Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-26
Negro Defeats Tommy Burns in Fierce
Battle Before Record Aus
traIian Crowd.
POLICE INTERFERE IN l4TH
Black Has Height, Reach and Greater
Strength and at Same Time
Shows Science.


is heavyweight champion of the world
Before a great crowd, the greatest that
ever attended a fight in Australia. the
colored fighter outpointed Tommy
Burns in IA rounds of milling, at the
end of which the police, who were at
the ringside, took hand in the affair
and stopped the battle.
Before the fight began provision was
made that, in case of police interior
ence before the expiration of the
scheduled 20 rounds, the referee. Hugh
Mcintosh, was to award decision on
points
1t was this arrangement that en-
abled Jack johnson. to deprive Burns
of his title, and, in the minds of those
at the ringside, there was no doubt as
to the justice of the decision given in
favor of the negro when the police
stopped the fight.
Battle Fierce and Bitter.
1t was one of the fiercest and also
one of the most bitter battles that ever
has taken place in any ring. The men
were none too good friends before they
entered it, as the negro had chased the
champion thousands of miles to secure
the chance to fight for the title. But
it was not this that infused the real
bitterness which was strongly shown
| in the ring
When Burns appeared his elbows
Were encaSed in elastic bandages.
These Johnson objected to, and a
wrangle followed. At one time it look
ed as if there would be no fight un-
less Burns removed the bandages.
| Both men became angry, and finally
Burns had his seconds take off the
ltape
Johnson Stronger All the way.
There was no stage in the fight in
which Johnson was not the stronger
of the two. and the punishment he
dealt out would have stopped many
other men long before IA rounds had
lbeen fought. Thenegro was merciless,
land even before the first round was
finished the effects of his blows were
apparent by the blood he brought from
Burns mouth.
4 1t was simply a case of class. and in
the fight today the negro had all the
class. The fight had gone hardly g
minute before Johnson, with a terrific
swing, sent Tommy to the floor The
/, blow had all kinds of steam behind i
land landed on the jaw. Burns tool
the count of eight, at the same time
signaling his seconds that he was al
fright.
II Burns Blows Ineffective.
: When he arose he rushed at tn.
NEGRO. but was met by hard right
(which sent him staggering backwar,
half way across the ring. Still h
came back in aggressive, rushing
style, and sought to do damage wit
, body punches. Some of these landed
but they did not seem to slow up Johr
son.
AS early as the second round tn
!. NEGRO began to taunt Burns with GU
= tting sarcasm and Tommy came bac
= with such remarks as yellow dog.
: These evidences of bitterness wer
: shown all through the fight.
81 Johnson all during the battle playe
4
Burns seemed anxious to finish til
contest with body punches. Th
Negroes blows nearly closed one {
h Burns eyes and he was badly cut u
t when the police finally stopped til
IS fight Johnson showed few evidence
l. of having taken any great punishment
is Fight by Rounds.
4yI FIRST ROUND = After a few m
lments of preliminary sparring job
son reached Burns with a sharp uppe
cut and the Canadian went to the foo
= remaining there for the count of eigf
2 He signaled to his seconds that he WI
!, all right, however, and when he arc
sailed in for Johnson's body. Johnst
iswung a hard right to the head al
Burns staggered backward near
;, tacross the ring from the impact of Il
;, blow. Then Burns rushed in, plant
=. a right of great force on johnson
- chin and by an excellent display
- boxing warded off return. Johns
. lput a singing left to the head at t
70 lsound of the gong.
SECOND ROUND-When the go
ho lclanged Johnson yelled across to t
"a approaching Burns, Come right; OF
land he swung his right and landed
q Burns chin. The champions AMI
Igave way under him and he we
ne down. He was up Immediately, he
lever, and Johnson got to close gu
he tiers with him and placed his right a
"a left to face and body. Burns left G
there commenced to swell. Johns
THUS far had the better of the bait
The big black man was coming all
N. time, and he swung a terrific left ii
A. Burns stomach. Burns was doing
oh little. He was bleeding from
"a. mouth ana apparently was tired. I
,en linen were clinched as the bell rang.
,arl THIRD ROUND-Bufns swung
for fright to Johnson's head and then
ON Isome wonderful execution at infie
Yep ling, chopping his right to the ribs
lquently. Johnson during the roa