BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 161, 2 August 1909, Page 4

BOXING.

(By "'IIOTUIIOA.") I

Saturday's cablegram announcing that Jim Jelfries had deposited .CIOOU with thu promoters of Johnson's matches, as evidence of his eagerness to meet tile black champion, will bring joy lo tlr« hearts of boxing enthusiasts throughout the world, d'rom the moment me •Hash nigger received the verdict over Tommy Uurns in .December last there nas only been one question asked, and that was, " who will regain the championship tor the white race?" Coriiett, x-'itzsimmons, Sharkey, and O'Brien, and a crowd of " has beens" immediately interviewed the nearest newspaper reporters and let their tongues mose. Tne amount of good paper wasted in chronicling their blatant boasts would, if gathered together mid dropped from the airship seen cruising near Parituiu on Friday night, have buried Jock .Johnson several miles deep ana nettled the question once and for all. Hut the opportunity was lost. Jack O'Brien and Stanley Ketehel, of those at present raging, were hardly considered seriously, a weighty man being necessary. On Jim Jeilries, the ex-champion, conqueror of Choynski, Jackson, Sharkey, Fitzsimmons, Corbett and tin; world's best rrom 181) li to li) 04, centred the hopes of everything white, and J.J. quickly went into training and proceeded to sheu i.lie superfluous tissue which had attached itself to hinwlunng the live years lie had refrained from the strenuous rife. Jeffries would never meet Johnson, the critics told us. He drew the color-line in li) 04, and he could never regain his old form. But Jeffries promised the panting millions to "give it a go" for six mouths, and if he got into form again »e was a sure lighter. A s/iort time ago the ex-champion announced definitely that all was goiug well him, and cabled announcement brings matters to a head. iMuch has been written in ridicule of Jeffries during the last few months; l>ut his critics are badly in the soup, and all must admit that his manner of tackling the momentous question has been square and honest, and spread all over with sound commonsense and masterly handling. There are many tilings to settle yet 'before tlie fight eventuates, but with Jeffries willing the sporting world lias something tangible to go on with. The rest looms interestingly ahead! Meanwhile "Massa Johnsing," fresh from walloping T. Burns, rushed off to Amurka, and, over chicken and champagne, told liia colored brethren what a mighty line lace the negro was. Banquets were as common as swankey in a prohibition district, and Johnsing quickly acquired a "little Mary," and heaps of other useless fat on liis brown anatomy. Pleasure was his all the time, and for want of a pugilist to up-end him , he proceeded to up-end himself I>y riot- i ous living. Sam Langford's challenge and his other English engagements were consigned to Timbuctoo or Whanganionioiia or somewhere else, and the swelled head grew with amazing rapidity. As a matter of condescension agreed to a 40!lis lighter iuan in Jack O'Brien inside six rounds. Johnshg wore the usnnl smile and abbreviated bathing garments when h j (. entered the. ring and proceeded to hustle the white man. But the hitter fought like a tiger, and in very short time, as the song goes, "the smile wiis on the face or the tiger." Johnsiiig's famous left hook was met by a quick step inside and a quicker right to Iln\ jaw, and the champion floundered all over his man, swiping harmlessly. The crowd veiled itself hoarse and implored O'Brien to k-iock the nigger's head oil'. Jack fairly lest the 'big fellow by superior c!e\wness, stopping his mad rushes by straight smashes to the jaw and slinging lefts to the bread-basket. The bljick was rattled, badly and the fight was a mural victory for O'Bi-ien, no decision being allowed in Philadelphia. Johnson and Stan. Ketehel are matched to fight 20 rounds for the championship at California in October, ainl although the challenger is a comparatively light man (being the holder of the middle-weight championship), he promises to make things interesting when they face up. On Johnson's showing' against O'Brien, the chances of Ketehel becoming top dog aiv decidedly promising. On June Will Ketehel made no light of O'Brien, rattling him to a harmless mass of humanity inside three rounds. Ketehel uses both hands freeJv, ami when he lashed out he generally tears holes in tilings like a cannon ball. May he win in October, that is ul(!

