The Washington herald., 1907-12-09

pions-JOhnsOn Is Considered the
the CIeVerer Boxer of the Two.
Tommy Burns. by defeating Gunner
Moir. the English heavy weight. has
earned the title of heavyweight cham
pion Of the world, and he has better
claim TO il than any American fighter
who has ever gone after international
hoaOrs
Burns has slowly worked his way 10
the front rank of American fighters. and,
although It is claimed by Jack O'Brien
that he doUble-crossed the latter. no one
has any particular sympathy for the
Philadelphian. FOR he was supposed 10 be
very clever matchmaker and a man
fully capable OF looking after his own in
terests in that respect. says r. II. Kahn
in the Philadelphia Record. There was
no question, however. that Bill SquireS
was champion OF Australia. and as Burns
Knocked him out quickly. he won the
title of heavyweight champion of that
far OF land Equally. Gunner MOir was
the recognized champion OF England. and
fully entitled 10 represent that country
in an international bout BY defeating
MOir the best sporting men in that great
est OF all sporting countries recognize
Burns as a better man than any they
had on hand in the fighting line. and
cheerfully acknowledge the American
fighter as champion OF England. Burns
will not be allowed to carry his title un-
disputed very long. for Jack Johnson. the
colored heavyweight. has been after him
for long while. and he VIII have 20
whip the big. black fighter before he is
really classed as the best American
heavyweight, as many people look back
on his defeat OF Jack OBrien as not de-
serving Of much consideration
or course. there is still talk in some cir
oles of the return to the ring OF Jim JEFF
fries. but there is no probability of the
ex-champion ever getting himself IN
shape for fight. He is "A saloOnkeeper
now. and. as he has been taking on flesh
at rapid rate. it would be almost inn
possible after his long retirement 10 ever
get back to his old fighting form. There
fore, he may as well be counted out for
good and all. as far as any calculation in
a championship battle IS concerned.
Johnson Dangerous.
Johnson is a different proposition. He
is much alive. and. although many Of
the followers Of boxing. and especially
managers Of fighters. VINO fear that
Jack is too much for their men. strongly
object 10 the Californian on account OF
his color. But true sporting men look
only on a fighter as fighter. and not as
a social proposition, and. while they may
not like 10 see a white man and a colored
man meet in pugiIistie contest. they al
ways glory in the occasion. which often
happens, when the white fellow knocks
the daylight out Of the black man.
Nature has endowed Johnson with great
physical powers He IS tall and heavy.
but not ponderous. being very quick and
active in his movements He has made
a study OF boxing and how 10 best use
the facilities that nature has given him,
and. as a result, it viii take a good man
to beat him in ring encounter. There
is no question that he is a great boxer.
for he has demonstrated it time and
and again. II is true that he has been
accused OF taking. not only once. but
often. Johnson has acknowledged lhat
he has faxed. and he claims that il he
went along knocking out every man he
was matched against he would not have
anybody else TO box. he would starve TO
death. The chances are that he has more
than once been forced 10 agree not TO
knock men out in order 70 get them into
the ring with him.
And right here comes the question as
10 what really is a fake in connection
with boxing. In a limited-round bout
such as are held in Philadelphia, tie men
are hired to box six rounds. They are
never hired 10 fight or 10 knock the other
man out. II they were. the contests
would be prize fights. and, such being
Illegal. they would soon be stopped by
the authorities. Now. when a man Is
hired to box six rounds. and be shows
his superiority over the other man by
outpointing him. he can be considered 10
be doing all that he was hired to do. as
it is no part of his contract TO knock
his opponent out inside OF the time speci-
fed Johnson claims that he has al
ways done this. and denies that he ever
allowed any man 10 get the best of him in
a ring encounter. even If he had agreed
not 20 knock the other man out.
Would BE Great Contest.
Therefore he insists, and there seems to
be merit in the claim. that he never faxed
or deceived the public in any Of his con-
tests. But with the present feeling
against colored fighters in general and
against Johnson In particular. owing 10
the high position he has attained in
pugilism, it would look as if Tommy
Burns would become a ring hero If he
would drop all other engagements. come
back TO America, take up Jack Johnson's
challenge, go into the ring. and knock
the black fellow out. Sullivan was looked
on as a veritable idol Of the boxing game.
and he is still a popular favorite. Bob
Fitzsimmons had many admirers in his
palmy days, and Jim Corbett was also
much admired by those who were able
to discern the clever boxer from the
slugger. and Jeffries has been considered
invincible since he came to be AT the
head of the boxing fraternity, but all of
them would be put into the background
by Tommy Burns if he would get TO work
and put Jack Johnson out of the fighting
business with a punch on the jaw or a
few waliops on the solar plexus.