BOXING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7021, 8 January 1910, Page 13

BOXING

FEOM OUB SPECIAL COHEEBPONDENT. LONDON, November 26.

FRANK SLAVIN’S CHALLENGE. “There’s life in the old dog yet.” After long silence our old pugilistic friend “Paddy” (otherwise Frank) Slavin has bobbed up serenely with a challenge, besides which even Tommy Burns’s offer to put to sleep any three, of our heavy-weight men in one evening was quite a modest proposition. Frank’s gorge lias been raised by the statement in a Yankee book of . fisticuff records to tbe effect That he was knocked out in two rounds by bis ■whilom friend and sparring . partner, Charley Mitchell. Of course, Slavin and Mitchell never met in the ring, but in tho summer of 1891 when the two were fulfilling a sparring engagement at Liverpool they certainly “came to blows" of a more realistic character than the

terms of their music-hall engagement demanded.

Slavin, it appears,, had dinod well, but not, perhaps, ■wisely, and to use a familiar colloquialism, “took a liberty” with Mitchell when they were boxing. Charles resented this, and the pair bad a dust up, in which Slavin did not exactly shine. In the dressing-room afterwards, it was said, a further. passage of arms took place, and in this “Paddy” was said by one “authority” to have played second fiddle.. .whilst another equally reliable. medium reported that “ ‘Paddy’ give 'im one under the 'eart as sent ’im to bye-bye." '. There are many versions of this fracas, all probably equally untrue. Undoubtedly there was trouble between the two, men on the evening in question, and with Slavin—shall we say—“joyous,” it is quite probable that an accomplished boxer like Mitchell did get tbo best of matters. But what has riled Slavin is tho entry'found under Mitchell’s performances in a Yankee boxing ■ book, "Knocked out Frank Slavin. 2 rounds, Liverpool.” Concerning this Frank P., : writing from British. Columbia, says in a letter to the London "Sportsman" : “Mitchell and I never fought in the prize ring. . , . Neither he nor any of : the champions of twenty : . yearssago would have anything to do with me at that time. If they had they, could have made a barrel of money had they been lucky enough to beat me in two weeks, let alone two rounds. "It Mitchell, Sullivan, Ivilrain,. or Choynski (those who were in the ring in my time) could buck up sufficient courage to consider this offer, namely, that I will .take the above-named old scrappers on, in one night, and agree to stop them, ono after the other, for 10,000 dole. If they stay in ten rounds, amongst them they can get 10,000dols of my money. All that is necessary for tlieih" to do is to make a deposit of lOOOdols. . . . X will cover it, and . . . show them that they never could, and; never will bo In my class in tbo prize ring.” ' Slavin probably means .what be says, but I hardly think he. will find any of the men he names anxious to return to their old love. Sullivan, at fifty-one and 18et or more, is quite , “off the map”; Kilrain is fifty, and probably still remembers the fearful drubbing Slavin gave him at the Granite Club, Hoboken, in nine rounds, aud the knockout Frank administered to him in tbo first round of tbe fight in 1896. Mitchell is in his forty-eighth year, and is not in the least likely to attempt to renew his old erstwhile pal’s acquaintance in the ring. , As for Choynski, lie is nearly seven years younger than Slavin, and by all accounts a wonderfully young man for bis age, so ho may, possibly, being so to speak, on tbe spot, give laudy a run for his money. SID. RUSSELL DRAWS. A crowd put in an appearance at tbe Wonderland Francais, Paris, on Saturday evening last to see Sid Russell, the Australian heavy-weight, and Jim ptewart, tho American, meet in a fifteen three-minute round contest. The match did not prove so interesting as was_antioipated in view of the good show Russell put up against Jog Jeannette last Saturday week. Russell was giving a couple of stone away, but he was never in danger of being knocked out. Rue-

sell, as in his match, against Jeannette, proved remarkably good in defence, but ‘weak in attack, and wan lucky to secure a draw. GEOIIGB GUNTHER WINS. Another Australian "coloured _ made hia London debut on Monday evening. ! This was George Gunther, who at King’s Hall, _in South-East London, met at catch weights the. South African coloured heavy-weight, Hozel Fischer. The' darkies were billed for twenty, rounds, but there was "only one in it/'and that was not Fischer. Tho Austra* lian fighter, though giving away height, . weight, and reach, was Fischer's mas* ter at every point of the game, and gave his man such a fearful hiding that Ihsoher’s seconds threw up tho sponge in the fifth round. In the opening round Fischer rushed in to annihilate his opponent, but Gunther side-stepped and swung , the right hard on the ribs. Both fought viciously for the body, but Fischer was slow. Coming together again Gunther toyed' with hie man, hitting him at will, first on the body and then on the face, r Fischer smiled and was .always ready for more. Just as the gong went Fischer went to tho floor for six seconds. In the third round Fischer was merely a chopping-block for the Australian. Sometimes the latter stood off his manl to admire his handiwork. The contest had really become faroial. Fischer had only his gameness to commend him. The South African faced the music onco, more. He would duck and hold his head down to be hit. Ho varied these tao tics with occasional rushes and swings, hut more often than not missed his man and fell down.