IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1521, 17 August 1912, Page 12

IN THE RING.

[Bx "iIERCUET."] IS JOHNSON REALLY DONE? The Difficulty of Getting the Facts. Tho great British public seems to bo fail- game for tho powers who preside over tlio cable service—as fur as boxing news goes at all events. Tho uum j n (lie street has conio to expect tho "'puff" matter that often proceeds a big event nowadays, and can, to a certain cstent, make the allowances necessary to extract the small grains of fact from tho heap of chaff served up to hiru by the news vendor at tho other end of tho wive. With tho growth of the business of ' fight promoting" to its present financial proportions, and the coincident entry into the pugilistic business of tho moving picture, there came, naturally enough, the "booming" process as well. And, as stated, the British public has already' learned to look upon and to put up with this preliminary "boosting" as an inevitable if not a necessary evil. But however much the publio may ■tolerate tho ante-bellum straining of his credulity, it certainly does expect to bo handed out the facts of the actual contest after it is over. Even this consolation seems to bo denied it now, judging from the news to hand by the American mail of tho recent Johnson-Flyun championship battle.

Two Distinct Versions of the Las Yeqas Battle. a

The cabled accounts made it 'quite apparent that the whole affair was farce, pure and simple, whereas the truth appears to be that it might easily have been a tragedy—for Johnson. Wo were told that Fiynn was hopelessly beaten, and was knocked to pieces in cold blood by tho victorious-all-along-the-line Johnson—that the police interference in the ninth round was made in tho interests of humanity, just in timo to prevent the annihilation of a hapless Jflynu—and that the result places Johnson even in a more unassailable positionsas champion than ever.

Thus tho cable man. Now to turn to Mr. W. W*. Kaughton, the "Referee's" special correspondent at tho front. A few extracts from his account of the contest, written immediately after bis. return from Las Vegas, run as follow:—

Tho event was stopped in tho ninth round by the captain of the State police of New Mexico, on account of Fiymi's buttiug. The latter claimed that there was nothing left for him to do but butt, because Johnson had taken to holding him and preventing him from striking a blow. And that Johnson did hold,, and hold from tho beginning of tho sixth round, the most ardent admirer of tho black man cannot deny. He said ho was fighting carefully, and that ho figured on knocking out Flynn in the tenth round. To me it seemed that the altitude and incomplete training had left Johnson somewhat short of that useful fighting adjunct known as "wind," and that Flynn's continual rushing to closo quarters had taken considerable of the starch out ef the "coloured marvel."

It requires keen watching to detect when the champion is not fighting according, to Hoyle. In kcepiug with everything elso he does in the ring, Johnson, when ho offends, offends artistically. In this particular fight he grabbed Flynn by tho biceps in the later rounds, and leaned his elbows and forearms in the hollows of Flynn's arms in such a way that the Pueblo fireman was as powerless as a man bound to a stake. Johnson, while baffling his opponent, stood straight up, with his chin just above Flynn's crown, and swayed around with a grin on his face. Personally, ■ 1 doubt whether the grin was at all times an indication that tho champion was satisfied with the way things were going.

He's Holding Mo! Why don't you Make Him Quit? So much for the taotnes of tho men, now for sorno aspects of tho bout, and here again it will bo.seen that in Mr. Naughton's opinion it was not by any means all Johnson. He says:— "Flynn was evidently tho better trained of tho pair. Ho was full of fight and i ginger at all times, while Johnson, with 'a grin on his face, stalled occasionally for fully half a round. By tho time tho sixth round was started Jqhnson was a somewhat bedraggled champion. His staimna'had been affected by the constant pegging of Flynn's gloves- against his stomach, and it was noticed that ho no longer maintained the idiotic grin'which ho wore- in the preceding rounds. "By the way Flynn rushed from his corner it was apparent that he had seen evidence of . Johnson weakening in tho preceding rounds. The fireman had Johnson against the ropes before Johnson had taken two steps from his corner. Johnson clasped Flynn's forearms and leaned his elbows in the hollow of Flynn's arms. Flynu lurched and twisted violently in his efforts to free himself, and, finding ho could not: do so, used his head as a batter-ing-ram on Johnson. "Johnson still held on and glanced appealingly at tho referee. And in tho meantime Professor Watson, Burns, tho champion's principal second, jumped upon tho ring ledgo and shouted at Smith, "Cant' yon see that Flynn is butting?" Johnson added his voice to that of Burns, and there was a look of concern in tho champion's, eyes. "Befereo Smith pulled tho men apart and shook a warning finger at Flynn. Flynn. whoso fighting blood was up, bawled excitedly: 'He's holding me; he's holding me! Why don't you make him quit and fight ns a champion should?'"

