Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-18
BURNS PREFERS
TO MEET O'bR|EN
The Latter Says That He is
Willing After He PoIishes
Off Tommy Ryan.

Tommy Burns is taking himself seriously
When he speaks of himself IT is heavy
weight champion of the world. BY out
pointing Marvin Hart Burns believes he
is entitled to the belt put aside by Jeffries
This is how seriously Burns takes HIM
self:
Yes. 1 appreciate the fact that I am
Champion, but IL is only the attainment
for which have fondly hoped and sought
since first entered the ring. and accept
the situation with the belief that I accom-
plished my ambition by hard knocks and
systematic efforts. and l propose to de-
fend my title as long as worthy opponents
are in existence.
Il have taken up a vaudeville career OF
fifteen weeks. Afterward l expect to give
attention to any challenges that may be
in waiting. and will give all the heavies
chance at my scalp.
Prefers Jack O'Brien.
Il prefer now to take on Jack OBrien.
and believe that 1 will be able to defeat
him more easily than / beat Hart. 1 saw
the bout between Hart and O'Brien In
Philadelphia. and am sincere in the state
ment that OBrien was very fortunate to
stay the limit.
"O'Brien cannot. in my opinion. take the
punishment that Hart stood from me. and
know that OBrien's tender spot is his
stomach. He cannot fight the battle put
up by Hart and stand for the stomach lac
Ing the kentuckian took.
II shall issue no challenge. I am cham
pion and those who want to meet me must
come to me. Many of those who are Will
ing TO fight me for the championship will
not heed my challenges some months ago.
and l shall nor bother them again. How
ever l shall consider all challenges directed
to me and will endeavor to show to the
world that / am worthy to wear the hon
ors | have won.
Il am a different Tommy Burns at 175
pounds than at 15S pounds, and / am sure
my critics will give me this credit / am
too heavy TO fight in the middeweight
division and should 1 be so foolish as to
attempt to make weight for that class L
would be beaten before entering the ring,
as | would not be strong enough to whip
kitten at las pounds.
o'Brien Says He's Willing.
Jack OBrien. the middleweight cham
pon. and also contender for the heavy
weight title says in Il letter TO friend
here that he would like nothing better than
a chance to get Fred Cooley into the ring
In a regular sixround bout. just TO prove
that the Touchdown at Toledo was an acct
dent and nothing more.
'Why. that fellow Cooley no more could
stand ten rounds with me than he could
fly" said Jack, "and If he does not keep
quiet l will be compelled to take him on
In a short-round contest just to show him
how little he knows about the fine points
of the game. He is strong fellow, / will
admit, and liable to put any one down if
given the chance. but, | said before,
he took me unawares and scored knock
down when I never dreamed of him taking
advantage Of our friendly set-to. l see
where he wants to fight me twenty rounds.
Well. all | can say is that 1t would not take
twenty, or half that number of rounds, to
demonstrate my superiority him. L
want to meet Tommy Ryan for the middle
weight title, which 7 hold now, and then
will take on Tommy Burns If he Is anx-
ious for a bout In the meantime | would
not mind laying off my theatrical engage
ments just long enough to convince Mr..
Cooley that he is not a champion"