BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 91, 3 September 1912, Page 8

BOXING.

WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. IS JOHNSON GOING OFF. , An account of the Johnson-Flynn boxing match, written by one of the beat nutorities in America, describes the black, ;as on the. down grade. He states, <tnat [When Flynn rushed j u johnsOii plnion;ed 'his arms to prevent the white from punching at close quarters, and this was 'what made Flynn butt the champion. Flynn repeatedly protested against the black's tactics, which were attributed to Johnson's desire to preserve his wind. The authority referred to discourses as follows: And here is the significant point for ■.those who know Johnson, and know of j his past battles and his past spells of training. When he was himself ho jnever allowed anyone to take liberties with him. An extra hard punch either •in a practice bout or in a real fight I brought retaliation from the champion in the shape of a volley of hooks and uppercuts. But here to-day he allowed a ; man lighter and several inches shorter ' than him to take liberties with him. If he had followed his usual custom he , would have shook himself free and bat- • ted Flynn'g head from side to side with I hurtful punches. But instead he clung to the undersized fireman like a creeper to a fence, and wanted to be declared the winner on a foul. ! There was a brave clattering of ton'gues when the men finally went to their corners at the end of that dirty round, »nd experts from all parts of the coun.try muttered excitedly, "If Flynn will only keep his head he will lick the negro, for Johnson is giving out." ' There were man}', too, who bewailed the fact that Tommy Burns had left jFlynn's camp at a critical time. If some jman of experience and of cool temperament had been with Flynn he might have, (controlled him, and compelled him to I fight according to the rules. But Flynn 'over in his angle, argued excitedly with ■ his seconds, and kept repeating, "I want ,to fight clean, but he holds on like grim [death, and will riot let me." The seventh round saw Johnson listing a straight left and right uppercuts. I There wo.s no butting in this round, as '{Johnson fought as he should fight, and 1 kept Flynn at bay. It was IV bad round ' for Flynn. [ j The eighth round was another foul ; J one. Flynn, who had been warned by his ' BG«onds that Johnson had slowed up per- > ceptibly towards the close of the preTious three minutes' fighting, tore to close quarters the minute the starting ' feil rang. Instead of meeting' Flynn wjth a straight or uppercut, Johnson ili.ew out his arms an 3 clasped the fireman, thus strengthening the suspicion, that the pace, the altitude, and the rough work combined were having their effect ion the champion's strength. But weak ,las he might have been, Johnson knew jhow to hold Flynn safely, Flynn tugged lin an effort to get an Jinn free, tttid, .'.finding himself baffled, jump" p -u front his jfeet while he was still held in Johnson's embrace and pounded with his forehead I against the champion's chin and throat. > As the champion dropped heavily into ' his chair at the close of the eighth'round he the referee to him and said, "I thought you told me you were going to be fair," Smith replied: "I am trying to be fair, and to tell the truth, I cannot make up rny mind which of you is the worst offen- . der. "

Several friends of Flynn ran around to liis corner in tlio resting spell and begged him to control himself and fight fairly. "Johnson is all in and you will surely whip him if you keep your temper," was dinned into Flynn's ear over and over and over again. "I know it," said the fireman, "hut it makes me sore clean through when he grabs me and holds on instead of trading punches with me." They came together with a clash in the ninth round with Flynn's uaual rushing in. Again Johnson disappointed his friends, who expected to see him stop Flynn's charge with a blood-letting left or a swift right uper cut. The big negro threw out his arms and almost enveloped -Flynn, and finding himself pinned, Flynn threw discretion to the winds, and ietennined to get in a liek of some kind. He butted Johnson's chin again and »gaur and put up his usual speech argument when Smith pulled them asunder. J After another spasm of holding on Johnson's part, and butting on Flynn's. during which Johnson's eyes .said as plainly as_ words, "Mr Referee, when are yoii going to (jive me this decision on a foul." The captain of the State police and one of his men clambered over the heads of the spectators and up into the ring. At this time the referee had the heavyweights apart, and the captain went between them and threw both arms aloft., "Wo will have no more fighting of this kind," he said, and the crowd "felt the i battle for the championship was at an 'end. | Referee Smith pondered a few minutes, and then announced his decision in favor of .Johnson for the reason already explained. The writer will always have a doubt ai to just what (he result of the contest would have been if the concluding rounds had not led to interference. I incline somewhat to the belief that Johnson would have been worn .down, but I am not wholly of that opinion. The sixth round saw Johnson in a bad plight. 1 have seen him in many plights, and there was never a time when he was so crumpled looking and so disinclined to fight back. As ml ready stated, it looked as though he was wishing to be declared ! winner on a. foul, and from the way he brightened up in the seventh round it ilmost appeared as if he had made up [lis mind that the referee did not intend io disqualify Flynn. He gave Flynn a terrible drubbing in :he seventh, and while doing so grew ired beyond the shadow of a donbh Tt nay have been that after making a pecialty of holding in the eighth and linth rounds Johnson would have musered up punching vim sufficient to hater Flynn again. I do not think Flynn ould have survived many rounds like he seventh. But all things considered, t is to wonder what would have been lie finish if the Stale police would have eld aloof.