BOXING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1154, 23 May 1912, Page 19

BOXING.

Jack Johnson has recovered from his motor-car . accident, and... latest word from America states that the champion is already doing light work for his fight with Jim Flynn, and is reducing his weight at the rate of 81b a week. At present Johnson indulges .n four training bouts a week. He will leave for Las Vegas, Mexico, about the middle of next month, where he will finish up his training for his forthcoming battle with “Fireman” Flynn.

Letters that Johnson has sent to a friend in San Francisco state that he is keen on getting into sim lar condition to that which he was in when he met Tommy Burns in .Sydney. “I know I am too fat now,” says Johnson, “but I mean to be the fittest man on earth when I fight Fireman Flynn.”

Asked whether he thought he would win, the negro said, “Of course, I shall win. Flynn is not half the man Burns was when I met him, and if you put a straight proposition to me I say that Tommy w<is. the hardest nut 1 ever had to crack.” “What about Langford and M’Vea?” Johnson was asked. “Well,” he repl ed, ‘ they have been fighting one another, and I think the boxing world will agree that T could lick either of them. But there’s more money in the battles between black and white.” Tom Flanagan has .accepted an offer from Johnson for a re-engagement as his manager.

Jim Flynn is steadily improving in his training for his fight w.th the black man for the world’s championship. He expects to enter the ring at 1951 b. Flynn is just as confident of victory as is his future opponent. “I’ll beat the coon or die,” he says. Flynn has arrived at Las Vegas, th? : scene of the approaching battle, hundreds of citizens assembling at the railway station to meet him. He was greeted with great cheering and mu-

sic by a brass band engaged for the occasion.

Ad Wolgast, world’s lightweight champion, toox jiart in his first fight of importance since he ...w.as operated on for append citis, when last week he fought ’Willie Richie at San Francisco. Wolgast weighed 1311 b, and prior to entering the ring declared that he was sound, and felt equal to giving a good account or himself. Although the contest was limited to four rounds, the champion had a close call, Richie nearly knocking him oat on two cccas-ons. He was streaming with blood, and all through showed an absence of his.old fighting power. Richie was strong, and had he possessed the punch there would have been a new champion. The decision cf the newspapers favoured Wolgast.

Unusual interest was displayed . in Auckland last week in connection with the attempt of Tom Burrows, the “King of Clubs,” to establish a world’s record of 100 hours’ continuous club swinging at the- King George Theatre. Burrows commenced h s severe task of endurance at 6.45 o’clock on Tuesday night, and as the hours wore on the enthusiasm of those who visited the theatre each day increased. On Friday night a large crowd was present to offer encouragement to the famous club swinger, who appeared to be going strongly, his manipulation of the clubs being interesting to watch, Burrows giving the audience 1 lenty of variety, and always keeping up to the average of 80 complete circles a minute. In the early hours of Saturday morning, with seventeen or eighteen hours still to go to reach the century, the strain began to tell on Burrows, and he had a hard struggle to fight against drowsiness. Throughout the day his ankles, which were badly swollen, caused him much pain, and it looked as though he would never keep going until 10.45

that n.ght. However, he stuck to his task doggedly, but had to rest one of his legs on a chair at intervals on account of the extreme pain through long standing.

In the evening the King George Theatre was packed from floor to ceiling, the world’s champion club swinger being enthusiastically cheered, While the audience sang choruses galore to keep Burrows from falling into the arms of Morpheus. At ten m nutes to eleven, Burrows, then but five minutes from the 100 hours’ record, surprised the audience by his great vitality, for he swung the clubs swiftly to the accompaniment of wild cheering. He finished up with a fine display of fancy club swinging, and at the end of the 100 hours made an appropriate speech to the audience. He is little the worse for accompl shing his stupendous feat, and during a visit to this office yesterday stated that the only after-effects is lameness in the feet. A He will not attempt any long endurance club swinging records in the future, but will confine his efforts to 24 and 36 hours’ fancy club swinging and speed records.

The English heavyweight champion “Bombardier” Wells left England on May 13 for the United States, where he will meet Al. Balzer, America’s most promising ‘hope” in a twenty round contest on July 4.

Australian fight lovers are at present anxiously awaiting the arrival of another negro in Joe Jeannette, whom Mr H.- D. Mclntosh is endeavour, ng to secure as an opponent to Sam McVea at the Sydney Stadium in July next. Sam Langford’s . manager, however, states that Jeannette is booked to meet the “Boston Tar Baby” in Los Angelos on July 27, which makes it appear as if Jeannette will not be on hand at the Sydney Stadium to face McVea. Jeannette has boxed nearly everything on two legs, including white men, black men, French men, and Arabs (the Arabs being of the street variety). He has knocked his men out in the first round and in the forty-ninth. The only objection he ever had to Australia- was that Australia stopped boxing at 20 rounds when Joe has just

begun to breathe. Jack Johnson, Sam Langford, Sam McVea, Jim Barry, Porky Flynn have all met him over and over again.

The tournament to be held to-mor-row (Friday) night in the Opera House under the auspices of the Wanganui Amateur Boxing Association

(writes bur Wanganui correspondent) is likely to attract a big house, as great interest is being taken in the meeting of Tom Porter and Allan Maxwell, the professional lightweights, who are to box 15 rounds for a purse of <£4s.