BOXING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 26, 30 December 1908, Page 8

BOXING.

Johnson Beats Buras. The battle between Tommy Burns and Jack Johnson for the heavy-weight championship of the boxing world was held at the Stadium, Rushcntter’s Bay, Sydney, on Boxing Day. The meeting between these two giants of the ring aroused an immense amount of interest in Sydney and all over Australia, and the attendance was enormous. Interest in the fight far exceeded that of the Burns-Squires contest. Burns and Johnson faced each other, apparently both in splendid fettle for what was expected to be a battle of giants. Round after round was fought without cither man Showing any signs of wavering, but Johnson, the coloured pugilist, was punishing hit> antagonist

severely, and up to the seventh rount Johnson had the best of the fight. It was a fierce encounter, both men attacking fiercely, giving and receiving heavy blows.

From the outset, despite superb fighting by Bunas, Johnson bad the best of the battle.

The black man maintained * smiling face throughout the contest, treating Burns’ body blows with the utmost indifference, addressing remarks to Bum and the crowd.

Johnson never ceased to punish Burna unmercifully. In the first few minutes Johnson sent in a terrific blow which toppled Bums clear over, and he remained down eight seconds. In the sixth round a terrific blow from Johnson narrowly missed taking Burns on the point of the chin. At the tenth round, Burns was manifestly tiring in a terrific combat, his returns coming weakly. At the fourteenth round the police ©topped the fight, and victory was awarded to Johnson on points. ENGLISH VIEWS. The “Referee” welcomes the result of the Burns-Johnson fight. The “Observer” characterises the fight as a degrading spectacle. Mr Bettison, manager of the National Sporting Club, said to an interviewer that the result did not surprise boxing circles in England and America. A rumour was published in London that Burns had died as the result of injuries received during the contest. A SYDNEY OPINION. The “Herald in its leader says:— ‘•The contest was a nakedly brutal struggle, which edified a public which paid the syndicate £26,000 to see the match. To say that these spectacles are a sport in any decent meaning of the term is flatly untrue. The effect is to glorify British practice in quarters where British instinct is already an anti-social force. It may not be amiss to ask the Government which so far has been delightedly acquiescent, whether in the interests of the general community we have not had about enough of these exhibitions. Sydney is worthily ambitious of distinction, but does not exactly aspire to become the cynosure of all the world of tousrhdom.” Big Stakes. The £7OOO purse for which tommy Burns and Jack Johnson were matched to fight on Boxing Day, seems enormous when compared with the stakes for which other pugilistic champions have fought, particularly the old-time champions of the prize-ring. Just over 60 years ago William Thompson. of Nottingham, fought Ben Gaunt at Newport Pagnell. in Buckinghamshire, for two hours, says “Tit-Bits,” for £2OO a side and the championship belt. It was for a similar purse that Tom Sayers fought his memorable fight with the Tipton Slasher 50 years ago, while Tom Spring—one of the bravest, most honest, and courteous men who ever - stepped into a ring—in 1824 fought Jack Langham, who ultimately died worth £30,000, for 500 guineas a-side, at Chichester. Toni Spring won, and he and Jack afterwards became the best of friends. Probably no boxer ever obtained so much money from the prize-ring as George Dixon, the coloured and greatest featherweight of his day. who, before his 35th birthday, had earned and won over £50,000. Pedlar Palmer must have earned between £30,000 and £40,000, while Ben Jordan, one of the few men to beat Palmer, has been able to retire from the ring with a comfortable income derived from the investnent of liis winning o . A Fine Record. ' v-nowy” Baker, who acted as runnt*up in the English Middle-weight Championship, has an athletic record that anyone might envy. His first performance was in the New South Wales Army and Navv competitions (he was a New South Wales Lancer). in which be was defeated in the final by D. Parbury, Australasian middle weight champion. After that he never looked back. For the next four years he annexed the middle and heavy-weight Australasian championships. Ho was also champion, of New South Wales military forces for three years, the competitions comprising on horseback, $ ent-pegging, tilting at ring, swordsmanship, and boxing. As a swimmer, ho was equally . aucceeaful, being champion ot East Sydney Club, the premier club of New SouiM

W*le», and for two yearn a member of the famous “Flying Squadron/’ which ■tin holds the world’s record. He was also champion high diver, and a, member of the great "Seagull’s" champion diving team. Altogether he won «rv«r 100 aquatic trophies. At rowing, also, lie gained further Ipurelw, capping 4 great record by stroking the champion club eight of New South Wales. On one occasion ho stroked both the four and eight-oared senior events at the Glebe regatta, and secured the doable. Ho was also on the top rung of the football ladder, being representative half-back for New South Wales, besides which he played for all Australia against Sievwright'a English team. Truly, a wonderful record for our man.