BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 876, 23 July 1910, Page 12

BOXING.

TEE JEFFRIES DKUG FABLE. STRANGE EVENT IN MELBOURNE.

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FIXTURES. July 27, 28, and 29—New Zealand Amateur Championships (Palmerston North). September B—Burns v. Langford. September—A uatrulasinn Amateur Cham- ' pionship (Auckland). "Credat Judaeus Apella." With the passing of the Jeffries-John-son affair departed the mainstay of the boxing scribe in so far as the text for his weekly discourse 13 concerned. The aftermath thereof is flat, stale, and unprofitable. There is nothing doing in fistic circles. The cable man made a praisew.orthy effort on two occasions during the week to brighten things up a little, but wilh little success. The first effort was to tell us that "a conviction is gaining'ground" in America that Jeffries lost the big match because he was drugged. In fact, the message informed us that there was medical authority for the suppusitioii. Oiiu would like to believe that there was something in this, but somehow it doesn't seem to bring much com- . fort. And less credence. Credat Judaeus Apella, as the Roman puet Horace said, inat's about our attitude. Name Please I The other matter w&a a report that Mr. H. i>. M'lutosh had deposited .£I<JUO to secure a match tor an unknown against Johnson, Lungiord, Jietcheli, or Jvautfiiiait. This met with much the same reception as Hit. other teport. It the ordinary follower oi boxing were given two guesses as to, the identity of the. imjuiuwn, he would say, firstly, "Tommy" burns, and secondly "Bill" Lang—both vt whom are at present in America under Mr. M'lntosh's management. It is probable that this guess would be very near the mark. The announcement may be looked upon iu the light of an advance hotico for Mr. M'lntosh's protiges. "Tommy" Burns has his September engagement with Langford ■■ to keep, but Lang is wanting a match, and lvauffnian is looked upon as a likely opponent, although either ICetchell or Langtord would suit nicely. Johnson's name .was' evidently included as a sauce-just to give the affair the necessary "tang." Australian Ring Events. Tho contest scheduled for last Satur- . day night in Brisbane, between "Johnny" ■ Summers aud "Boer" Unholz, has been ' postponed until to-night. This mutch, i for a purse xof .£3OO should provide a splendid match, owing to the undoubted "class" of the contestants, and the vast dissimilarity in their boxing methods. . Ex-New Zealander "Billy" Elliott, Australasian "feather" champion, has issued a challenge to Frank Thorn, the ex-holder of the tile, for .£SO a-sido, at 9 stone rins- - side. Apparently the title will be also involved. Thorn was billed to have met ; Arthur Douglas, the South African, at ' Brisbane, last Saturday, but, at time of writing, no word of the result has been received. Included among Douglas's sparring partners of late is "Gus" Devitt, who left Wellington last month for a return match with "Ted" Johns, and, if he ; could so arrange, "Dick" Culleh. This latter matter will apparently have to wait a while, as Cullen has signed on to meet "Hughie" llehegau in Melbourne on Monday, and, in any case, he appears to be in too high class for Devitt just yet. Singular End to a Contest. Last week' "Mercury" noted that a match between "Ed" Williams, ex-middle-weight champion of Australia, and "Joe" Costa, had been arranged. This was advertised as being for the "resident heavyweight championship of Australia," but, as pointed out in "this column, this is incorrect, as the title, in the absence of Burns and Lang, naturally reverts to "Bill" Squires. However, the niatch, _ whatever for, duly eventuated, and ended in a most peculiar manner, which is thus described in the "Referee" :— "It was, indeed, one of the l>est-fought. battles between light heavy-weights evei seen in Melbourne; but at the most interesting stage, and after Costa had proved himself altogether a very worthy opponent of the ex-middle-weight champion, he was compelled to give in owin? to something happening to his sight. Going to tho front of the ring at th* end of the ninth round, the New South Welshman snid: 'Gentlemen, it is iio u;e me going on. I can't see him. He can'! hurt mo. I don't know what has happened; but tliere is a film over my eyes. I am all right as I sit in my corner, hut directly I shift about I seem to be half blind.' The crowd expressed regret nt the abrupt termination of such a fine contest. Costa was examined by the indoor dub's medical officer, who thought that some irritant must have got into his eyes, as the pupils we're greatly distended, twice their natural size. ■ "Costa weighed 12st., and Williams list. 81b. Some heavy boxing took place in the first few rounds. Costa bled from d swinging left shortly after- hostilities commenced. He forced the pace with great determination, and Williams met him with straight left drives. Costs scored some hard punches on the body, and now and again crossed with good effect. Williams back-handed his man, who spun round and fell, but did not take the full time.' Dashing work caused great excitement. Williams placed a hard right on the jaw, but did not disturb Costa. A weighty left by Williams caused damage to Cof-fa. Both wro bit':iiff .it freely, but at the same time paying attention to defence. Costa held his own fairly well up to the eighth round. The pace was a cracker. The ninth round was almost all Costa's from start to finish. He scored a fine hook, and followed with two straight lefts Tmmediatelv afterwards. Then a right drove Williams back to his corner. Williams, who was very cautious, tried s<-.v»ral leads, but they were stopped in good style. At the end of this round Costa went to his corner, and odds which had been on. Williams at the start went round the other way. Costa sat in his corner for a second or two, then, as previously stated, declared his inability to go on."