How Would It have Ended if it had Been Fought Out? Mr. Naughton continues:—"When tho State police stopped' the contest in tho ninth, Hefcreo Smith pondered a minute, and then decided in favour of Johnson. Ho came to the ringside and announced that he did so in accordance with an agreement entered into by the men several days previous, the understanding being that in tho event of interference, tho fighter having tue better of things at. tho time was to receive the award of merit. "That Joflnsou hud scored the most punches was something that could not bo denied, but that ho looked a winner at the .time of tho interference is a different matter. It was the opinion of very many that if Flynn could havo kept his temper and fought cleanly ho could havo worn Johnson, down. "The writer will always liavo a doubt as to just what the result of tho contest would have been if the concluding rounds bad not led to interference. 1 incline romewhat to tho belief that Johnson would havo been worn down, but I am not wholly of that opinion. The sixth round saw Johnson in a bad plight. I havo seen him in many fights, and thero was never a time when he was so crumnled looking and so disinclined to fight back. As already stated, it looked as though he was wishing to bo declared winner on a foul, and from the way ho brightened up in the seventh round it almost appeared as if he had made up his mind that tho referee did not intend to disqualify Flynn. "He gave Flynn a terrible drubbing in tho seventh, and whilo doing so grew tired beyond the shadow of a doubt Tt may have been that after making a specially of holding in tho eighth and ninth round* Johnson would havo mustered up punching vim sufficient to punish Flynn again. I do not think Flynn could' havo f=m-vived many rounds liko the seventh. But all things considered, it is to wonder what would have been the finish if the State police would have held aloof."

And Now? How Will Johnson Fare in Australia? "Mercury" has clipped freely from tho "Iteferoe's" letter, and has done so as the circumstances seem to warrant it. According to present arrangements, Johnson is to be out in Australia before the clo<-o of the year to meet Longford, and, judging from the opinion quoted above of this back-sliding, together with his small black brother Sam's recent showing against M'Vea, I here should bo moro of a match in this contest than has been gencrallv thought to be the case. The Terms of Johnson's Contract to Come Out. . Of course, it is hard to sav whether Johnson win, risk his title or not by meeting Langforu-liß has hitherto shown no

violent inclination to do so, and his recent experience may make him moro coy than over in this respect—but that thero aro grounds for expecting him in Australia is evident from tho fact that ho has signed an agreement to sail next month. Tnis contract runs:—

East La 9 Vegas (N.M.), July 2, 1912. Contract entered into between Jack Johnson, of Chicago, Ills., and Hugh D. M'lnlosh, of Sydney, Australia. The undersigned "Jack" Johnson hereby agrees to go to Australia under tho following conditions:— "Jack" Johmon agrees to box Sam Langford, of Boston, Mass., lor Mr. M'lntosh, within six months' timo after tho signing of these articles at a point in Australia, or near Australia, as designated by tho said Aflnlosh, he to bo tho solo judge as to the placo of contest, for a consideration of JIGOOO, and three first-class round trip tickets from Chicago, Ills., and to box "Sam" M'Vea within a reasonablo time afterwards for a consideration of .£3OOO (nino thousand pounds in all) and .£IOOO cxpenso money.

Tho said M'lntosh. agrees to post X2OOO (two thousand pounds) in cash with the First National Bank of Chicago before Johnson sails for Australia, as a guarantee of good faith, and to post tho balanco of tho money in Australia with a responsible bank, to bo mutually agreed upon by both contracting parties, before tho contest takes place, or within a reasonablo timo after "Jack" Johnson's arrival in Australia. The said "Jack" Johnson agrees to leave for Australia in September, 1912, for Sydney, and also agrees to post a forfeit of .£2OOO with some responsible party or bank that ho will carry out his part of the agreement. (Signed) Jack Johnson. T. S; Andrews, Agent for Hugh D. M'lntosh. Witness: Leo Posner. How Langford Walked Home. Space does not permit of a lengthy review of tho latest of tho LangfordM'Vea series, particulars of which came to hand during' the-week. Tho reports show that tho smaller "Sam" was in front all the way, and that tho verdict in his favour was received without a dissentient voice. Apparently tho battlo proceeded on the lines of the previous meetings, with one all-important exception. Iu the other battles—one a draw, and one a victory to each of the combatants— M'Vea scored the majority of his points with that wicked lett of his. On the present occasion, Langford (or his advisers) had devise'd a block for M'Vca's sinister weapon, and this protective measure praved so eil'ectivo as to render it null and void. Thus was M'Vea robbed of his sting, and a decisive victor went to Laugforil.

What Will the Sydnoy Police do with Johnson, Great exception lias been taken by tho Australian sporting writers to the action of the police inspector in interfering with the conduct of the contest for the purposo of enforcing his reading of the police regulations with regard to tho "kidney punch" anil in-lighting. On two occasions he stopped tho proceedings in the middlo of a round, and ■ou tho latter threatened to stop the affair, altogether. Naturally enough, this had the effect of clamping both the boxers when they got to anything like close quarters, anil it gives rise to speculation as to what will happen should Johnson meet Langford in Sydney, and bo forced to resort to the samo tactics as (according to Mr. Naughton) ho used against Flynn.