BOXING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13349, 27 July 1907, Page 2

BOXING.

I RETIREMENT OF SQUIRES. Considerable suurprise, not to mention disappointment, was evinced in sporting circles over the contents of a cablefmesisige received by Mr John Wren from '* Bill" Squires, who was recently, related in a match at Colma for the championship of the world by "Tommy" Bums. A day or two after the receipt of the unwelcome news that Squires had been knocked out in less than a minute, Mr Wren cabled to his manager, Mr Reynolds, in San Francisco, as foil ows : "Public and I think Squires unlucky. Will give Burns £SOO and whole of gate, win, Jose, or draw, for a return match within one month." There was no direct answer to this cable, but next day Mr Reynolds cabled io Mr Wren:— "Burns offers to meat Squires. Australia, about November, £2OOO, win, lose, or draw transportation self and trainer. Last result unlucky accident. Mr Wren intended to accept this offer if he could obtain a suitable place in Melbourne to bring off a contest between the two men, but all jiroposed arrangements have bteu knocked on the head, owing to the 'receipt of Squires' cable, which reads : "Earnestly request be released from contract. Desire retirement." Followers of boxing throughout Australia were anxious that Squires should be given a chance of retrieving his reputation. It was generally thought thai he had been beaten owing to Burns getting in a lucky blow at, ;the outset of the conti-.it, This opinion was endorsed by one who saw the tight, Mr Reynolds, as will noted above, stating that the result was -an unlucky accident." Squire:-', however, appears to think otherwise He in evidently satisfied that Burns is the better man. "if that is really his opinion, he is, no doubt, itnsib'c to act on it; but disappointment will all the same bs felt all over Australia at his decision. Mr Wren stated to an "Argus" reporter

thai ho did not intend to reply to hqtiires/s cable for a few days. Ho would allow liim time to alter hin mind, but if he got nq further cable on the subject, would send a, reply releasing him from his eoi.aaet, as requested. The contract was for 18 intuitu.-, dating liii.ii tiie time of Squires's landing in Anuiiea. J!e ha 1. ol ci-urye, los; co.u-Ueivb y over tisi venture in sending (squires to Ameiica, but minded thai; not so much a,-' Squir, s-'s defeat. When ha offered £sjo and the whole of the gate to Burnis to give Squires a return match, he never dreamt- for a moment that- Squires would not bo agreeable. Had they met again within a month afur thtir fhei. battie, and Squires had won, whiich he (Mr Wren) thought qime a likely result, he could have commanded good purses in America or Enghmd a:, me champion of the world, and his tend act with (Squires would have had a .-ucce..<:uJ outcome financially. He thot-ght that Squir-es's determination to rclirc might hj: iuilaencid by the *" roasting " he i.-; certain to have got frcm the American newspapers, owing to the poor light he put up with Bum.-'. Squh-eis has not done any work a;s a miner for some two years, but if he reived from the busing ring he would, he supposed return to work in the mines at Newcastle. Kquir.es, no doubt, f:-ols his defeat very keenly, but personally, he (Mr Wren) wa.s sorry that he would' n:-t allow hime-.-lf anoth-.r opportunity of showing that- he was a better boxer than hi; form agaii.ci Burns made him out to be.