BURNS ON THE WARPATH AGAIN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1034, 30 December 1909, Page 13

BURNS ON THE WARPATH AGAIN.

The effect of the training Tommy Burns has been doing for several weeks past and still sticks so religiously to, is shown by the fact that he has made up his mind to have a few more matches before giving up the game altogether, and Johnson, Langford, and Ketchell are named in the connection, (writes “Amateur” in the Sydney “Referee”). Tommy is delighted with himself, and says he never felt better. It has dawned upon him that he should not weigh less than 13st. for any future fights—so much I told the ex-champion after he beat Lang in Melbourne over 12 months ago. Tommy faced Carlton “Bill” at that poundage, and . was all vim and spring from end to end. Burns has been swimming at the Bronte Baths every morning during the past couple of weeks, and vows that no more attractive bathing resort exists anywhere; He commenced to disport himself in rhe surf on Monday, and votes that a particularly fine thing.

When the Canadian is next seen in the ring to fight he will hardly be recognised. That very much pale skin—so noticeable in contrast with Johnson’s coal-hued pelt—has given place to one distinctly brown, and it will probably be nearly black by the time the world’s ex-champion shapes for keeps again. On Monday Tommy cabled Mr. W. W. Naughton, of the ‘Frisco “Examiner,” to the effect that if a match could be arranged with Johnson any time before July he (Burns) would be glad to meet the black again—winner take all.

Says tbe Sydney Referee—“ Joe Gardiner and Chas. Douglas write from Auckland regarding the disqualification of W. Pemberthy by the Northern Boxing Association, that Pemberthy was led to believe he would get a £l5 purse till the night upon which the contest had to take place, and then informed that no more than £5 would be given.”

Says London “Sporting Life”: “ The death is announced of Willus Britt at San Francisco on October 30. Willus was the brother of Jimmy Britt, and had been identified with the management of several boxers, prominent of whom was Stanley Ketchell, whom Jack Johnson defeated at ‘Frisco on October 16. Willus Britt then appeared in his usual health, and showed all his wonted energy. His death has come as a great surprise to sporting circles, but Jimmy Coffroth, the famous Colma promoter, gives it as his opinion that the excitement of the Ketchell-Johnson contest, and the consequent reaction and disappointment, are to a great extent responsible for the shrewd young manager’s death.”

If Jim Jeffries says half the boastful and insulting things about Johnson that he’s credited by the American papers with saying, (says “Fairplay”), he’s greatly altered since the days when he was as hard to draw as an old double tooth stump, and never had anything but the best to say about his opponent. His alleged statement regarding the nigger: “That coon is all talk. If he ever gets into the ring he’ll be counted out before he knows where he is,” is as foolish as it is untrue. Whatever else may be against Johnson none can impute cowardice to. him, and he has got into the ring this year with three notable white bruisers, Bums, Kaufman and Ketchel, and done them all up in short order. It will take Jeff, all his time to avoid being his fourth victim, and he’ll be wise to keep his head shut.

Judging from the following remarks lately made by Sam Langford, the negro boxer, he is hot on the trail of ■Jack Johnson: —“I want Johnson to fight me before he fights Jeffries. He can have a thousand dollars in cash from me the moment he steps into the ring. I will fight him 6, 10, 25, 45, or 100 rounds for 5000 dollars aside —winner take the entire purse or 75 per cent. I will accept any reasonable offer, and I will win.”