BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 12

BOXING.

(By "Mercury.-')

INGLORIOUS BILL LANG. And Still they Excuse Him. Excuses for beaten men are part of the pleasant amenities of the game, but, after such a thrashing as "Bill" Lang received from Longford, 0110 would naturally think excuses slightly out of season. But Australian opinion evidently is different. It is now stated that neither "Langford's superior nor, perhaps, his greater hitting power, won him the tight." According to this opinion (expressed in the Sydney "Referee"), Langford's name and reputation, together with Lang's peculiar nervous temperament, contributed most to the latler's inglorious display. Lang is said to have no confidenco in his own powers, and, when hustled from tho jump, loses his head entirely. "When allowed a round or two to get into his stride, however, he shows to far greater advantage. 11l support of this, his sccoud battle with

"Tommy" Burns is quoted. In this fight Burns played with Lang for a round or two, and this enabled tho latter to warm to his work, cto

Just so! It may bo true, but it certainly does not enhance Lang's chancos of ever becoming a world-beater, and, in any case, ho must have received a rare larruping in the first round of his battle with Langford to make him lose his head so. much that ho became a mere chopping block for the nuggety black during" the remaining five rounds. As a sort of afterthought, the article concludes with the statement that two good American judges in "Billy" Delaney and "Bob" Deary have no very great opinion of Langford, which is a poor way of depreeatiug his win, and, at tho most, only emphasises Lang's weakness.

Summers and a Foeman. "Johnny" Summers made a gallant but ineffectual attempt to give weight to a good boxer and hard hitter in "Harry" Lewis, the American middle-weight, who scaled lOst. SJIb., against Summers's lOst. 031b. Tho first two rounds were all in favour of the gallant Englishman, but at the opening of the third Lewis set to work with such effect that Summers was soon at his mercy, the end coming in the fourth round per medium of a knock-out. English scribes aro of opinion that ■ if nny living boxer call give weight and a beating to Lewis, ho must needs bo a marvel, and marvels—well, there do not appear to ho any in commission at present. Lowis is said to bo a likely visitor to Australia in the near future.

If the visit of the American quartet to Australia has dono nothing else, it seems to have stimulated tho Australian taste for its own pugilistic products. A large crowd gathered at the Stadium on February 22 to witness tho third contest between young Hanley. (who at two different places, and with two different referees, hod won both previous fights) and "Jimmy" Hill. A third referee ("Snowy" Baker) officiated on this occasion, and, judging by tho report, which stated that "never before had such a one-sided crowd gathered at tho Stadium," his task must havo been far from pleasant. This time Hill was the winne/ by a small margin, after the full twenty rounds had been fought.

Smith and Papke. , At the Stadium at R.ushcutter's Bay, "Dave" Smith and "Billy" Papke meet for the second time, and it is safo to assume that a large crowd will witness a hard and cxciting battle. On recent form the Australiauised New Zealander appears to be a certain winner, but, such is the glorious uncertainty of men and boxing, that "Mercury" does not venture to prophesy. Papke will lie on his mettle, and a man on his mettle to wipe out a defeat is always likely to accomplish great things. Still, Smith's cleverness, his headiness,'. and his i smartness; on his feet are three awkward propositions for Stanley Kotchell's erstwhile conqueror. Both men have left nothing to chance in their training, so one hopes that tho battle may be a clean and inspiriting exhibition of the "noble art," with tho better man the winner.

Poor Old "Jim" Griffin. Poor old "Jim" Griffiu seems to be down for good this time, that is as a fighter of class. At the Waterloo Oo)is»nm recently ho attempted to get back into the gamo by encountering Percy Halo, who, at ono time, played iootban for uio Southern Club, and boxed in this city. In three rounds Halo settled Griffin's pretensions. I.iko most natural fighters who rely solely on their hitting power and capacity to staud punishment, Griffin, once started on tho down grade, has slid down with great suddenness. Game to the end, these men assiinilato punishu.ent to tho point when Nature refuses to take any more, their form and their firo disappear altogether (or appear only in flashes), and they sink from rank and power to comparative impotence. Such an v one appears to be "Jim" Griffin—a gallant of the gallants, who never quibbled about weight, and, in his time, faced "Bill" Lang w'ith as much fire and confidence as he showed against men of his own weight. His conqueror, Percy Hale, has developed into a fine athlete sinco leaving theso shores. Ho has represented New South Wales on tho Rugby field, and is now a prominent exponent of the Northern Union game, while, as a boxer, ho (though still in the novice stage) is regarded as a very promising heavy-weight.

"Bill" Rudd and Aboriginal "Jerry" Jerome were to have met in Sydney on Tuesday last, but, at tho time of writing, no news has been received of the result. Australia might just as well lie at tho North Pole for nil the news that we get here by cable concerning the game in those parts.