BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 306, 19 September 1908, Page 9

BOXING.

(By Mercury.) COMING EVENTS. October 7 and B.—Hawke's Bay Championships. October 13 and 14. —Manawatu B.C. Tournament. (Tracoy-Hollo return match). November 24.—Tourney (Opera House). The M'Kibbon-Burns inquiry is still dragging on, that is to say, so far as Burns's share of tho regrettable business is concerned. M'Kibbon, of course, is finished with, but judgment on Burns was held over pending the receipt of aji explanatory letter from' M'Kibbon. The promised letter, however, did not como 'to hand, but as other evidence is likely to be forthcoming tho matter is still sub judice. In justice to the sport,.the public, and to Burns himself, it is to bo hoped that tho association's efforts to sift the matter to its bottom wil 1 have a delinito result.

The officials of . the Wellington Association, who wore present at the recent inaugural tournament at Horowhenua, have nothing but praise for tho manner in which tho meeting was conducted. Tho ring fittings, especially, come in for • commendation, and several innovations in this particular were noted for use in future tournaments in Wellington. Devitt was tho only ono of the local boxers engaged'who. succeeded in hoisting a winning number, though how he managed to draw the : welter weight limit -on this occasion, when he was unable to do so for the New Zealand championships last • month, is rather a mystery. , Particulars by tho Australian mail as to tho Bums-Lang battle do not throw much new light on the ati'aiT as cabled. The reports simply confirm the ; first impression that the champion had his man where.he ; wanted him> all the time, with the exception of the short time taken to recover from the blow that floored him in tho second round. Tho smack was a- severe one, a .left jolt to the chin, and came as a most unwelcome surprise to its recipient, .who, says tho "lleferee," "went down with, a .heavy .bump and rolled on his back." Continuing the description, the same authority says:—"The Mens in,, tho enclosure ./was .remarkable. Thousands of excited! men . stood up and screeched again, for hardly anyone thought even Tommy Burns equal to getting overthat fearful- shock, arid, even if he. did reach the perpondicular agiin, it seemed impossible for him to survive the onslaught which the now very confident- and-.strong-, looking Australian was evidently prepared to make." .However, as we know, survive it he did, and thereafter it was only a. question of •timo with Lang. I add the testimony, from tlio "Referee," of cach of the disputants, given just, after the _ battle 1 "No, -I didn't take him cheap a bit. He's a good game lighter who only needs experience to do a lot better. That knock-down punch was tho biggest surprise of my career, : and the first 'ever scored on me. Yes, Squires and Lang will put up a great fight if they meet, and I .couldn't tip tho winner with • any confidence."—Tommy .Barns. "I did my best, but found him too-good; ho knows more than we do about infighting, and is an unusually strong bustling follow—going all the time. I thought I had a chanco when' I knocked him down, and onco or twice afterwards. • I'd like to have another cut jf he stays lieie a while. I'd do better next timo, you'll seo."—Bill iLang. .. , . •

Tho much-talked-of mooting between Burns and Johnson would appear to be still in'the lap of the gods. Last week T printed a cablo from the negro in London, arid stated ,tliat Mr.' H. D. Macintosh,, who"is "running " Burn's in Australia, had mred Rorno in the endeavour to clinch the matter.: Johnson, however, is still coy, as tho following cablo rocoived in. . Sydney last week 'will .show:— '

London, Friday, 8.5 p.m.—Jack Johnson, the coloured boxor, has been interviewed Regarding his proposed fight-with Tommy Burns, but it was found .impossible to get 'him to suggest terms for a match.' At prc.spnt the indications are. that there is little likelihood of a meotirig botween the two men being arranged." . ... . ' '''

Tho enormous sum of £6000' is available in Australia' to bring the men together, and as Burns is keen to meet tho black,' tho latter noiv has no'excuse for'shirking tho fight.

Interviewed by' a Melbourne pressman regarding tho latest information from London, Burns said: —" ! particularly want to moot Johnson and: get out of the boxing game for ever. I want to meet Johnson, firstly,: to make it plain that I draw no colour line, nor bar any man in the world; and, secondly, to establish my own opinion that I am Johnson's superior; and, thirdly, to quit the game as champion .of tho world. : 'If Johnson refuses to most mo, then'l will retire for good and all, for the match with him: is tho-only on© I desire. Thero could bo no better time and place than Melbourne at' 'Cup-' week. I hope to hear by the. reply to the cables sont on Saturday by Mr. M'lntosh that. Johnson has managed to nervo himself up to accept tho lucrative offer made him to samplo my ability. When I quit the professional ring I will settle in Australia, at least for some years. I know of no better place outside of America." ■

Charley Griffin, at present in America seeking famo and fortuno. in the fistic, world, has made a'_ bad' Start. His two first battles, fought, in New. York, have 'both been ad-, judged against him; The' first was. with one Leah Cross, who. outweighted him hy several pounds, and the second was. against '.'Matty" Baldwin, and on each' occasion he was outpointed. .