Local sports who witnessed the Tur-ner-Tracy disturbance last week are loud iu their praise of the .Maorilander, and consider that tlie decision, a draw, was nothing short of highway robbery. The lirst three rounds were in Tracy's favor. The fourth was Turner's. In the fifth Tracy '>lll the 'Stralian had the best of th<> next. The seventh and eighth were slow, both men laboring heavily. From this to the finish (I.) rounds) Tracy iiad his man well beaten." and when the judge dechuvd a draw the audience rose up and asked itself it such a disgusting- decision wjis ever given outside Amurka before. As Tracy remarked afterwards: " 1 guess there'* something unlucky about mi'!" Bruiser Hob Clark's, who used to hustle a team of 'bun horses in these parts, and now reside* in (lisbornc, was matched to tight six rounds with one at Hastings, 011 Wednesday night, but Bob was no match for his aggressive adversary, and after two rounds of what the small boys call "an 'orrihle time" lie hit the floor violently nnd peacefully took the. count. That was the only peaceful thing übout the tumuli. Coining home in the train the other night We got on to the question of the Maori as a fighter. There weic no Natives in the carriage, so the tall man with the soup stains on his vest Jet himself jjo. This was his dissertation: "No! Splendid courage and pugilism

r<j not «lack Maori's strong points. JTe i many canoe lengths behind Jack John--011 as a lighter. Rememberi wWii Boxer' I'ascy cnnio to -Maoritown last how time?" We did. "Well, Casey aised his canvas and drew a big house. iftcT tlie usual "go," with his punch* ng partner, the pug. ottered ten bob o -anyone who could stand up to him or a round. The audience sat wel iaek and hit its -nails hard. Nobody fir my ill-will towards Casey, who was itrauger in their midst, and t'ner .vasn't, ;i single Hiving soul in. tiia •rowd who wished to disfigure Casey' ilready bullercil physog." The guar )assed through and punched our ticket :or about the hundredth time. The ilie tall man continued. " Hut ten bo rt'.is a tempting liait to those .Maoris, an it. last a iine-looking native, vieldin to hi* (alleged) friends' pcrsuasio; stepped into the glare and donned Hi uiits, glaring aggressively the- while Hut it was a short light. Casey wa taking no chances, and after side-stej ping the dusky fellow's iiist vigorous o) slaught, rattled a weighty left to Hi proboscis, drawing dnret. like a l ighL:i struck wine-cellar. With ;< bowl lik the last call Die Maori clapped his hand to his spurting nose and shriekec 'Cripes! What a posked! corn what a posked. 1 JJe was overcome wit admiration for the white man's punc and wouldn't fight on at a hundred (jni a minute." And we tumbled out a Hawera for a tea and sandwich. •Settled down once inure, J'atricius n the rubicund countenance took up th running, and this was his tale:*" Hi Harry, the raiigitira's son, strutte truculently into Klynn s hotel the otlie night, spat disdainfully on Chapman' dog and challenged the whole world't tight 'for tree (mid.' Harry was wi> inked, and 4 te waipiro' is a grea courage-raiser. Nobody really wante to fight him, hut things had been ver; dull in the village since old man Hra~i nigan fought tlie sly-grog infonnei After a short barney ' Shorty' C'baj: man agreed to take on tin: .Maori, 'jus for the love of it.' Klynn was referej and the crowd adjourned to the ligllte patch of road under the corner lamp t see the 'go.' The contestants doil'e their superfluous top hamper, expecto rated copiously ou their palms and fat e up. Tlie crowd surged round the iight ers. Head and shoulders over the whit man stood his ghmt opponent, n super ligure, breathing power and pugnacity and it seemed ]ik t » murder to let th fight commenee. *A fair light and s(jiiare light, hoys, and may the lies man win,' said Klynn, and then thin<j i happened, llarrv rushed in to settl Chapman in one "hit. They elincne< broke awav, and, calling upon cac other to 'come on,' heaved into it agair Klynn had great difficulty iu pushin, them apart, and then Harry swung righ and left viciously; but Chapman dnckc cleverly, and, getting under the .Maori' guard, smote him a lovely 'one-two on the ribs and Hid aim low with : beauty of u teeth-loosener on the point lltg Harry went down with a wild how of dismay, but as up again inside o throe seconds, and, rushing over 1' Klvnn, he threw liis arms routid th referee's neck and yelled, 'Stop ini poss! Hold 'iiu! He kill me. Stop J im I got to plankv heart disease! Hol< 'im!' No, Jack .Maori is a poo fighter!' And then the motion, havim been seconded and supported, was uu and carried unanimously.