The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-24
BURNS-JOHNSON 60 Affair the Most Talked of Far away Bout" Fought Within
 Last Ten Years. J0HNS0N'S PERSISTENCE
 --~-~---- Negro Travelled t2,O00 Miles to Meet the Canadan---MeRns Much
 to Him.
J0HNS0N'S PERSISTENCE

New York Dec, 23,--Not doubt ex- fists that the match between Tommy Burns and Johnson has aroused all the boxing enthusiasm in this city. For long ways from home" affair It Is more discussed than any contest that has taken place in years
 The persistence on the part of John. son in keeping after Burns, and the fact that both the negro and his man aEers are we'll known in this city--ior Sam" Fitzpatrick. Johnaon's handler ia familiar friend to all the sports from Fourteenth street to Forty second undoubtedly has much to do with the eagerness of sporting circles to read avery limo of news that comes from the far off land of the kangaroo.
 Johnson has the record of being the only man in the history of pugllism who has travelled 1,200 miles 10 make nght He crossed the American continent crossed the Atlantic ocean, and then as Burns sailed away again started after him to tho Antipodes.
 John l.. Sullivan got over the Allan tic ip his quest for match with Char Icy Mitchell. and then crossed the Eng fish channel, but he stopped at that.
 There has been some report that tho receipts for the fight will be the largest ever taken in by promoter of q box ing contest There is some doubt as to LIllh, IL lS true lIlhl lHb lNNdl Nill ApV' up an enormous sum, but Ii IS also true that there have been large gate re ceipts in tho United States, when box ing was tolerated at New Orleans, and 1t ia not likely that the receipts will be much if any larger than those of the Corbett-Sullivan fight some years ago.
 The estimate which Is now made Of the receipts Ia that they will fall some thing under s70,000. or this amount the fighters will get s35, poo and Of this amount Burns will receive almost all+ The Canadian will be in a position to retire with q competence for life, win
 He Is not intending to retire. He makes the statement plain that he will be back in the ring In the United States with Stanley Ketchel for his opponent If Kstchei is in a position to take him
 1t must not be considered that tho fighters are confronting weather llko that which Is blowing around New York at the present time In New South Wales 1t Is about as warm as t ia here on the Fourth of July, and the boxers are working out of doors and taking much of their preliminary work In camps which are In realty open air training quarters within private enclosures.
 Warm weather Is good for Johnson. He revels in it and says that he can HSHk DbLltI III lub Itdt lIiu ll' Nh' fn the cold. Burns is not so much hot weather fighter as is his oppo- nent, but as he has been in Australia for some time he believes that he ls well enough accllmated to do his best work against the negro.
 Without & doubt there is an under current In this city in tho way of pop ular opinion which favors the negro against Burns. With it, however is a half accepted notion that there ia like ly to be something wrong about the fight, Most of the local experts are fearful that Johnson Ia not likely to do his best although everything points to the other conclusion.
 If the negro should beat Burns he would be sure of fight in the future or would become the accepted heavy. weight champion with no one to chal- enge him About the only hope ha '~has for boxing contests 10 come is to beat Burns thls time. \ slip will mean that he may be out of the fighting game for a long season to come.