The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-21
Johnson and Burns, Who Battle Saturday at Sydney, N. S, w., Ready for Long
 and Hard Go.
REFEREE NOT YET CHOSEN
Will Re Selected in Day or Two Burns Gets S3S,0OO, Win or Lose Johnson S5,OO0--Fight
 Goes to Finish.

weight pugilist, and Jack Johnson, the American colored pugilst, who are 70 fight here on Saturday next for the heavyweight championship of the world, are both In the pin4 of condi- ton. Hard work has made them flt for long and hard battle, and all though the odds favor Burns probably because of his recent signal victories over the best Australa's heavyweights, Johnson already has many supporters and will not be without big bunch of money behind him when he enters the arena.
 Burns Is quGrtered at Darling Point and has placed himself entirely In the hands of his skilful trainer, O'Seefe, weight champion. as sparring partner. Johnson is at Manley, a seaside suburb Jack Mullins is his trainer, and "Bill' Lang. whom Burns trimmed so handily in Melbourne last September has been doing his best for the past few weeks to give Johnson points on Burns style of fighting. Several other pugilsts have been assisting Lang in this task. and Johnson has been putting In the hardest kind of work with tho gloves and on tho road. preliminary to what hs considerS the most important battle ot his life
 Both of the men have been giving training exhibitions twice week at the stadium. and thousands of persons, including many women have watched the fighters at their work. Tn this way tho men have been enabled to gather in lot of money. portion of which they intend to place on their chances, The public betting favors Burns at s to {. and already large amount has been put ,n the hands of stockholders at these figures It Is expected that 5000 people win soc the fight, 10000 ticfcts having already been sold. AS yet referee has not been selected but It is believed that q good man will he found within day or two. Contracts for the picture rights are being made In all parts of the world.
 When tho final count of the referee st Rushoutter's bny, Sydney, Australia, next Saturday morning, prociaims Tommy Burns or Jack Johnson the worlds champion heavyveeight pugil- of North America, Europe and Aus tralia will have finally settled for them the much mooted question of which is Inc superior man. Since James J. Jeffries retired and Burns announced that he would defend tho title against all comers-barrins colorsd men-John- son has camped on his trail, denying Burns right to draw the color line, with the result that no little amount Of public opinion has sided with the big black.
 Despite tho ciamor. however, Burns consistently refused to accede to John lon's demands for fight. and went hls way picking up easy money purses against second and third rate fighters Nobody, however doubted Burns abil- ty to give Johnson good fight
 HBitr Squirss, the Australian. came scross seas with the championship bee md sought c fight from Jeffr1es. The Californian however, was out of the rame and Burns took him on In Ban rrancieco. The fight lasted less than mo round-in fact 1t waS won In a rnch by Burns. Burns claimed that tis battle clinched his right to the ti he of heavyweight champion. but John on still protested, Burns then went 10 London where in contest advertis- \. f1 ,nforIJtu a1,a pt ,hip, he knocked out Gunner" Molr In ten rounds, and afterwards whipped "Jem" Roche in Ireland and several ,ther heavyweights of similar class
 Johnson followed Burns to London md challenged him there. Burns de- dared fe would give him fight if a ,uyse should be hung up of sufficient nze 10 assure him $SO,0O0 win, loose or Irsw; but this was not forthcoming, md Burns sailed for Australia, where Ia again trimmed "Bnw SuuIres after harder fight than the Australian had ,iven him in California, and eight days ater, in Melbourne he also defeated 'Bin" Lang. considered the best fight IT in Australia, after SquIres.
 Then the light promoters at Sydney lung LID purse of s35,000 and Burns tabled Johnson his ultImatum. This vas that of the S35. GOO Burns was to eceived $3O,000, despite the issue of the battle. Johnson's end 10 be 5000. John on accepted and immediately left for Australia.
 The fight will be to a finish in 24 loot ring in the open air Besides the purse of s30,000 Burns will obtain a moving picture film valued at Sl,750 md transportation for himself and manager back to London, making in all DSS,O00 that he will receive for meeting Johnson. Johnson also gets his trav- ding expenses from London to Aus ralia and return.
 Tommy Burns. or Noah BrusSO, as his name really is WAS born June 1T, 1881, Bt Hanover, Ontario. Ho Is five feet seven inches in height. and stockOy built Burns began fighting in 1900, and in his numerous battles has lost but three, one to Mike Scnreck in ten rounds, one to Jack Sullivan Tn twenty rounds, and one to Philadelphia .Inck D'Rrien in six rounds His best fights were with Marvin Hart who he de- feated in twenty rounds at Los Angeles In 1906 and with Jack O'Brlen, with whom he drew, in twenty rounds, at Los Angeles The following year Burns again took on O'Brien at Los Angeles, and was awarded the decision after twenty rounds Of fighting There are many persons who declare that while Burns has shown great business acu- men in getting all the easy money in sight, ho ia able to mako the best heavyweights in the world exert them kelvea
 Jack Johnson halls from Galveston Texas, where he was born i'm March 1878. He fig big and raugy and as quick as the proverblal cat He Is considered the showiest boxer since the days of James ] Corbett and his hitting power Is sald to be great Johnson stands