BOXING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 22, 9 January 1912, Page 8

BOXING.

SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE’S Some interesting remarks on boxing wore recently made by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, when interviewed by a London Daily Graphic representative, concerning the decision of the Bir iningham stipendiary magistrate that the proposed Morgan-Driscoll contest would be a priz6 fight. .Sir Arthur said emphatically that he thought the decision was thoroughly bad in every way. Ho added: “The present.course I of action will never succeed in oxter-; I minuting boxing in "England. The only su’coesS' that the enemies of the sport' i can hope for is to drive boxing down—to force it into, the Interior of our national life. At the present time boxing is on the surface. It is more popular than ever—look at the recent army championships when there are something like .250 entries—-and boxing contests are given the. widest publicity. Boxing—the love of boxing is in the blood of the peop'>; it is part of our national character : and so long as the character remains as it is at present you will have boxing contests. Moreover, you will always find one party of people hailing a champioii whom they regard as the best man, and another party of people espousing ! the cause of another champion whom I they consider to be the best; and you will always find the best men meeting each‘other, in what our present legislators can describe as a prizelight if they do so wish. You will never stop these “prize-fights” in England, though the action at Birmingham would seem to be an avowed attempt to prevent the best boxers meeting each other, and the only question the law has got to consider is whether such contest shall take place, as now, with the Press and the police present as well as the public, or whether, on the other hand, it is preferable to have such contests taking place at the back of a wayside public-house. The attempt to make boxing secret may be successful; but, as I have said you will never succeed in exterminating it. If such an attempt were successful it would be bad for the manhood of the country—bad for the nation at large. In, the meantime, it might be as well, in view of the Birmingham decision, and the temper of our present legislators, if all the men of England learnt to play “cat’scradle.” We must have some sport left to us. JOHNSON DENIES HE IS RETIRING. A New York cablegram dated January Ist. states:— Jack Johnson, who has returned from his tour abroad, energetically, denies that he has relinquished the world’s championship and retired from the boxing game. “AH I want,” said the champion, “Is a purse of £6OOO, and then I will tight anyone in the world. The report that I was on a rampage in England and France is all rot. I am in line condition, and do not weigh more than 235 lbs.” Johnson says be has more money 7 than when he left, but, nevertheless is anxious to fight the winner of the McVca-Lang-ford battle, provided the necessary purse is forthcoming. The champion brought back with him a new racing automobile and an English valet. Jack Curley, the manager of Jim Flynn who is in Salt Lake City, has announced that ho will guarantee Jack Johnson £4OOO for his share, win, lose or draw, in a fight with the Pueblo fireman. The manager wants the fight staged in Nevada, and insists that it should lie to a finish for (the world’s championship. Johnson has declined to say whether or not ho will accept the offer. “It is doubtful whether I will take the fight on,” he said. “A Now York promoter, Tom [ O’Rourke, has offered me a £SOOO purse to meet an opponent to lie I named later, and apart from that I am considering a trip to Australia. 1 I will net even more money there.” J According to one of the sporting

ournals O’Rourke’s offer is for a teu.'ouutls bout.