BOXING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13790, 23 October 1908, Page 6

BOXING.

Quite a sensation was caused in the American boxing world last month, when Stanley Ketchel, who lias been proclaimed by many as the man who was going to beat Tommy Burns, «a? mercilessly whipped by Billy Papke.j the "Illinois Thunderbolt." The match! which was for the world's miadle weight championship, was fought at Los Angeles on September 7. In twelve rounds Papke gave Ketchel one of the worst thrashings administered to a first-rank bdxer for many years. Early in the first round Papke hit short with the left and then, like a flash of ligbtning. brought tho right across. The blow staggered Ketchel. aijd afteeted him all through the fight. In that first round Ketchel was sent to the floor five times. From then on Papke battered away. Ketchel stood up with magnificent pluck, but it was hopelßss. His eyes, says one report, were tightly closed, and his face bruised beyond recognition. In the eleventh round he was knocked completely through tho ropes, and lay on the edge of the platform. But the gong saved him. He wobbled to the centre of the ring for the twelfth round, but there was no fight in him. Papko used his right, and twice Ketchel went to the floor. He arose the second time just as Referee Jim Jeffries had counted him out, tottered, and would have fallen had he not been caught by one of his seconds. It was the first time Ketchel had been beaten. Before this be hat! gone through his opponents like a whirlwind. Once before Papke and Ketchel met, when Ketchel won all the way in ten rounds.

-At the San Francisco on September 9, Battling. Nelson again knocked out Joe Gans in a fight for the world's lightweight championship. The fight lasted twenty-one rounds, Gans. being badly beaten. The sum of £9100 was, lodged with the Sydney Referee a few clays ago for the Burns-Johnson fight for the heavyweight championship of tho world. Of i his amount £7100 was put up by the syndicate controlling the match, being tho purso ot £7500 involved in tho battle, less £ 100 absorbed by expenses lor Johnson and his trainer and manager to go to Australia. The remaining £2000 was deposited by Tommy Burns, £1000 for Johnson to cover and thus make good his offer to bet, and the other as forfeit should Burn^ fail to act up to his contract.