The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-13
JOHNSON
PUMMELS
THE SAILOR
But Burke, Though Badly
Punished, Stays Limit
With the Darkey.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn, Sept. 1s.-Jack
Johnson, the colored heavyweight, out
classed Sailor Burke In their six-round
bout before the Liberty A. C. IN Smiths
Theatre here last night, but at the end
of the sixth round the Sailor was on deck,
very wobbly and hanging to his antagonist
for support, but still in the ring.
The affair could hardly be called a con-
test. 1t was merely an exhibition, in
which Jack johnson showed what a clever
boxer and accurate hitter he is. He showed
that he is infinitely cleverer than Burke
as a boxer, much too strong for him as a
mixer" and far too fast as a fighter for
the Sailor to even hope to compete with
him. Burke was knocked down or wrestled
to the floor fourteen ines in the six
rounds. In fact, he hit the floor about
Ave times oftener than his glove collided
with any part of Johnson's anatomy.
1t was a pitiful exhibition, and only
served to show that Burke can take a lot
of punishment. Nearly every time that
Johnson hit at Burke after the first round
he sent the B~rooklynite to the floor, and
every time that Burke found himself re-
Ginning on the canvas he settled himself
snugly and rested for nine seconds.
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien sat at the
ringside, and observed that it was merely
an "act of charity" on the part of john
W " 80 ON0J
He said:
II think that Jack Johnson is a won
derful boxer. puncher and fighter. I be-
lieve he could whip ~Jefries, and 1 don't
blame any Of the big fellows for 'ducking'
him.
But most of the spectators disagreed
with O'Brien when he said 1t was an act
of charity on Johnson's part to let Burke
stay the limit. They were of the opinion
N a , - ryor1d bora haan paudh mora cha riff
able If the colored heavyweight had ended
the exhibition quickly, and not cut poor
Mr.. Burke up so much.
Savage in Burke's Corner.
Johnson weighed 1873 pounds and Burke
tipped the beam at 165. The negro was
the first to enter the ring. He was ac-
companied by Sam Fitzpatrick. his man
ager, and Larry Temple. Burke came in
a few minutes later, attended by Joe
HUMPHREYS, his manager; Joe Mulvihill and
Jim Savage. Dan Walker, the referee,
called the men to the centre of the ring,
and announced that they were to break
clean. The men repaired to their corners
and the fight began.
Burke tried a left swing, which johnson
blocked, and after some preliminary fid-
ding Jack planted a left to Burke's jaw
and the sailor went to the floor. He arose
and tried again. johnson spared at long
range, and he laid his glove on every part
of Burke's body above the belt. The
Brooklynite was bewildered, and just to
keep the crowd from becoming disinter-
ested johnson keeled Burke over again.
Burke early saw that he stood no chance
with his opponent, so he began to stall
and every time that he was knocked dowr
be stayed the nIne seconds. AT the END
of the first round Burke landed a righi
swing and the crowd cheered him vocif-
erously. johnson looked surprised, and
then burst out laughing.
In the second round the principal thing
that Burke did was to hit the floor. being
propelled by Johnson's fist. Jack seemed
to hit Burke when and where he pleased,
and seemed to have his punches so gauged
that they merely knocked Burke down
without putting him out.
In the third round Burke landed a left
swing, and the crowd went wild with ex-
element. johnson smlllpgly took the
punch, and reprovingly let Burke have an
extra hard one for having the temerity
to hit him. Burke looked as il he would
not be able to get up at the count of nine,
but he succeeded in regaining his feet, and
falling into a 'long-iost-brother' clinch.
Johnson ~methodically knocked Burke
From then until the end of the fight
Burke either sprawled on the floor from
A punch delivered by Johnson or else
Rugged and clinched TO avoid punishment.
When the final bell sounded Burke could
hardly walk to his corner. He was COW
cred with blood, but smiled through his
swollen lips as ii TO say Il told you So