SOME FAMOUS FIGHTS.

Shannon News, 7 October 1927, Page 3

SOME FAMOUS FIGHTS.

gentlemen and others.

Mr Eugene Corri, the famous boxing referee, in his book of boxing reminiscences, “Glovqs and the Man,” says that personal dislike between two men goes a long way in altering the course of boxing history. He says of two great boxers that there is no love lost between them, and that one would fight the other on sight at any time. Colour prejudice has always been a powerful stimulant to one side or the other.

At the Sydney Stadium .... Burns’s fight with Johnson was .stopped by the police in the fourteenth round to save Burns from further punishment., though Burns has' since told me that he could have stayed the twenty, rounds. Johnson taunted him all the way through the fight, repeating, with' sneering contempt, “You say I have a yellow streak. I’ll show- you whether I have a yellow streak. Take that.” There was hate in that contest. The black man could never forget the taunt’ about the yellow- streak. In the same w-ay, in the heavy-weight contest in 1892 betw-een the Australian Frank Slavin, and the negro, “Gentleman Jackson,” the white man was terribly punished before he gave in. The crisis in the tenth round was the most thrilling in the club’s history. Slavin was counted out clinging to Peter Jackson’s knees, in grim determination not to be counted out on the floor.

His seconds had begged him to give 'in at the ed of the ninth round. “No,” replied the dogged fellow, “nevSr to a black man.”

Slavin’s eyes were almost completely closed behind his very high cheek bones. I can see him now in this sorry plight from the close view I had in ihe corner. He had eyebrows like doormats. Hair grew high up on his cheeks. What a face to have in front of yon as an enemy! There could be no going back with that type of man. It was nearing the end when Jackson, seeing Slavin’s deplorable condition, drew himself up and turned to the referee and said, “Have I won sir?” “Box on,” said Mr Angle in a loud voice.

Jackson then said. “I am sorry, Frank.” Slavin was reeling in the ring, looking as fierce as a wounded lion, but finished. His legs had gone. It took Jackson five punches to bring Slavin to his knees with his arms round Jackson's legs, and he was counted out in this pathetic position.