BOXERS MAKE MONEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10923, 12 November 1913, Page 5

BOXERS MAKE MONEY.

STARS GET BIG FEES. AUSTRALIANS KEEN ON SPORT. -A-thousand pounds for an evening's work seems a stifi fee. Who, other than Melba and the greatest boxers/ can command it? Yet it appears to be ,the most easily won money in Australia! Most men would be prepared to go into an 18ft ring with <T Matt" Weils or" Hughje " Mehegan f>r £IOOO, and a few would still be satisfied with their bargain after their week in hospital. It is safe to say that no one, except, perhaps, the other four boxers training ,in Melbourne for, the Cup week contests at the new Stadium, would be worth the money. Wells and Mehegan drew more than £IOOO each for their match in Sydney, when Wells obtained the verdict, after twenty strenuous rounds. The sum is by no means a boxer's fortune. Not so long ago, the sport was in a poor way; World's champions were glad enough to get a few pounds by showing at . country fairs. Pugilism was a synonym for brutality, and the public, as a whole, has never had time or money for brutality. Those days .are gone, and boxers are now among the most richly endowed of mortals. Few sports are so liberally patronised in English and French speaking communities, and a successful boxer can bank thousands of pounds a year, while he keeps the favour of the crowd. James J. Jeffries , made £25,000 out of- his oontest with "Jack" Johnson. It was all over in a few moments, but it produced in gate money and biograph receipts more than ' £IOO,OOO. Their match in Sydney gave l \Tohnson and "Tommy" Burns £6OOO j saoh. and Burns received little less for gating " Bill" Squires. A worldfamous boxer of any weight can make £4OOO or £SOOO a year without the ■rouble which the average man puts mto his daily occupation. In this boxing boom, which is practically a world phenomenon, Australia has played a leading part. From the point of view of money spent, America leads the'way. Every city in the United States and Canada has its stadium, and most cities feel themselves entitled to a good match every month. American boxers are singularly clever, and they have won the prinoipal world's championships. England, however, remains the recognised, if not the original, home of the sport. Australian boxing began seriously five years ago. The Sydney Stadium was Wilt by Mr Hugh D. M'lntosb, as a temporary shelter for the crowds at the Squires-Burns ' and the JohnsonBurns matches, and 6ince then the public has poured such huge sums of money into the game that Australia has become recognised as the happiest hunting ground for boxers. In the last five years 360,000 people have attended the Sydney Stadium yearly. The total takings have been £250,000, exclusive of £20,000 raised for charity by use of the buildings. The weeding out of the objectionable features formerly associated with boxing has brought it into favour with a good type of patron, and at present there is-no class (n Sydney not represented at every contest. Sydney now possesses the largest boxing stadium in the world. It holds 17,000 people, but it has proved insufficient for the crowds desirous of attending such matches as those between Wells and Mehegan, "Dave" Smith and "Pat" Bradley. »nd Arthur Ever den and "Syd" Intrns. vrreat expense is necessarily incurred in inducing the leading boxers to come to Australia. Mr R. L. Baker, who bought the Svdney Stadium from Mr M'lntosh for £30,000, and now haa (rtadiums in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide, had to give substantial guarantees to nearly all of the seventy feading boxers he has at present under (Muc'rfao* *o him. A boxer usually contracts to box three times a season, and if he is among the stars he is not satisfied with much less than £9OO or £IOOO for each contest.