindest of "pugs.,' and who has never yet been guilty of assaulting anyone for fun's sake, was " put through it " at one of the shady night clubs recently. A smack on the back of the head from a life preserver brought him to the horizontal position, ami while down half a dozen toughs belaboured him with feet and hands. Peter asked them to let him get up, and promised if they did so to fight them all. But his assailants would not accept the challenge, and mauled the coloured man badly, one brute biting Jackson's face. Peter would, be wise to steer clear of these socalled " clubs,'' which are patronised mainly by creatures who would half murder a man for the price of a whisky and soda. From America comes the not very startling news that Jem Hall has been trying the role of a " bad man." He, it seems° visited Cleveland, Ohio, to attend a wrestling match, and put up at Hellenden. Finding things a bit dull in the village, Hall started ill to liven matters up. He paid a visit to the local hotel, ami finding a Mr Pinew in the reading room, proceeded to demonstrate upon that unfortunate gentleman the effect of a right-bander on the point. Pinew dropped like a log, and finding him incppable of affording more fun, Hall wended his way to the billiard saloom, and terrorised the company until all play was stopped. Then an officer dropped in, and after a long ar.d hard fight succeeded in getting the bracelets on the Australian. Someone dropped the butt end of a heavy cue on James' head during the tnssle, and for five / minutes the pugilist became quite tame.

Hall's old opponent and conqueror is. the cables state, matched with Peter Maher for twenty thousand dollars a-side. Bob must have found a gold mine recently. He couldn't, yon will remember, raise the stake money of 10.000 dollars against Corbett, but here we find him ready with double that amount. Peihaps he considers Maber an easier mark than the ex-champion. But it is more probable that the Maber match is •'all bunkum." If Corbett and Fitzsimmons could not find a place wherein to fight, is it likely the authorities in America will allow Vlaher and Fitzsimmons to meet? And if El Paso, which has been suggested as a battle ground, would not stand Corbett and Co.. is it reasonable to suppose the objection will disappear when Maber takes the place of " Gentleman Jim "1 If the men arc really in earnest the National Sporting Club would readily find a sizeable purse for them, and both Maher an I Fitzsimmons would find plenty of backing in the Old Country, and could be sure of freedom from police interference. Foul play, which seems to decide a great many of the rights over the water, is almost impossible at the N.S.C. unless the combatants' seconds are against their principals. Poor "Dummy" Winters, who has had a particularly hard life in London since his trial for the manslaughter of the brokenjawed boxer Smith, has at length managed to obtain a job. He has signed articles to box the best of fifteen rounds with Tom Tully, Creedon's black protege, at 9st 101 b, for a purse of £3O. The contest takes place at the Lambeth School of Arms on Monday week.