IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1990, 21 February 1914, Page 12

IN THE RING.

tßx Meecuet.l

THE LAST JpHNSON FIASCO. Was Ho Afraid? In default of further news from London regarding the relations of tin? National Sporting Cteb and "Jack" Johnson, it is to be concluded that the proposed match between the champion— or is it now es-eli-anip-io-n "?—has been dropped. For this no one—-except, perhaps, the club and the Ln-ngforid party —will be sorry. Certainly n« oho sfiauld be surprised. The only oecasien for soi'row and surprise is that the N. 5.0., which stands for the best there is in English boxing, should have lent its 'countenance, at all to a-fty proposition ■in which Johitsoii Was concerned. It is to ho.hoped that tho objection raised by tho black to the size— at lack of size—of the purse, will remain as a permanent impediment to his ever appearing in an English ring, ftnd ono cannot help thinking that, so lang as Langford is proposed as %he other party of the contract, there will always be- this or some other insurmomita-Mo' obstacle.' The club offered £3000, to be divided as agreed upon by the men, with no guarantee to either, but Jehnsan wanted £6000. He has shown such a d&twmmefl nttitude in side-steppinß any nssattlt upon his title by Lsngford that it may safely bo presumed that, had the N.S.C. offered £6000. he would have Wanted £9000—anything, in fact, rathe* than that he should be placed in tiro position of risking a beating from his eompatriot. Johnioh,- like the man in the song, may be poor., but he is pfoSid aiid he is particular—in some respects. Mr. Daker Lands a Big Fish* One of tho biggest things in the bosing history of Australia—'the bigge-st, perhaps since the Jolinsoft-Biirns battle—is likely.to transire- sWtl.y. This has been\ broUglit about by Mr. R. j>. Baker (at reseiii in Aeeriea) whe hascabled that he has been successful jji sicning up world's. Ijglit-w-eight chawpion Willie Ritchie for an Austialiaft .tour. The chaiijpion has a liia'tch for April 2 with "Touitoy". Murphy, and is to leave iniriie.diately -a'ftcr. This will mean that Australia i£ likely to see some world's oham.pkmshr-ji matches, as bottv "Hugh.io" ifchejsan and "Herb' , M'Coy vsiH be sttfe i 4 get a chance for Ritehie^s , title, and if Mr. Bake can oiily securd- the services of "Freddy" WelSk, whreli shonlfl not be difficult, seeing that the fittjp Englishman has been camping on Ritoliio's trail for months, now in ho'po of a battle, the resulting clash woiiM be justabout the biggest thing iii bflxing that ever happened to Australia*

Murphy's Mlsforftine. Rumour has it that "Denny" Murphy's hands are in a fair way to recovery" from the injuries reefeived iii Ms fateful "go" with "Dafn.c.v" Jfofaiul at New ■ Plymouth last tteek ,, . The middleweight .title, was involved in the clash and tho meii \vtfi*hed in thus: Murpliy ;(holder),- lOst. Oft.; Ireland, list. Tfe-6 goinp was fairly <jvcii rip. to the. fifth , round, with perhaps a shade of advantnco to Murphy, wiieu he madft a sud-> don end to the bout by stopping hostilities. His hands had v-ery pkipb* given out and a snhse.qUeut examiiirtioii bv Dr. Walket disclosed; the faei that tho metacarpal bone of the index Anger , of the left hand had been fractured aittl that the right iifrtid, wliieh if will be romeinbored was. infiired about twelve.nioiiths ago, had also gi-veii way nghiiu ■ :It is rather -s coiiicidaice that the ; first professional title that Murphy Wtl. —the welter-weight-— cft-iire to him oil tho occasion of "I'iin" Tnu:ey*s broken arm in Blonheitfl, a-nd tliat. he should now lose the mMcHe-ttciqlib title thro«.!*.h sustaining a sliniiar injury .himself. '

■ Keel-hauling Kllbane, A world's champion is roqmred to bo up and doing all tho tinio in tlic States if _ho wishes io avsiid criticism, and criticism from the ? parti WE press of America is "sohlo". criticism t<iti—twm'chant- and searching. Wα lmvo _s<?.tm some samples as banded cut to Willie Ritchie, during the past year of so. Now Jits smaller cewlr.aiii.pion, "Johnny , *- Kilbane, is beginning , to fittnje up for review. This 'is a .sample of what Kilbano has been running into of late :— Kilbauo is sure some dvampfon} Nobody will take Isis title attay. '• ■ from him unless they, chloroform hhti first. , He'll ne«tf risk it on an even thing. What an awful thing it would be if Kitbane took an oveiichanco some time. But don't figure : on any such a possibility. The idea therweight champion is a piker,'who would rather mako two dollars by boating a young otto than five times as many thousands by going , against a good auaii mider even conditions, litiok back over Iris record for the past year and see for yourself. Any time Ire goes into the ring he has tho weights framed and his opponent fta-Bclicappod eo that there is no eliAnce for him to lose. Great champion.!

Tho Boaster. Kecent events have pioved that fte' American light-weight, iMeftourn Savior, is not among the tiropliets, Uudef his contract he has fire contests with tho Baker management, and lie asserted that he would win. "them all by knockouts. Up to a certain point", he has been right, and his second victory., that ovcr-'Mehegan, seoniod ttj iofscasrt a. successful issue to his hoast.

His last match; however, altered the position very cortsidefably. In Brishaiie, <n February -7, ho clashed with the Victorian, "Eddy" Newhousc, and met Waterloo. Appai-eivUV;- too, ft- was through his own fault as, despite repeated warnings, lie -continued to hit aiid hold during the- six rounds, pud was eventually very properly dlsqnalifed when well in the lead. ' Savior . has had somo experience of fouls. It was he who scored a knockout over "Fredcly" Wols'h in America, , a_l the end of lust year, and was ineon> tinentally disqualihed for so dcing as tho deciding blow was palpably too low. Englishman's Exploit, An event that esused some surprise in Australia was the defeat of Herbert M'Coy by "Nat" Williams, one of Mr. Baker's latest importations from England. The affair took pkco in Melbourne before a crowd of 10,600 spectators,' who were very surprised to see the "native son" held up so vigorously by the Briglishman. Roports of the contest show ife to havo been keen and vigorous throtighotri with fortune varying, so it is not surprising to hear, that the verdict mot with a very mixed reception. On one point, however, tiiero is a eon-soiisns of opinion which is that Williams "ma-do good" emphatically, and that he is likely to be one- of the most attractive of the imported, borers nnw in Australia. Wellington Boy Abroad. It is gratifying to team- tkit Frank' Ellis is making his way. in Australia. Following upon his recent meritorious ■ win at a Stadium from 1!, Thomas, be hns seenrod another victory, this time at Melbourne, from <Mie George Taylor, a local boxer, with something srf a reputntion. This looks as ihntigh the Wellington boy's luiml had fully recov.flred and we .should be able to look forward to good accounts of him, new that he has got a (.Hotirig into ihe game.