HOW BECKETT BEAT BURNS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20057, 21 September 1920, Page 3

HOW BECKETT BEAT BURNS.

THi YEARS AND THE RUST.

THi FAILURE AND ITS MORAL.

Those wi|o came, to watch the contest at the Albert Hall between Tommy Burns, the one-time heavy-weight-box-ing champion of - the world, and Joe Beckett, the' champion of Great Britain, were not disappointed (writes “ Punch ” in - the London “Observer ”). They saw a fight that was, if not an exhibition of classic boxing, on© full of, interest, action and with many an unexpected 'thrill. ■ They also saw a brave man, old in the boxing sense, trying to prove an experiment, and using his own frame as the material for the supreme test. Tommy Burns confidently believed that he would disprove the already strongly tested rule that a boxer cannot “come back.” Also, he wished to show that a man of forty who had lived’a clean, temperate life and had held that th'e keeping of one’s physical frame in good condition is a part of one’s religion, .was quite equal to the task of a vigor ous boxer in his boxing prime. He failed ,in his purpose, but he failed gallantly, although to a certain extent ho proved some of his points. , BURNS TIRES EARLY. As I expected, he out-speeded our champion, in foot and hand; he outtricked him at times and puzzled him, but in the end he was forced to bow to the shadowy figure bearing the Bcytbo and hour-glass and to the old old “ ncver-conic-back ” rule. Beckett, in all-round science did not beat Burns. At out-fighting he was outclassed, especially in the third round, when Burns suddenly developed new long-range tactics, and hit his opponent, at will as he bored in with head' down with his bull-likc rush. But at in-fighting Burns was noticeably weak. It was in the clinches ■ that his - strength was gradually, sapped ..from, him .and ‘ where he seemed at a loss as how to protect himself. His favourite method of defence at such times, if it coijld he called defence at -all, was to lean forward against his opponent, _ causing him to retreat and thus to minimise the force of blows received, instead or parrying or blocking them. It was a. surprise to me to sec Beckett’s right arm’body digs of prodigious power flash, Lome time -after time, and to note ■ that Burns, who was so superior at outfighting, seemed unable to defend himself against them. - The truth is that Burns after the fourth round was tired, and . although masking his weakening condition by "his flash activity, preferred to conserve his energy by falling into a semi-clinch whenever possible. He held frequently, and was ■ warned for this offence on four occasions/ Then too, his blows began to lack sting, and Beckett noticing this began to 1 press his. advantage, during these semiclinches. The fight proved two things. One was that Burns had not “come back,” for Ins blows lacked that continuedquality of sting and snap, and bis punching power fell off considerably as the rounds reeled off; and the other jvas that Beckett, although an extremely tough and dangerous man of great physical strength, strong , franio and stamina, is not cut out for a champion of champions. In e-Yery fight in which, he ha's taken part he has shown some improvement, and yet in some very essential features ho is as backward as he was eighteen months ago. A strong, agile and intel-, ligent boxer at his own weight would always be able to pave, the way for that most devastating blow, a right-hook or a- straight right counter to the jaw. His upper guard is feeble, and up to the present he has not learnt the lesson that Carpontier tiled to teach him.,,, BECKETT BLAYS HIS OWN GAME. Still, against Burns he fought a. good fight. Even in the first round, when Bums danced around him and feinted ti»no after time, he refused to bo drawn into a rush, and seemed determined to play his own game and not that dictated by his opponent. Thfe first round Was about even, the light and speedy long/ange work of Bums being counterbalanced by Beckett’s heavy play for the body at close quarters. ’ In the second round, Bums danced and frisked around Beckett, an old fault of his. using up much energy in a useless display of speed and agility, but again at close quarters Beckett did the solid work, drawing blood from the Canadian’s noso and taking the round by a fair margin. Then came the third round, 'the gem of the evening, and the hearts of all onlookers of forty years and upwards thrilled in sympathy as they saw the, '“ old ’un ” boxing like a youngster. ■ln that round he seemed tireless and more like the Burns of twelve years ago. Time after time he pinked the English champion as he essayed to rush in with straight lefts, left swings folA lowed by light hooks and uppercuts, and then a spanking right and left hook which actually staggered Beckett and caused him to hang on. Towards'the end of the found, however,' Beckett managed to get in close and sent in a half-dozen of his heavy right ann jolts to the ribs. In the fourth round, too Burns had the advantage, and .time after time with almost ridiculous ease he made the Englishman flounder and miss with attempted right and loft swings, and.ho finished up by tending in a stiff right uppercut to the stomach which made Beckett wince. But alreadyliis.blows had begun, to fall off, in power," and the rest’ of *ilho ‘'figjYt ’until' the towel was thrown into the ring at the end of the seventh round was simply an exhibition of plucky endurance on the Canadian’s part, while Beckett rained in a variety of blows at dose quarters with cumulative effect. A real champion would probably have been able to finish the fight with two or three well-judged and measured blows, and here again Beckett fell short of genuine World’s championship form. A MoaiBNTAUY RALLY. Burns made an amazing spurt in the sixth round, but it was a flash in the pan, and ho suffered terrible. punishment, liia right eye being almost closed, and hywas hardly able to avoid a single blow aimed at him, lu the seventh round the Canadian was sent down for a count of “ eight.” Ho rose andrthen again came a > thrill, for the fierce fighting instinct of the man forced his beaten body to a sudden blind blaze of furious battle.

