Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-20
THE PUGILISTS
THE RING FOR
 HIM NO LONGER
Billy Stiff is Now a Preacher Tommy Burns and His Pile
 l ~ Other News. ..

CnlCaSO, Mafcn w. LduleS ana fellows, there'll be no more of the joyful juice that ruins for me; all sports look like thirty cents to me, and from this day on I will be strict ly for Billy Stiff and Jesus and stick tight to the church as long as I live"
 This was part of a sermon deliv- cred by Stiff last night in front of the church of Providence, where Bills new manager, the Rev J. F.. Snyder, is conducting revival ser vices.
 Stiff a dozen years ago was the amateur champion middleweight prize fighter of Illinois, then broke into the professional class and for a few years ranked as top notch er."
 Then John Barlycorn beat him.
 The life of prize fighter is sim ply fierce. You cannot fight other fellows without fighting whiskey. I have fought many hard battle with both men and whiskey and while I bested the men the whiskey fioored me. l have quit the prize fighting game for better game
 If fight could be arranged be- tween Jim Roche and Mike Morris sey," said George Consdine Wednes day, it would be an interesting mat ter to see which would go out first. They are practically in the same class and far ahead of Bill Squires in the race for the Lemon Stakes" Mike Morrissey, it will be remem- bered, was heralded as the champion of Ireland when Peter Maher slapped him on the ear and made him sit down hard for the count in farrell cal battle which lasted fifteen sec onds at the old Lenox A. C., New York, several years ago. From all accounts Roche was just as easy for Tommy Burns in Dublin on St Pat rick's day, for the alleged Irish champion was put to sleep with ex- actly two blows in the short space of SS seconds. That Roche knew about as much as Morrissey about the boxing game is evident to all competent ring judges. and the fiasco in Dublin may be taken as further proof that the sporting ele- ment on the other side of the Allan tic is particularly easy just now.
 Burns picked up nearly $S,000 for licking Roche, but he did not in- crease the confidence of the Ameri- can sporting public in his prowess, EeC class man since he failed to knock out Marvin Hart and Philadelphia Jack O'Brien in limited round bouts.
 While Burns has laid claim to the heavyweight championship of the world ring experts say there will always be an dispute as to his right to such title until he has demon strated clearly that he is the best pugilst of his weight in the world. If Burns sidesteps Jackson he will have to fight 0'Brien, it is believed. and as his victory over the latter was not decisive enough to convince the spectators that O'Brien was outclass- ed many ring critics will not accept Burns as the better man until he knocked the willy Philadelphian out.
 Joe Egan, who will be remember ed as Jim Corbett's secretary when the latter was champion and who is now mine owner at Fairview. Nev.. has organized a club at Raw hide and has cabled an offer of q s20.000 purse to Burns to fight there on Railroad Day." four months hence. Fgan is probably figuring on Johnson as the other end of the match. Fox Richard, also behind a club at Rawhide. says he will also hang up purse for Burns and Johnson. while James Coffroth of San Francisco still has an offer of s25, hanging up for the mill.
 Bob Ward. a protege of Philadel- phia Jack O'Brien. last just a round and a half against Jim Steward of Brooklyn. last night in the main bout at the Long Acre Athletic club, New York.
 Coached by the willy Jack. Ward managed to keep away from his op- ponent during the first round, but as soon as he put up his hands in the second round the BrookIynite land ed right hand blow to the stomach that weakened Ward. Before the latter could realize it, Steward land ed two swings on his opponents jaw and Ward struck the floor. where he remained for fifteen seconds.
 Kid Burns defeated Kid Rector. Young Hoey and Larry Nelson fought draw. A Deery stopped Jack Shea in the third round and Charlie Goldman had fhp hotter Inf