IN THE RING

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1354, 3 February 1912, Page 12

IN THE RING

PORTER'S JOB FOR JOHNSON. [Bt "Mercury."] June 24 —World's Championship, Johnson v. M'Vea. The Caustic Offer to the Champion. Herein beginneth onco more the steep job of endeavouring to solve Johnson. Latest Johnsoniana from America leaves one more in the dark titan ever as to whether the battle with M'Vea at Paris in June is a /ixtiire at all. At the Australian end wo have Mr. Mlntosh assuring everybody that everything is in train for a clash on the night of the Grand Prix. On the other hand, from America comes tho following cable under date January 23, containing what purports to be the last "say-so" of the champion himself

Haying no ring fighting to occupy his time, Jack Johnson is hankering after a. fight in the courts, and is looking to Corbett, Jeffries, tho New York lloxing Commission, and others to provide the opposition. "Ive got my legal training camp all ready," the champion declared, "and I don't care who takes first shot at me. If Corbett wants to g<o to law with me I'd just as soon fight there as in the ring. I havo also got my eye on that New York Boxing Commission, which thinks it is running America. Then, if Jeffries has anything to say 1 am Teady for him. I am also keeping an eye on O'Kourke, and watching Curley and i'lynn." Whtn asked whether he was still negotiating with Mr. M'lntosh for a fight with M'Vea in Paris, Johnson replied: "I am too busy already, and if a fight were to come up now I would collapse. I wouldn't go for .£20,000.

I want to eee my fight with tl*> Boxing Commission through first." Jeffries has replied to Johnson's legal challenge by offering him a porter's job in his Los Angeles cafo.

M'Vea "Quitting." Coming to a big affair nearer home, we find that if the championship fixture is in a nebulous condition, so also is the next biggest item on the card—the M'Vear Langford return match in Sydney'. It was arranged for Anniversary Night, but M'Vea found that an alleged "bad hand" stood in the way, and the date was cancelled. Since then a deadlock has arisen ns it has been found impossible to bring the men together—a state, of things said to be solely due to the bigger Sam's unwillingness to get into the ring with his namesake. Jlr. M-'lntosh, to whom both the boxers ore bound by contract, has admitted that lie cannot make an arrangement tliat will please M'Vea, and that he cannot say definitely when the match is to take place, or, indeed, whether it. will take place at all. He goes further, and in the Sytinev press openly accuses M'Vea of "quitting.' and asserts that the bad hand was'bad only in its owner's imagination. _ The irate promoter threatens his recalcitrant gladiator with the direct penalty of the law for breach of contract, and meanwhile M'Vea is lying low, and saying nothing. Smith, and Scalps, and Coin. "Dave" Smith still goes merrily along the roail of success, gathering scalps and coin eri route. Particulars of his recent battle with "Cyclone" Thompson, the result of which we were advised by cable, are now to hand, and the "Daily Telegraph's" account is appended. The report, as will bo seen, emphasises two things: Firstly, the unsatisfactory nature of the present police regulations in Sydney regarding the "clean break," and, secondly, the inconsistency in Smith's hitting powers that has already been commented upon in this column. In his last battle ho all but performed n feat that was considered impossible—tho knocking out of "Jack" Lester. Earlier in the season lie'did actually get Jack Howard "out," but, in between whiles (in the Clabby and, Hice affairs), he temporarily l;st his hitting powers. Now, again, Iris punch seems to have gone astray, judging from tho concluding paragraph of the "Telegraph's" account—which runs as follows:— ''

Smith, the Australian light-heavy-weight, and "Cyclone" Thompson, of America, drew a large crowd to the Stadium. This time the men fought under the rules of ,tlie New South Wales police. Tlicv were primed with what they could not do before they started, and at the end of tho fourth round the inspector representing the framcr of the new rules called Heferee Baker away from his accustomed place and told him something. Immediately Mr. Baker walked to each corner and told the boxers something. The Marquis of .Queensbery rules admit of punching as long as you don't hold. The-New South Wales police rules prevent a man when his opponent is hanging on to him from punching him off. This is rather stupid, but still it is the rule, and a police inspector will stop the . contest if it be departed from. Under the rules you are hot allowed to hit when shoulders are touching, notwithstanding that all arms are clcar, but you may belt away as much as you like so long as you are well clear of your opponent. The wholo business is, of course, very stupid, and while it is undoubtedly an entertainment of a kind it cannot any longer bo properly termed boxing.

