The San Francisco call., 1908-11-06


ness opportunities in Australia are
good and the chances are that he and l
VIII engage In some sort of commercial
venture In that country after the big
The coming fight will be the last
that Burns Will ever make. His wife
taunts that the press hurled at him
ABOUT being afraid TO meet Johnson
goaded him into making the match
with the big Texas negro.
Il will leave here Saturday morning
and should be in Australia about De-
cember 2. The fight comes off on De-
cember 20 and this will give me great
chance to get a line on Burns. l figure
that johnson, on account of his clever
ness, will be. heavy favorite over
Tommy, and if such proves to be the
wagers. If the proper sort of odds are
offered on Johnson. Tommy and myself
Will take between $4,000 and $4,000.
Personally, l realize that Burns has
the heaviest task of his entire career
on his hands in meeting Johnson. But
let me tell You that if Tommy gets over
the winner, as the world knows that
Johnson is not a game fellow and does
not like grueling match. Johnson
showed the yellow in his bouts with
Sam McVey and Marvin Hart, and If
any of the saffron stuff shows in his
makeup when he meets Burns you can
take 1T from me that Tommy will be re-
turned the winner. Burns writes me
that he looks for a bitter fight as he
realizes that Johnson is a very big and
clever man, but he realizes that john
son is not a game fellow and has writ
ten me many times that he will make
the big negro go so fast when he gets
in a ring with him that he will make
his head swim.
Billy Neaill, who handled Burns in
England and France, was to have made
the trip to Australia, but he is so sick
in Los Angeles that he will not be able
to see the fight
II think that L can make Burns fight
better than any other man in the world.
We were raised together and 1 know
what Tommy can do. Burns is a game
fellow, can take an awful lashing and
is much stronger and a far heavier hit
ter than many people give him credit
In his fight with Lang In Australia
Burns broke four of the fighters ribs.
You can imagine what Will happen to
pile drivers on him. 1 know that the
public expect Johnson to beat Burns.
but l do not, and look for Burns to
make Johnson quit when he meets him
in Australia the day after Christmas
next"
Billy Papke has already started to do a little
light work at Shannon's and as Ketchel is due
to begin work at Crolls in Alameda Mon
day the fight fans will soon have chance to
see two great ringmen in preparation for
battle that promises to be epoch maker.
The champion is certainly rather puzzling
proposition for fighter: Usually when ring
of weight is the one that worries him above all
Others Billy is not worried this matter
for he is already well inside of the weight
limit at which he is TO fight.
handful of fight fans were out to see Papke
Yesterday and the champion weighed FOR them.
He weighed just 1914 pounds and he wore his
usual street attire with the exception of a
coat Instead of a coat he sweater.
Manager Jones said that Papke weighed about
152 pounds stripped yesterday. According to
Papke he viii build up in weight instead of
taking 1t off and when he meets ketchel on
r.I-crrf twin H. afsrh nt1
157 pounds.
The champion accounts for his present low
weight on the ground of the training he did
recently for Kelly, whom he was to have fought
in Milwaukee last month, but which match was
called off when Governor Davidson Of MIL
waukee issued an edct against fighting In Wis
consin.
Papke will do no boxing until Sunday. when
the Sght fons He saws vs. he is ip fine trim now w
and is confident that he will have very little
trouble in accounting for Ketchel when he
meets him here Thanksgiving eve
The champion SCOTS at ketchel's statement
that he stale when he lost in Los Angeles
on Labor day. Now fought four men in 20
days before 1 beat Ketchel," said Papke, land
| hardly think Mr.. Ketchel thinks was stale.
On August Is boxed Johnny Carroll and Frank
Manten and knocked them both out in three
rounds Then 1 boxed Sailor Burke on August
| 1S and Ketchel on September T. Really l
think 1 could fight every week without it hurt
ing any" Billy fought 26 fights in one year
or an average of one fight In every two weeks,
which shows that Papke has some faith In his
| theory that fighting regularly improves rather
than hurts ringman.
Jack Gleason. who IS promoting the Ketchel-
| Papke fight, announced last night that he had
made arrangements with the railroads to have
them run excursions to San Francisco for the
big fight.
1.-The railroads have agreed to excursion
trains from all points In the state where the
regular fare is not more than $40 and charge
only one and a third times the amount OF the
regular fare for round trip Ticket said
Gleason. II trying to get them TO
make this excursion rate apply TO the entire