Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-30
THE PUGILIST
SAILOR BURKE
 AND JOHNSON
They Will Battle in September : Britt and Nelson Tomorrow
 Evening.

Johnson, the negro heavyweight, were matched yesterday to fight six rounds during the first week in Sep tember. They agreed to meet at catch weights and fight straight Queensbury rules. Each also agreed to allow the other to wear soft band ages on his hands during the contest. Bids for the bout will be opened in two weeks.
 While it is conceded by sporting men that Johnson will win there are many who believe that the Brooklyn ite will give him hard battle. Many men who have seen both fight recent ly declare Burke has a good chance to win.
 Johnson is much the heavier. He is twenty-nine years old and weighs nearly two hundred pounds. That he has powerful punch was demon strated when he recently knocked out Bob Fitzsimmons in Philadelphia with what looked like slight blow.
 Burke weighs about one hundred and sixty pounds and possesses punch that if landed squarely will lVil kilC blloh5C5J lluu III LlC llH6 to- day Burke made his reputation when he knocked out Joe Grim "the human punching bag" in three rounds in Brooklyn last year after scores of well known fighters had failed. Burke has fought the best men at his weight and has only lost one battle. That was to Hugo Kelly last year in Chelsea. Burke has beee in training for several months and to get in perfect shape for this fight will have no difficulty. He believes that he can beat Johnson.
 Johnson has long been an aspirant for championship honors. He has even gone so far as to challenge the invincible Jim Jeffries. He says he will dispose of Burke in the same way he did Fitzsimmons. Jimmy Britt and Battling Nelson have finished training for their bat tie, which is scheduled to take place in San Francisco tomorrow night. As the hours pass interest in the affair is livening up, but there is no indication of record breaking crowd witnessing the fight.
 Britt yesterday boxed three fast rounds with his sparring partner, Jim Bradley, before large crowd oi spectators. Britt seemed to be in pretty good form. Following this he did the usual sparring and wrestling stunts with his old time partner, Tiv Kreling.
 At Battling Nelson's quarters. at Joe Mlllet's, near Colma, the Dane played handball in the early part of the afternoon, punched the bag for time and then boxed six rounds with his different sparring partners. This is the last heavy work tha, G
 will do before the battle.
 The Nelson-Gans fight at Reno New, on Labor day now looks to be certainty. Last night Billy Nolan made the announcement that Nelson was so eager to meet Cans a second time that he would agree to meet him at 132 pounds at the ringside. Nol- ans statement came as surprise, as he had steadfastly held out that Cans should weigh in at 133 pounds, ring side. in his fighting togs.
 Nelson talked the proposition over with his manager and was so anxious to get on with Cans that Nolan final ly consented to making the weight 132 pounds.
 Manager Selig had a conference with Nolan and Selig finally stated that Cans would agree to meet Nell son at 132k pounds stripped. After considerable discussion the managers agreed on this basis, and it is expect ed all details for the match win be consummated Monday. The managers also agreed to put up forfeit with Eddie Graney on Monday.