BOXING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 964, 27 August 1908, Page 12

BOXING.

THE WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP. TOMMY BURNS STILL ON TOP. BILL SQUIRES’ STUBBORN FIGHT. The biggest fight in the history of Australia was the one which took place on Monday at Rushcutter’s Bay, Sydney, when Bill Squires made another determined effort to wrest away from Tommy Burns, of America, the title of champion of the world. Although the syndicate which brought Burns out from America had erected a hugh stadium capable of accommodating 18,000 persons and charged from ten shillings up to five pounds for seats, there was not a vacant spot anywhere, the crowd being very dense. Both men had been training hard for the event and stripped in the pink of condition, Squires having thrown off nearly every trace of the rheumatism which handicapped him so severely in America and France. Mr L. H. Nathan, one-time amateur champion of Queensland, acted as referee, while Mr W. T. Kerr held the watch. After the usual preliminary bouts which commenced at 4 p.m. sharp, the two great fighters were introduced, being greeted with salvos

of applause from the expectant crowd.

Round 1. —Burns won the toss for positions, Squires_ leading off with several blows for the head, Burns evading cleverly. Both clinched repeatedly, Squires continuing to go for his opponent’s head, while Burns got in a few body blows. Round 2.—Burns swung his right for Squires’ ribs and then the latter rushed in, some rapid exchanges following in which, if anything, the local man had the advantage, Burns getting away. Round 3. —Squires landed heavily on Burns’ head, the latter clinching and getting in a nasty upper-cut near the point. Squires continued to go for the head, in which he appeared to show want of generalship, for in the close fighting which followed, he caught it hot on the body. Round 4.—Following up his advantage, Burns made the in-fighting very hot, the pace being fast. Excitement ran high as Squires smashed in a nasty right in to his opponent’s jaw, dazing him badly. Round s.—Squires now showed to great advantage, getting his left on to Burns’ jaw, repeating the dose before the round closed, the Newcastle miners cheering their man right lustily. Round 6. —The pace had been very hot and both men were tiring. Burns got in some heavy body blows which did Squires no good. Both men were badly cut and were bleeding a good deal.

Round 7. —Squires rushed in but could not land a heavy blow, Burns showing clever footwork. He was an instant too slow on one occasion, and a vicious swing coming across, jarred him badly. Squires, up to this time,, seemed to possess a good winning chance. Round 8. —This was fairly quiet, both men sparring for wind, and clinches were numerous. Round 9.—Squires was the aggressor until Burns got home a hook on the jaw and then sailed in to finish his man. The fighting was very fierce, the local man being badly punished about the body, while his own blows lacked force. He still went for the head, while Burns kept trying for the solar plexis. Round 10. —Squires landed on Burns’ head, but received a heavy right swing in reply. Coming close in, Burns rained blows on to his opponent’s body, whose defence was poor, while he was fast getting very groggy. He rallied and landed two or three on Burns’ head, but the power was gone out of them. Round 11.—Squires recovered somewhat and got home two or three times on the neck, but caught it several times on the body. Round 12.—Squires was getting very weak, the ceaseless punches on the body telling their tale. Once or twice he swung home a good blow but Burns seemed a glutton for punishment. Round 13 and last. —Burns attacked strongly, and swinging for the point, Squires went down for nine seconds. Then he rushed in and punched home a blow on the face, but

Burns retorted with a smashing right and Squires was again down for eight seconds. Squires was now done, and Burns hit him with both left and right and the Australian went down, and failing to rise, was counted out. The superintendent of police then stopped proceedings, why, it is not quite clear, as the fight was over. This was the third time Burns and Squires have met. At San Francisco Burns won in half a round, at Paris he won in eight rounds, and now comes the fight recorded above. The American has thus clearly shown that he is the better man, but it is evident that Squires is an improved and game fighter. Burns next meets Lang, the Victorian champion, in Melbourne.

CHAMPION TOMMY BURNS.

A short, stockily built young man —his age might be anything from 24 to 30 —the figure concealed by a smart fawn-coloured overcoat of the Newmarket type, much affected by “sports” in England; rather sallow complexioned, with light brown hair, thin and silky-looking, but having an undercurrent of the raven, a tint invariably accompanying that kind of skin; face clean shaved and clean cut, a little white rim from the left ear to the left eye giving the impression that he may have worn spectacles, but surely it is a cut —such is “ Tommy ” Burns at a quick glance (says the “ Town and Country Journal ”). He is at first sight disappointing

as a champion boxer; then one begins to analyse him —so far as the Newmarket coat will permit. It is the great width of his mighty ox-like shoulders that fills the eye. The neck is thick, the arms well proportioned and balanced; but the hands are not those of the “ knocker out,” huge, like the proverbial leg of mutton. They are small, almost dainty, and white, and seem to have been oftener shielded from the weather in driving or street gloves than guarded by padded “ mits.” Burns’ face is clean cut, almost classic, and one might easily mistake him for a “ beauty ” actor just “ blown in ” from the States. Not a disfigurement marks his face, which has determination written all over it. His eyes—greyish-brown in colour —are sleepy looking; and he has a trick—a feline kind of trick—of half-closing them when speaking to anyone. The result is a sort of semicomical, semi-abashed expression. The champion’s voice is low, and the peculiar purring accent of the American is pleasant, very pleasant, to the ear. He has a shy manner in addressing an audience, as if mentally sizing them up, dropping his eyes between phrases, and lifting them suddenly, as if to figure out the result.