The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-02
Six Thousand Dollars in 1t.

London. June 1,-"Kid" Lavlgne
fought "Dick" Burge this evening De-
fore the National Sporting club for the
International lightweight championship
of the world, a purse of 100 pounds CSS'-
BOO and a side purse of 500 POUNDS
(s2.500. Lavigne won in eighteen
rounds. The fight was to be limited 10
twenty rounds.
Every seat for the event was sold sew
eral weeks ago and the National Sport
Ing club was very much crowded TO-
witness the fight. Burge was a strong
night with a fashionable audience 10
favorite and his friends were Wiling 70
law odds of ? to / on him to any amount:
AS a matter of fact, fancy bets were laid
In many instances at much greater odds
When the pair entered the arena ana
shook hands. Burgess superiority in sta
rlra and raache were especially notice
able Both men were well inside the
stipulated weight. Lavigne looked wei
and confident Of victory While II was
generally conceded that Burge must
win quickly or ne would be liable TO be
worn down. Strange TO say, though,
there was no wearing down in the case,
as the Yankee a STRAIT TO finish and
won a romp.
There were loud shouts to back Burge
as they faced each other, but these were
suddenly hushed up when it was seen
that the kid" meant to take the battle
right into the enemy's camp. He rush
ed and drove before him, planting MS
left in the stomach and swinging his
right on the ribs. Burge countered with
his left but there was no force IN MS
blows and I.avigne did not seem TO mind
them and when the first round ended the
betting ceased and everyone seemed TO
realize that Burge had run foul Of cy-
clone Burgess admirers were simply
oaralyzed and even his seconds were at
a loss how to advise him. The features
of the two following rounds were SINH
lar to the first. Lavigne took them with
q rush and never gave Burge time to
consider what was best to do At the
end Of the third round there were many
offers to back the American at odds of
8 to l but it was Vainattemptto hedge
lost money.
For twelve rounds Lavigne beat a
terrible tattoo on Burgess body and ribs
He then altered his tactics and tried for
the face of his opponent This gave
Burge a chance and he did better than
at any other period of the fight One
OF his left-handerS landed straight on
the Kids nose, squirting the blood. The
Englishman then began to hope that
Burge might yet pull through but La
I-igne quickly dispelled the illusion. He
rushed Burge around the ring with re-
doubled fury. His blows seemed to
double up and almost kill Burge. And
now Uavigne was able easily to reach
his opponents head and face. Every
blow left its mark and made Burge
weaker on his feet. He struggled
elong, however, to the sixteenth round
when Lavigne landed two swinging
knock-down blows on the side OF Burgess
head. He was only just able to get on
his feet for the next round. Lavigne
gave him terrific left handed punch in
the stomach and as his head came for
ward he swung his right on the side of
the head. Burge feel fiat upon his
face.
1t was a Knockout blow but Burge
was practically beaten and in order to
prevent and serious accident, the refer
ZEE stopped the fight.
Burge was awfully punished about
the stomach, chest and ribs, while La
Tigne was scarcely marked.