The Washington times., 1902-08-11
BOXING IN ENGLAND.
Referee White Tells How the Game Is
Conducted on the Other Side.

Charley White, the noted referee Of
boxing matches. in a chat with New
York Sun" reporter recently. gave his
observation of pugilism on the other
| side o. the ocean as noticed by him dur
ing his recent trip to England. White
said:
THE English fighters are spIendidly
developed end adopt the fairest tactics.
hut they do no, think as quickly as the
Americans. AS rule they do not pos
cess the same amount OF natural intel
iigence and cleverness as the fighters
in this country. English boxers, and
there are more boxers than fighters
over there. are constantly looking TO
score points with the left hand. where
as Americans use both hands with equal
effect.
There are no good heavyweights in
England. for the reason that there are
10 inducements for the development of
such pugilists. In word. there are no
large purses hung up. This is due to
the fact that trere are not enough first
class boxing clubs in Great Rritain to
hang up the coin. The National Sport
irg Club is the only organization of any
account, and only purses are offered
there. If they would offer n percent.
age of the gate receipts. 1t might bring
cut the big men plentifully. Boxing
bouts are run more for the gain of the
promoters and managers thar for the
boxers. Then at some of the 1y-by-
Eight clubs they match men unevenly
They arrange six and eight round bouts
at catch weights. but all fifteen round
bouts are at an even scale.
English boxers do no, begin to enjoy
the soci-, status of their American
cousins. The English sporting men do
not allow the fighters TO attain high
stand socially. They make the pugilsts
sit in the back seats at fights and other
wise snub them until the boxers find
that their only associates are hangers
on at public houses. In this way the
habits of the English fighters become
loose, and they lose their physical trim
quickly. When the Americans who
boxed in the coronation bouts arrived in
England there was much favorable COM
ment as to their appearance. Frank
Erne. the Buffalo lightweight. in par
ticular seemed to create sensation be-
cause of his fasbionably cut clothing and
his good looks. The Englishmen could
not believe that he was a prizefighter
SO called, at all.
There is one good thing. though. that
American boxing managers might adopt
In all match fights the contestants
weigh in at 2 o'clock in the afternoon
That gives the club nine hours before
the mill in which to find out il the men
are fit. and, II necessary. prevent a fig
zle. The boxing clubs, barring the Ma
tional, do not receive police protection.
That is to say, there are no police In
the buildings to preserve order. SO tha.
the crowd can make as much noise as It
pleases and incidentally influence the
decision OF the referee. At the National
Sporting Club. though there are no such
The nobility and rich :cen
are among the patrons and they keep
fine order
There Is law against prize-fghting
In England, but there is also a statute
that permits boxing for points. Boxers
are never arrested except in case OF
fatalities.
There's just one more point about
English boxers that l want to make.
They are slow on their feet. They know
very little of the shifty footwork and
gig stepping that Americans use. Ben
Jordan has some idea of leg work. but
in a crude state. Pedlar Palmer is
quick with hands and head. The Eng
lishmen avoid punishment, especially
swinging blows. with stereotyped
duck, down and then up with jerk.
Americans can give them cards and
spades in defense and attack, for the
latter have perfected and improved the
game in point of science. while the
Englishmen have clung to obsolete
methods. The English amateurs are
better physically than the professionals,
for the reason that they are more con-
rciaptfouc athletes