BOXINO.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 395, 2 January 1909, Page 12

BOXINO.

IBy MnnciniT.) . Of course the only topio for the past weelr has been tho championship battle. The re- ■ suit came as a disappointment, but hardly as a surprise, except inasmuch as it was-gener-ally! anticipated that Burns would have made a better fight than , was indicated in the cables. Even allowing for the sprained ankle, it would appear that the black out-generallod liim as completely as he out-sized him. Burns's tactics hitherto have been nil in the direction of making his opponents force the - fighting, and make the openings, while he relied on his footwork tokeep him clear of danger until exhaustion had reduced the attack sufficiently to enable'his short arm .work to finish the job; This time, however, Johnson I evidently declined to be led away by the wily Tommy, and insisted on the latter doing his Bhare of the work, hence Burns's polite invitation to the nigger to come in and fight. . It ,was the old story of the Mountain and Mahomet over again. As Mountain, Johncon refused to go to Mahomet Burns, the latter perforce had to go to the.former, .and, when lie did so, apparently he either got stopped by a long-range bang on the jaw or was; encircled in a pair of gorilla4ike arms and hooked on the kidneys and ribs. It is this ; fact of Burns being punished so severely, on the body that points, more than anything else, to the conclusion that, the black man was. -'all .over" the white'. Had. tho oxchampion boon kept out of range all the tinie by .means of his' opponent's great reach and height, aided by his skilful'boxing, only the more-or-less-expectod .would have happened.. That he was- beaten at his own' gamo of in-; fighting and body punching, as well as at the long-range part; of . the business, , shows that he met-his master in all departments. That black should, so triumph over white is deplorable, but more deplorable still is the vindictiveness and bad spirit which seems to : have characterised the whole affair. No. better weapon than this regrettable and, wholly unnecessary feature of the, battle could.; have been put into the.hauds of, that section of the publio,that seem determined to see no good in what should be, and really is, tho most manly of sports,-arid it will be a surprise to - many, if .its immediate result, will not;.be. the curtailment (if not the prohibition) of professional boxing in the Commonwealth. Pending the arrival of fuller dot&ils, the opinions 'of the combatants just prior to. the contest and. the rules under, which they ;fought,, as given' in.the VRcferee," will bo.of interest.. .'' ■•' - "I like men bigger than -myself- when there's-fighting to be done," said the champion. • "I,,can look back upon many ;of them —notably ;Marvin Hart, whom. they , thought it was something akin to cruelty to .pit me 1 against, but-I--pulled through decisively; winning all the way, : and Hart;, wasn't'much shorter than. : Johnson, while he certainly stood a bigger man.. v ' ..' • "I am fully satisfied that-1 have, a stiff task-ahead, but I feel equal ; to it, and, bar flukes, will bo thero at tho finish. . . "Johnson certainly .'has it me in. the way of. weight, reach, and height, and is undoubtedly clever, but that doesn't ..say , ho must "will, and I, don't'soo'anything'in." .his record.to feel scared over;

"That remark; credited to Johnsonj about me' giving. myself. away' by saying; I, would play for tlie big fellow's vbody, tickled mo to death. : Surely he didn't: have-the .impression that I would go for his head, or feet all the time? ../

