The Washington herald., 1907-07-03

SO much attention has been paid to the
contest between Bill SQuires heavy
weight champion Of Australia. and Tom
my Burns, so-called heavyweight cham
pion of the United States. 10 take place
tomorrow at san Francisco, that It has
become as important and as interesting
as the contest between Joe Cans and Bat
Ting Nelson for a purse Of $4,000 last fall
in Goldheld. 1t wifi really be the first
fight of national interest since that meet
ing. when Cans. trained too fine, per
mitted the battler to stay forty-two
rounds and get the larger part Of the
purse
Though the contest is not. as It has
been touted for the heavyweight cham
pionship of the United States, 1t may be
one of the most interesting that has been
pulled off in San Francisco. Squires. ac-
cepted on his form, may prove a bloomer
or a champion. No one in San Francisco
but those with him has ever seen him
fight, and he has never met an American
boxer nor a boxer who has ever been IN
the ring with one. There Is absolutely
no way In which line may be drawn
on him through any system Of dope
But the fine boxers who have encoun-
tered him. who have gone through what
were practically real bouts at his train
ing quarters, think that ne is a great
fighter. Joe Thomas thinks So jim
my Britt believes il. Both have spared
with him many times. Among fighters
there are no better judges Of fighting
BotL Thomas and Britt not only know
all about the game, but they have more
than the usual NUT intelligence Of boxers.
Has the Qualifications.
Because Australia has sent so many
great fighters to the United States-Bob
FitzsimmOns. Joe Goddard. Billy Murphy.
and Young GriffO. TO mention a few-and
because Squires looks and acts the fight
er, almost every man who has seen him
work in San Francisco is inclined 10 think
that he viii show as well in the ring as
he does in his training quarters. All of
them insist that he has every mental and
every physical qualification. except
weight, 70 make him one Of the great ring
men Of history. They do not declare that
he could beat Jedries because they do
not believe that he is big enough for that
task.
It is remarkable that the men who have
studied the Australian thoroughly think
that he VIII beat Burns They have seen
the CanuCk box many times. and they
know him 20 be a hard and clever man.
But merely in watching Squlres' work in
the gymnasium they think that he will do
the trick However, the general sporting
public, whih has not had a chance TO see
the new man train. does not agree with
the experts. Burns has therefore been
made a fayorite in the betting.
There are many points Of similarity be-
tween Fitzsimmons and Squires. and these
have no doubt had an influence in shaping
the opinions Of the experts. When Fitz
arrived in California seventeen years ago
his strange, shutting. uncouth movements
and spare build made him a Joke all up
and down the Tenderloin Of the coast
city. VIXEN he got into the ring for his
fight with powerful Billy Mccarthy he
was looked on as an object Of pity by
thought that Mccarthy would wade
through him in a couple Of rounds. san
Francisco laughed when Billy Murphy ap-
peaTed and sneered when big Joe Goddard
came over 10 annex the heavyweight
But the sneerS were turned 10 adm!ra-
ton when these men had appeared In the
ring just once They we're hailed as
mighty men Of the fist, and they remained
such while they were physically fit to do
their best in the ring.
Burns Poor Champ.
Tommy Burns is a hard rushing fighter
who has a strong right arm and a boring
vicious style that has carried him through
many battles. But he is not q first-class
nan and he is a mighty poor specimen Of |
an American heavyweight champion. He
has been beaten by Jack OBricn and by /
Jack Sullivan, and many second raters |
nave fought draws with him.
The heavyweight champion Of the
United states is Jenries. He is the cham |
Dion because he is the best and VIII re- |
main such as long as he IS the best. Be
,ause Jeffries handed over the champion |
ship to that fat curiosity. Marvin Hart. /
ioes not mean anything. and because /
Burns beat Hart does not mean any more. |
Il Squires should beat Burns it will not
make him the champion of the United /
states. He must beat the best man. who
S JeIrioS To get such a title. and the /