Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-03
NOR is EASY, TOO
British Puqilistic Aspirant No
Match for Tommy Burns
of America.
LATTER WORLD CHAMPION
Knocks His Man Out in Tenth Round
in Contest, Before Club of Eng
Iish Sports at London.

London, Dec. 3.-Tommy Burns of
America knocked out Gunner" Moir
Of England in the 10th round before
the National Sporting club last night.
Englishmen never had greater hopes
of the ability Of their representative to
regain their lost honors in the boxing
arena, but the American champion had
comparatively easy task in dispOsins |
of Moir's pretensions and securing for |
himself the title OF heavyweight cham
pion of the world.
The fight was one of the poorest
championship contests ever decided. i
Moir profoundly disappointed his sup
porters. His deliveries We're bewilder
ingly weak, and when he did get home
on his opponent he made no impress
sion. He fought stubbornly and cOur-
|ageously, but without science. Burns,
on the other hand, always was conf
dent, always ingenious. He had Moir
|guessing all the time aud beat him
just when he Thought he would.
SuW
After the fifth round Burns victory
was certain. and in the 10th the Gun
ner" failed TO rise at the call of time
He was literally cut to pieces, while
Bpffis left the ring with scarcely al
tmark.
Moir owes his right to participate in
championship matches more to influ-
ence than to merit, and his defeat.
| therefore, was not a matter of general
surprise. The American fighter prov
ed superior at every point. He dis
Iplayed geater science and infinitely
better generalship. and his blows were
delivered with much more power than
those of the EngliShman.
The contest aroused a greater amount
lof excitement and enthusiasm than any
decided at the National Sporting club
since Slavin's defeat at the hands of
Peter Jackson. Burns entered the
ring the favorite at odds of Z TO A.
which price would have been still
longer but for the TACT that two titled
hackers of Moir covered the Burns
money for a large amount on the
chance of a big winning in addition to
the stake money
Il Crouch Helps American.
Except for the difference in weight
and Moir's advantage of two inches in
height, the men were evenly matched
physically and in perfect form. In ne
lring Burns crouching attitude appear
ed to place him at a still greater dis.
advantage in height with Moir, who as
sumed a fairly erect pose with his
1 arms extended widely and showing NJ
guard.
The work in the first round was
mostly at long range, the fighters spar
ring warily. Finally Burns landed tvs
heavy blows on the 'Gunnersp necl
] and ear, the second sending him stag
gering to the ropes, while the Ameri
! can himself escaped without punish
:, ment, avoiding Moir's rushes cleverly
The pace increased in the secont
IrOund, the men getting into close quar-
& ters, where Burns showed his superior
ity and did lot of damage to Moir'
body He received a nasty jolt unde
THE chin, however, which brought hin
xIup, but he soon resumed infightine
q Moir clnched fiercely and was eau
4 Itioned.
. Burns Rests Up i'm Fourth.
q The men fought at long range agail
in the third, Burns being too cleve
> for his adversary, who began to shoy
q signs of the punishment he had recei,
~ Cd -
& er, which allowed MOir to have just
q shade the better of a tight roun(
4 Burns came back again hard in tn
@ fifth, forcing the fight from the SCUM
3 of the bell. He-landed a right on tn
9 jaw and a long left swing cut Moi
d badly over the eye.
g The sixth round was all in favor {
b the American, whose footwork con
& pletely baffied his opponent Moir bI
o came wild in his attempts to get in hi
= right. In the seventh Burns ser
home a terrific swing, which made a
: ugly cash in the 'Gunner's" cheel
They came to close quarters, the En-;
lishman clinching and thus avoidin
the full force of two hard rights. Som
holding caused Referee Eugene Cor
to enter the ring and separate tn
fighters. Moir then looked a beate
man.
In the eighth, however, the mglis
man came back gamely and with ii
evident intention of trying to stall o
the American, but he was fought a
over the ring and badly punishe
Burns set upon him numerically
the following round. administering tie
rife punishment. Moir was in sorl
plight and the bell just saved hi
from being put out.
- Gunner Down and Out.
-" Burns came quickly to the center
the ring in the 10th and forced matte
from the start. He forced the ecu
fner to the floor with a short right ar
jolt. Moir rose, only to be floor,
IN. again from hard left on the jaw f
Al, STRUGGLED In his foot hut WAC en- 40