The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-26
al Texas colored Man Defeated
Champion Burns in the Prize
Fight on Christmas
Day.
IN FOURTEEN ROUNDS
First Time That a Negro Has Held
the Title and Gained It, But
shor. End Of the
Furse.

]. SYDNEY, N. S. W., Dec. 26.-Jack
Johnson, the big negro from Calves
ton, Texas, is the worlds champion
heavyweight pugilist. He won the title
I today in the arena at Rushcutter's bay
from Tommy Burns, the French Cana
from Tommy Burns, the French Cana
quished it.
The end came in the fourteenth
round, when the police seeing Burns
.-ttering and unable to defend himself
from the savage blows of his oppo-
pent, mercifully stopped the fight.
Previously it had been arranged that
ii the police interferred, the decision
should be rendered on points, and Ref
cree Mcintosh, without hesitation, de-
clared the black man the winner for
all through the fight he had shown
himself Burns master in every style
OF lighting.
Burns, in an interview after the
fight, said: Il did the best | could
;.ad fought hard Johnson was too big
and his reach too great
johnson appeared fresh after the
fight while Burns eyes were badly
nuffed and his mouth swollen 10 twice
its normal size The Canadian fought
game battls and showed indomita-
bic. pluck, but was no match for the
Texan.
Twice only. in the annals of pugil-
ism, has colored man been permit
ted to fight for the title emblsmatic
Of the worlds champion heavyweight
pugilist Peter Jackson tried 1t with
John L. Sullivan, but Sullivan Would
not consent to go. After JeHrles
took the scalp Of Bob Fitzsimmons. he
took on Hank Griffin, at Los Angeles,
bat the colored man was easy for MN
and never had chance to win the
honor. He was knocked out In four
rounds Until today, that was the last
chance a colored man had at the
championship
First Negro Champion.
Jack Johnson is the first negro
who won the worlds heavyweight pu
gilistic championship-in fact, he Is
the only negro who was ever permit
ted to battle for the nonor he
weighed in at the ringside close to l9o
pounds.
Burns weight when trained Tor the
battle was It's pounds. burns always
was rough and ready fighter VINO De
lighted to sail in and mix things wltf
his adversary. Favored with a grea'
length of arm-his reach measuring
l.h inches-Burns has proved hlmsei
a bad man at close range. Despite
the fact that Johnson overtopped MN
r., height by bh inches, Burns mad the
bettor of tho argument in reach by q
inches.
Burnc Drove Hard Bargain.
A purse of $4,000 was hung UP fol
the battle. which was scheduled 10 g
twenty rounds. OF this amount Burns
demanded and received 100000, thl!
sum to be paid him despite the out
come of the fight Johnson had TO d.
satisfied with $4,000 and a return TICK
ct to London for himself and manager
Sam Fitzpatrick.
According to reports, both johnson
and Burns bet heavily on themselve
at the prevailing odds, which sllghtl.
favored Burns at the ringslde. I'M
lighters were trained to the hour ant
fought before what was probably tn
largest crowd that ever witnessed
pugilistic contest. Both Burns an
Johnson followed American trainin
methods by doing hard road work.
Since James Jeffries retired an
Tommy Burns claimed the champion
ship, Johnson has been trying to ge
the Canadian boy to meet him, an
nnally today's bout was arranged
Burns stipulated how the none
should be split up, size of the ring an
all the conditions surrounding tn
nght Johnson Immediately accepted
Fighter Of Many Battles.
Johnson, during his ring career. ha
fought sixty-four battles, and twent!
TWO OF his opponents have gone to d.
ieat by the knockout route.
prominent among those who hav
been put to sleep by the big blac
man are Jack Jeffries, a brother of tn
iormer heavyweight champion, VIII
as knocked out by Johnson at Lc
angeles in 1902 in five rounds, an
BOD Fitzsimmons, who in Philadelphi
IN 1907. was unable to withstand Johl
(COutinued OH ps ~e