Burns to Meet Johnson

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 14, 30 September 1908, Page 15

Burns to Meet Johnson

A HEAVY PURSE. Mr. H. D. M'lntosh's representative this morning received a cablegram from London, stating that Johnson had finally signed the agreement for a match with Tommy Burns, and would leave for Sydney to-morrow by the R.M.S. Ortona, says the “Sydney Evening News” of the 17th inst. Chatting to an “ Evening News” representative, Mr. MTntosh’s representative said the fight would take place in Sydney about the beginning of December next. It would, he added 1 , be Burns’ last fight, and Tommy was anxious to retire an unbeaten champion. The stadium at Rushcutter’s Bay will be enlarged, and Will have a seating accommodation of 20,000 persons. The fight will be for a purse of £7.500, which is about the largest ever offered for a champion contest. “Every promoter in the world had previously tried, without success, to bring the two champions together,” said Mr. MTntosh’s representative, "so naturally We are somewhat pleased at the result of our endeavours io bring about a meeting which promises to be one of the greatest events in the history of the boxing world.” According to a poster sent to the “Evening News,” evidently by his manager, Sam Fitzpatrick, Jack Johnson was lost month showing at the Holborn Empire, London. The poster contains the following opiinions of the English Press and others regarding a proposed match between Burns and himself: — Lord Lonsdale wired to the “Sportsman” of May 18: “Do not at all approve any arrangements being made giving Burns £6OOO. It is utterly absurd, and Contrary to the interests of boxing, and! the fact of his adhering to these sums shows he is frightened to meet Johnson. If you give Burns percentage of gatemoney, you must also give Johnson percentage of gate money. If Burns has any confidence in his skill, he would be quite ready to meet Johnson on similar terms to best pugilists that have ever lived. General expression of opinion at Newmarket was to this effect, that he was hiding his fear of Johnson under a cloak of gold. Don’t believe you would get the enormous crowd you imagine if once known he was going to get this sum.” “Sportsman,” May 7, asks: “Is the black the champion?” and goes on to say, “Tommy Burns has positively declined to meet Johnson for the purse of £2500 offered by the National Sporting Club, and followers of boxing are piitting the question, is Burns afraid? His demand for £6o6b »in, lose, or draw, is ridiculed and laugtuM at.” New Yortg " Evening Journal,” April 21: —"Johnson Sails to Force Burns to Fight. After many unsuccessful attempts to force Tommy Burns to fight Johnson, the coloured heavyweight, and

bis manager, Sam Fitzpatrick, sailed for England to-day to force Burns into a match for the championship of the world.” " The Referee,” London, May 17:—■“ If Burns continues to avoid! Johnson everyone will know what to think of him; that secretly he knows Johnson to be the better man.” New York "American,” May 10: — “ Burns will soon have to show his hand or retire.” Sydney residents who have seen Burns fight are not likely to believe that any delay in arranging the match with Johnson . has been due to his being “ frightened ”of the black. Anyhow, this view is disproved by the fact that, although he has determined to quit the ring, Burns has arranged to fight Johnson before doing so, and that he has expressed his willingness to put up, on his own behalf, a side wager to any amount the black likes to cover. BURNS IS PLEASED. Snowy River House, Mt. Kosciusko, September 18. —Tommy Burns, world’s champion boxer, learned with great pleasure the news that Jack Johnson, the coloured heavyweight champion, had signed articles for a match in Australia. Burns remarked:— “Now the sporting public of the world will see who is the make-believe and bluffer. Johnson has been loudly protesting that he could not get a match with me, yet it has taken three weeks to get him to sign up, and has cost the promoter, Mr Mclntosh, quite a bit of money in cables. However, he has signed, and lam pleased. I will stay here in the pure Kosciusko mountain air and rest before I start to train. If Johnson beats me, he will hear no kick from me. But never fear, I feel I can deliver the goods on time, and up to samples. Johnson states he will bet a thousand pounds he can stop me in 20 rounds. I have posted the ‘Referee’ office a thousand to say he cannot, and another thousand to say I can win. If Johnson can make good his bluff there is easy money for him.” The purse will be for £7OOO, besides which Johnson receives £5OO for expenses. The winner of the fight will take the world’s heavyweight boxing championship and £4200, the loser gets £2BOO.