The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-26
Jack Johnson Champion Of the World
 TexaS Negro Easily COnquers Burns

Sydney, N. S. w., December 26.-Jacl Johnson, the big negro from Galveston, Texas is the worlds champion heavy weight pugilist He won the title today in the big arena at Rushcutters Bay, from Tommy Burns, the French Canadian, who had held it since James J. Jeffries relinquished it, after a chase of Burns that led half way round the world
 The end came in the fourteenth round when the police, seeing Burns tottering and unable to defend himself from the savage blows of his opponent, stopped the fight. Previously it had been arranged that if the police interfered a decision should be rendered on points and Referee Mcintosh without hesitation declared the big black man the winner All through the fight Johnson had shown himself Burns master in every style of fighting.
 Burns, in an interview after he had gene to his dressing room, said:
 ..l did the best l could and fought hard. johnson was too big and his reach was too great"
 Johnson appeared fresh after the fight while Burns eyes were badly puffed and his mouth swollen to twice its normal size. The Canadian fought game battle and showed indomitabe pluck but he was no match for the big Texas black
 Twice only in the annals of pugilism has a eolored man been permitted to fight for the title of worlds champion heavy weight pugilist. Peter Jackson tried it with John L. Sullivan, but Sullivan would not consent to a go. After James J. Jeffries took the scalp of Fob Fftzsim- mons, he took on Hank Griffin at Los Angeles, but the colored man was easy for him, and never had a chance to win the honor, and was knocked out in four rounds. Then Tommy Burns, or Noah Rrusso, as his name really is, took up the mantle of Jeffries. Since then and until today Johnson has endeavored to get him irto the ring, declaring that he was Burns master.
 The fight was for purse of $35,O00, of which Burns received $S0,0 and Johnson S5000. The ring was a A-foot one, and was pitched in a big arena built especially for the fight. The bout was to have been for 20 rounds.
 
 Thousands of persons from all parts of the country were attracted to the scene and many reached there Christmas night and slept in the open. They came in street cars, automobiles, carriages and on horseback and at 10 o'clock this morning. one hour before the fight was scheduled to start, every seat was occupied. The rrices of seats ranged from S25 to S250.
 The crowd was estimated at between lS,O0e and 2O,Oo0 persons, and it kept per- feet order throughout the fight. A brass band enivened the holiday throng.
 Before the contestants entered the ring, "Bill' Squires, who thrice has been de- feated by Burns, challenged the winner.
 Burns weighed in at 16S pounds and Johnson at 192.
 The betting was to on Burns at the start, but it veered after a few rounds to to 1 on Johnson.
 The spectators conceded that Johnson's victory was due to his physical advantage over Burns, his superior knowledge of the fighting game and his unruffled de- meanor while being taunted by the cham pion.
 The stakes were paid the men while they were in the ring.
 Jack Johnson is the first negro who ever won the worlds heavyweight pugi- listic championship-in fact, he is the only negro who ever was permitted to battle for the honor He was born in Galveston, Tex, in 1878 and began his ring career in 1901. He is six feet, one and three-quar- ters inches in height and weighed at the ringside close to 19O pounds.
 Burns was born in Hanover. Canada, in 1881 and started fighting when he was 19 years old He is five feet, seven and a quarter inches in height and weighs when trained for battle about 175 pounds Burns always was a rough and ready fighter who delighted to sail in and mix things with his adversary. Favored with great length of arm-his reach measuring 741z inehes-Burns has proved himself a bad man at close range. Despite the fact that Johnson overtopped him in height by six and a half inches Burns had the better of the argument in reach by one and three-quarters inches.
 A purse of $S5.OOO was hung up for the