At the end of the 20th round neither man was seriously hurt. Smith was too clever to allow Thompson to hit him, while Smith could not hit hard enough to hurt Thompson. Smith, however, won by a big inar"in on points, and the decision properly went his way.

Could Not the S.P.C.A. Interfere? Another recent affair of which details came to hand by the mail was the LangBarry meeting Inst week. The cable brought the news of the Australian's defeat, and the particulars show that lie met it in his usual way—like a u.;tn. In his usual way, also, he proved not good enough to win, and not brainy enough to escapc punishment, but in one thing he did succeed—he impressed the Sydney critics with his pluck.

Oh, Poor, Poor "Bill"! , 11 is adversary, Barry, has had much ring experience, and that, too, with the big men at the top. His record shows 110 fewer than seven meetings with Langford, two with Flynn, one with M'Yea (lost 011 a foul in the fifteenth round), jeannette, D. Flynn,.-and otlifcr smaller pugilistic fry. Thus it came that his first Australian appearance "quite pleased the Sjjdney critics." lie is labelled "the goods"!

"Go on, 'Bill,' make a name for yourself," was the first salutation Lang got as the, men faced one another. It was a reminder to him that he had lost his reputation, and that it was necessary for him to make good in this fight, or he would bo a back number altogether. As a matter of cold fact, Lang was fighting fcyr his life as a boxer. A poor Showing meant oblivion.

Barry disclosed nt once that he has a big punch, but he showed, too, that ho is of the Lester type, onl.v better. Having no particular skill, lie early disclosed that lie did not mind taking a punch to ftivo one. And also he sent in punches right out of range. Lang leil him on points duriug the first and second rounds, but in fho third tbo Australian was hit hard with a left hook. It. brought him to his hands and knecsj but ho was up on the instant, liarrv. however, did not try to follow up his advantage. Instead, ho grinned and slood off. Then by shoor strength, Barry held his own, with a bit over, in the subsequent rounds. Lang went into the ring with an eye slightly swollen. In the sixth round it had almost closed up. In the tenlh round it had closed up altogether. Nevertheless he was fighting strongly and mado points by evading attack. ]n the eleventh round, although Lang fought plnckily, ho had his mouth wide open. Jle, as in other rounds, got a number of punches home, hut they did not appear lo hurt Harry ill the slightest degree. In the closing stages of Hie thirteenth round Lang received a left and right, which made him sitg at the knees, but the bell saved him from further atlack. Mshegan—Still Holding His Own. Still nnother fixture of interest, on this lid* is reported in the Australian moil.

This is tho Mehegan-Picato affray. 1 The files to hand show that, for the third time, the cleverness of the little Victorian proved too much for the rushing slam-bang tacti.es of the American-Italian. The Australian "light" champion won 011 points over twenty rounds, and this despile the fact that he was giving away some SUb. Merely William Rudd. "IJill" Rudd's victorious career received a check at the hands of big Colin IJell at the Sydney Gaiety on January 23. In taking 011 tho big fellow, Kudd was rash to an extreme, as he could only scale list. (lib. to Hell's 15st. Naturally enough he paid the penalty, although he had the satisfaction of dropping his man twice, once in tho second and again in the fourth round. The referee stopped tho battle to save Kudd unnecessary punishment, as he was plainly outclassed. Putting it plainly, the ex-Wellingtonian "bit olf more than he could safety masticate." Tho Porter brothers have returned from Sydney, where they journeyed last year in search of fame and glory and the cash emoluments thereof, and failed to meet with tho success they wished.