The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-12
SPORTING news.
McGovern Gets So, For His
Share of Fight Purse.
While the ssLittIe Chocolate
Was Given About 1000.
RECEIPTS WERES25,OOO
Terry is Matched With Gardner
and Bernstein.
Dixon is to Have a Big Benefit
In New York.

New York, Jan. 12.-For defeating
George Dixon in their battle for the
feather weight championship before the
Broadway Athletic club on Tuesday
night, Terry McGovern, the wonder
full little Brooklyn pugilist, received 49,,
416. The boys spared for so per cent
of the gate receipts, of which the win
ner received 35 per cent and the loser
10 per cent The total amount of mon
ey taken in at the gate was $4,000.
Dixon's share, therefore, was So, 139.
1t was generally supposed that the
boys fought for a purse of $4,000, and
the announcement that they had bat
tied under a per centage basis came in
the nature of a, surprise. Dixon and
McCfovern, however, received more
money than if they had fought for a
purse of $4,000.
McGovern, who now holds both the
bantam and feather weight champion
ships of the world, celebrated his vic
tory quietly at his home in Brooklyn.
Hundreds of friends called and con-
graduated the little fellow on his sue
cess over the great colored fighter
Terry bore his honOrS modeStly He
spoke in the highest terms of Dixons
fighting qualities, and said that he had
none but the kindliest feelings for the
loser.
Dixon said Terry, "is the gamest
man L ever fought. He took more pun
ishment and stood up under it longer
than any man 1 ever met in the ring.
At no time during the fight was there
any question as to the result. We had
it hot and heavy for four rounds, but
knew my body blows were hurting
Dixon, while his blows did not injure
me-"
McGovern did not have a. mark to
show that he had been in a battle.
When asked about his plans for the fu-
ture, he said he was prepared to fight
any man in the world. Il have already
arranged two matches, said McGovern
lone with Oscar Gardner to take place
on March 8, and the other with Joe
Bernstein on March "a. Both contests
will take place at the Broadway Ath-
letic club. After these fights have been
decided, 1 may take a trip to England
and fight 'Pedlar' Palmer again. and if
I beat him 1 win take on Jordan or
Curley''
McGovern said that his ability to get
inside Dixon's guard and, in fact, his
whole style Of fighting during the con-
| test, had been according to instructions
received from "Charley'' White, the
well known referee.
Terry said that White had coached
| him frequently as to how to avoid Dix
ons famous left swing for the body
| and head, and then step in with swing
| ing 1efts and rights for the body.
| In discussing McGovern's style of
| fighting today, White said that the Sc
| eret of the Brooklynite's success was
| his peculiar way of boring in on an op-
ponent, laying and keeping both hands
| active in clinches.
| "McGovern," said White, fights
| strictly according to rules. He never
| holds or clinches with an opponent.
| When the other man holds him, Terry
| Immediately smashes away for the
| body, and he hits so hard that he hurts
| every time. In the fight Tuesday night
| every time Dixon would let go with the
| left, whether he missed or landed, he
| would hold McGovern around the neck.
| AS soon as he did this Terry would
| keep banging away on the ribs with the
| right, and those blows eventually weak
ened Dixon, and after that it was easy
| for Terry to reach his head
| In the long range fighting Dixon far
| out-classed McGovern. His left hand
| found the Brooklyn boys neck innum-
| cradle times, but on going to a clinch
| with each blow he received an awful rib
| roasting.
| Flesh and blood could not withstand
| that terrible onslaught Had Dixon been
| faster and better than he was in the
| heyday of his youth it is probable that
| the end, though longer delayed, would
| have been the same.
Now that it is all over it may be
| said that the battle went from it's open
| ing to it's conclusion in logical order
| and that at no time was there a chance
| for Dixon to win save by an accidental
| blow. He was putting his fist more
| often to McGovern's face than he re-
| ceived blows, but on the other hand the
final winner was raining upon his body
| blows which were filled with strength
| At long range Dixon was perhaps a
| trif1e the faster, and at infghting it was
| give and take, with the balance at all
| times to be allowed to McGovern. The
| latter was as quick on his feet as the
co1ored boy and had back of him that
| greatest of all winning qualities-the
| endurance of youth.
The defeated champion looked very
| much the worse for wear. He showed
| many marks of the effect of Mccoy
| ern's blows. His nose was badly puffed
| and there were two big swellings under
his left eye and one under his right eye
He said that he would never fight
| again, and would probably go into some
| legitimate business. He said that he
| had never met a man who could hit
| as hard as McGoVern and that Terry