Evening journal., 1908-12-26
JOHNSON READY
FOR ALL COMERS
Negro Comes Into Heavy.
weight Championship Hon
OFS With Little Effort
BURNS ELIMINATED
FROM FIGHT GAME

By United Press Leased Special Wire.
SYDNEY. n. S. w, Dec. 26-For the
nrst time in the history of pugilism,
negro to-day holds the title OF heavy
weight champion. Jack johnson. the big
buriy Texan. won the premier honors in
the nsuc world By decisively beating
Tommy Burns in fourteen rounds Of fight
ing yesterday.
To-day Burns is a sorry sight His eyes
are almost closed his face IS puffcd up to
almost twice IT'S size while his body bore
evidence Of the heavy punishment innict-
ed upon him by the negro. johnson, how-
ever. barely showed any marks Of punish
ment. and was around early to-day as
clipper as n bird
BY his victory. Johnsons prediction that
he was Burns master at an times proved
true The negro. who chased the former
title holder half way around the globe to
force him into the ring. was finally COM
PEELED to accept a small proportion OF the
purse in order to meet the American
Canadian. Burns eluded the burly negro
time and again, went from England TO
France, thence to ireland and finally TO
Australia but the man who shrouded hlm-
self with the mantle which James J. JEFF
fries cast aside when he retired from
the ring was finally cornered but not un-
tn the negro agreed 10 his terms did Burns
sign articles Of agreement.
In explaining his defeat to-day Burns
said:
Il fought hard and did the best could.
but johnson was too big for me and his
reach was too great"
Johnson. elatcd with his victory, said:
Il followed Burns almost around tho
world and had to accept his terms In order
to prove myself his master I was after
victory from the beginning Of the fight.
am now ready and willing TO meet any
one who aspires 20 the title"
Not only was Burns decisively beaten
hut ho was practically eliminated from the
fight game Since he claimed the title
Burns has been meeting easy marks. He
easily put away Bill squires Gunner
Nioir. Bin Lang and Jem Roche and not
until he met the negro did the French
Canadian meet a man worthy OF his PROV
ess. And johnson showed up Burns.
From tho tap OF the gong calling the men
to the middle Of tho ring IN the first
round. the negro went al his man like a
cat playing with mouse. He slammed
the French Canadian. iabbed him. made
quick eot-away and then with n clever
ness of Corbctt and the punishing
powers of Fitzsimmons ne began 10 put
blow after blow ON his opponents body
face. and head Tie knocked him down ia
THE FIRST round and after that although
Eurns fought aamcly he was no match
foF tho Texas negro.
.iohnson's lighting was a revelation TO
tho Australians Burns had been made
thc favoriio in the betting hut after the
knock-down in the first round. the men
who had ramhlod on the Canadian want
ed 20 hedge. I'm a word. johnson made
Burns look like a novice Tie practically
cut him to ribbons, but Burns was game
and only when tho police forced the ref
cree to stop tho fight after the beginning
of the fourteenth round, dd the punlsh-
mont end. and the fight given 10 Johnson
II was the largest crowd that over witt
messed a prize Tight When the nrht
started there were thirty thousand per-
SONS inside tho enclosure and thousands
were clamoring 10 get IN. Tho gate Il is
said, amounted 20 over Si500O0. The arti-
cles Of agreement called for Burns to
receive '3oo00. win. lose or draw. while
Johnson's end was only 5000 but added
10 this he has annexed the title of heavy
weight champion. which in itself will more
than make mp for his small purse