Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-24
CHAMPION HART
LOSES HIS TITLE
TOMMY BURNS BECOMES KING
OF HEAVYWEIGHTS
Detroit 5attler outpoints, outflghts and
outeenerals Kentuekian In Ev-
cry Round and Earns
Decisive Victory

Tommy Burns is the new champion
of the world in the heavyweight di-
vision, having punctured the claims of
Marvin Hart, the blue grass champion
who fell heir to the title relinquished
by the unbeaten champion of all cham
pions, James J. Jeffries, when he re-
tired from the ring less than q year
ago.
Burns and Hart fought twenty
rounds before Tom McCarey's Maud
junction club last night and the De-
troit boy won all the way, having a
distinct advantage in every round
Although Hart outweighed Burns by
more than twenty pounds. the blue
grass champion was no match for his
clever opponent, who outfought, out
pointed and outgeneraled him at every
stage of the battle.
Burns carried the fight to Hart
throughout and when the champion
made an attempt at forcing matters
Tommy was not there. His footworlS
and speed surprised everybody in the
audience of 5000 persons.
A recapitulation of the battle gives
Burns credit with landing manifold
more blows than did his opponent and
Burns stabs were more effective.
From the fourth round until the end
Hart's face was covered with blood as
a result of the constant left jabs Burns
sent to his face and at the end Hart's
left eye was closed, his right eye was
dimmed, his nose was bruised, his
mouth was bleeding and his lips were
so swollen that he could scarcely talk
except in pain.
Burns was too fast for Hart and he
repeatedly stepped in and landed eff
fective blows to the head and face and
s<idooed away before Hart could make
return.
The footwork of the Detroit boy was
a revelation in that it was the prettieSt
exhibition ever seen in Los Angeles and
bothered the former champion not a
little.
Burns had trained consistently and
hard for this battle and was in the
pink of condition. When he stepped
into the ring he weighed only 175
pounds, while Hart tipped the beam at
1876 pounds, but what Burns lacked in
weight he made up in gameness, box
ing ability and effectiveness.
Hart also had an advantage in reach
and height, but this bothered Burns
very little. as Hart was slow in moving
about, swung wildly and seldom landed
and all Burns was forced to do was
to duck occasionally to avoid the
mighty rights of the Kentuckian and
jump in and land his counters.
The battle demonstrated the slight
claim Hart ever had on the heavy
weight championship. He showed but
little ability as a boxer, no generalship
and less ability to land effectively.
From the fourth round until the end
Burns says that he was certain of WIN
ning He felt out Hart and ascer-
tanned that the champion could not hit
him effectively and thereafter he fought
along lines solely his own, stepping
in and delivering his rights and lefts
nd
getting away before Hart could make
return.
1t was pretty battle and the best
man won The audience was wild with
enthusiasm from the time Burns began
to show his true form until Charlie
Eyton made the decision that declared
Burns the successor to Hart as the
heavyweight champion of the world.
/, At the end of the twentieth round
Tommy Burns realized that he had at
tanned the ambition of his life, to climb
to the top of his profession as u
pugilist.
Burns has fought some of the best
men in the world and has never sus
tained a knockout. He has accepted
all sorts of conditions that were adverse
and has occasionally been defeated
after hard milling, but his defeats have
been through superior boxing ability
of his opponent rather than otherwise.
Recently Burns signed a contract to
do vaudeville stunt for twenty-five
weeks, conditioned upon winning the
battle last night, and he will prepare
himself for beginning his stage career.
This makes certain that there will be
no heavyweight battles for at least
six months.
The showing of Burns last night JUS
titles the predictions of his admirers
that he is too heavy to battle in the
middleweight class and that he can
only do justice to his efforts when not
burdened with the necessity of making
weight.
When he fought Jack Twin Sullivan
he weakened himself by making weight
and could not make the showing his
ability justified. In training for his
battle last night he was not burdened
with the necessity of making weight
and had only to condition himself for a
gruelling match. The result is evident.
Fight by Rounds
Round 1.-The men came to the CEN
ter of the ring and Burns danced
around Hart, playing for an opening.
Hart swung with his right and Burns
tripped, falling part way through the
ropes. They clinched. Hart led with
his right and another clinch followed.
The round was a succession of clinches,
Hart missing right swings as Burns
glided in and out of his reach. They
We're clinching at the end of the round.
Round 2-Burns put. left to the
stomach and Hart came back with
right to the face Hart endeavored to
land his right and Burns jabbed with
his left to the face. During the in
fighting both men hammered at the
ribs. Burns appeared able to land his
left at will and taunted Hart as the
latter swung wildly with his right.
Hart became excited at the punishment
and did not land effectively during the
round.
Round 3-The men came to clinch
and Burns put his left to the face after
the breakaway. Burns kept tapping