: "I never : felt _betteir,/. and'never went. into, a ring more satisfied .with myself than .I;,will, b<S -on Saturday.;, next;- and/surely,; no man placed' as I am should wish for anything lU^thor» ,, - — ••■./■ . . "Yes," said Jack Johnson recently,., "I am; as well: as ever I ..was, and' satisfied that Tommy Burns will have to fight good and hard .tO' beat me. . Ivdon't need- the. close," training most men require, and I 1 think it might be; left. to;, me te'know;'myself better than others do. ' - / ' . "I haven't come all this distance to get. 'licked 'if it/ is possibld/'to 1 . -ivin.; ban bet your life that way. >•,/»'' 1.-.-Av;' 1 v-. ;,u ' • lrecord' v staiids? at ,/f le&st'-' ! as' A *gooaas. Burns's, and I am bigger, and; I think, stronger; and', cleverer than'.'he'.\ \- "■'. ; . ;"Yes,:'l have- heard my.methods'.'of'training -.-hasn't-pleased, ovorybody... and;. I .-'am; sorry, but' that' cannot bo, Ithna pleased me, and, after all, I, am /.the. most . concerned. / . , , • ■ i "I'll got'into the ring on Boxing Day as well as ever I was in my life, and show tho betting people that they had no call 1 to make Tommy .BnrnS favourite. -.' Otherwise; Wis. a better 'man ' than I think' him." The following' are the revised Queensberry rules as'drawn up by Mr. W. F. Corbett ('.' Tho Amateur" of the Eeferee"); under whioh rtho' great battle. was. : fought / V: :-l.: The''weight scale' shairbe as follows Bantams;• not' more - thin Bst.; featherweights, . not' more', than- 9st.| light-weights, noli more than lOst.; welter-weights,; .not more- than lOst. 91b.; v. middle-weights, not more than 116t.-41b.; heavy-weights,'-'any weight;-- -v.- --.'"-a 2. The '' ring" shall be a roped enclosure not Jess - than . 20ft., - or . more\ than 24ft.,, squire;;-' ■;>' 3. Each round shall be of three minutes' duration;, provided always that/.any round may bo terminated sooner by a- knock-out blow, or tho decision of the . referee', disqualifying either or both contestants. ; .. 4. There shall be an interval , of .not more nor.less,than one minute/between cach round. V 5.' If either or both contestants bo knocked down,. he. or thoy shall bo. allowed ten sec-onds,-and .not .more, to rise from the floor. If one knocked down should rise before the "expiration, of ten seconds, boxing shall bo resumed and continued till the expiration of the, thr&s;' minutes. /; The '.timekeeper shall count' the ten.:seconds in an audible voice. ■ 6. If . a :contestant .knocked -down;/fail to rise. within ten seconds, the referee/shall declaro -hisi opponent 'the> winner;; .-i ■ 7~. The;, decision . of. the : referee/ or;, timekceper, as te lapse of time, shall bo final. ■ 8. If either boxer drop down without receiving a blow,, unless the .fall be accidental, the r.efereo. shall' declare tho other: the winner. ■' 9. All blows must be struck with tho fists closed. Striking with the palm or heel of the' hand,. or below, the forbidden,, and. the referee, in. his discretion, may warn (once only) or disqualify straightway tne offender.; ■ 10. When one of the contestants; is ; supported by the', ropo, with, his .toes 'off'the ground; or is on one knee, he-shall'be considered down, .and shall not be : struck while in that position:; nor shall, he "Btriko;at/his. opponent..: No .contestant shall be allowed the benefit .of, this rule unless he .be. actually forced into any of tho positions mentioned/ . 11. No person, excepting: the referee, shall enter , the ring during i tho continuance of any round/ and for the; purpose of this rule a round shall be deemed as continuing during the teh seconds'allowed by/rule:6;i;provided always. that: thb • referee at any ;tiine during the 'contest' may; stay and' remain iri .the-: ring for as long a period as lie might deem necessary. : '-; - ! :' 12. During ;the interval of one minute allowed'between each round; tho seconds* whoso number, shall' be limited to / threej of each contestant may enter and; remain in the ring duriug the minute's spell'for. ' the purpose of attending to their principals/. •' 18; No second shall in any way advise or address either contestant; during, the continuance of a round. ■ : ; 14. Any/ secdhd entering the ring', or' addressing either contestant during: the continuance of a round will render himself liable to immediate expulsion; also, if any second enter the ring and interfere with either contestant, the referee may disqualify the . contestant whom such second is seconding, and a/warditho matchto his'opponent. .; ,15. A contestant- delivering a knock-out blow shall retire to his' corner till his opponent rises; but should the knock-down occur in tho 'corner-'of the man 'administering it, thon he shall withdraw' to, the opposite corner.. ■.'■','/■■ . '-, / ; ' 16. The gloves shall be as small as the law will allow, and not more than 6oz. in;weight; 17. In case of a glove bursting, orj ih tho opinion of tho referee; in any. other,'way becoming unfit for use during the progress of a .oontest, the official named may : order , a fresh glovo or set. V 18. A second wishing \to appeal , against a foul. shall do, so only by holding: up his right hand. ;; \ . ... 19. If it is .evident te tho referee that tho result of the contest has boon pre-ar-ranged, he shall Btop it, anil order the boxers to retire from the ring. ; \

20. Generally, during the progress of. any contest, thereferee shall have full power of decision regarding all questions that may arise. : , ■ ■■ 21. No hugging or wrestling snail be allowed, and neither may wear a belt composed of any hard sentence, nor must the bolt be, worn higher than the. waist.' : 22. A clinch can only occur when each man is holding the other. , Either contestant may deliver blows as long as he has both hands free, no matter, what his position, or whether his opponent be holding on. 23; Whether a verdict shall, or shall not, bo given—should the contest be stopped or interfered with- in' any'.way —or whether.it. shall be. continued at a time and place to be . named by the referee,. must be, .agreed upon by the. principals beforehand. ... 24. Points snail be awarded for attack and defence (footwork, ' guarding, or ducking), and should the scores be equal at the close of the stipulated number of rounds, the. conbatant who has done most leading shall be declared tho winner. ', '. ' , 25. Light boots, shoes, or socks (only) may bo worn on the feet. *'