Eiut it was a blind'rally, and by tha fwi 6 ' his blows one could gather that his judgment of timing and sense or distance was gone from bun—in fact' it is doubtful if be could! even see. bis opp«aent distinctly. Again. Beckett, got to close quarters, worrying his man 1 a , uU - t l arnei > again Bums fell to the boards, this time, more from exhaustion than a. blow. ’When ho rose ius,legs .still steady, but ho received more punishment, and just be- • tore-the bell clanged the towel of surI " wss to'scd into the ring. &.irns has been laid too long oil the shelf, and my belief is that ik waa ' not the years alone that beat him, but the combination if years and rust. The years_ alone will not break . down the effective working of a boxer’s mechanism, It is the long rest that has prim* ary effect. In many other sports reguimg stamina and strength'- the man, of forty years of age can still be king. In cricket, with its call for stamina, fine physical condition, alertness of mind and keeness of eye; in tennis, golf, and billiards, the man of forty hs still ybung. liven explorers, in selecting men for an expedition, generally give preference to men between thirty and forty for their sjaminal superiority and capacity, te hardship over the yo’ungBut in boxing, there is a demand for a combination of remarkable physical and mental qualities, and to,keep in top form a good boxer cannot afford:to take a long rest.- Even a juggler, whose performance depends on a delicacy of touch, a sense of balance, and a fine co-ordination of hand and eye, must always keep in practice, or he will grow rusty. Ihe late Paul Cinquevalli, the greatest of jugglers, admitted to me .that if he let any important trick drop tor three months, it took him at least a month to brmg jts execution back to its best form again. Constant practice is mucli more important to a good boxer V than to a juggler. When in the ring ' he has not his own time in which to . bnng up a particular trick. The opportunity presents itself, and—flash—he has made use of it in the best posBible way/, - , A gamine champion boxer must possess a remarkable and wonderfully balanced co-ordination of qualities. His life as a' champion is but" a short tepan' or years, but the prizes are, great in the profession! world. No champion, thererore, whois worthy of the name can afford to “lay. off” for long periods" or avoid any fight worthy of his standing a-s champion. If he prefers the stalled ' Mo, the pose and the' laurel wreath, - then the day will come at last when he is forced to meot a. budding champion, 3 1 then find to : his sorrow, whether ho wins or loses, that something has gone from him, his timing, or that sixth sense of anticipaiug a blow, or Ins judgment of distance, and that ho is mot 'such a good man os he was.