The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-21
BURNS WILL MEET
 NEGRO SATURDAY
Fight of HeavyweightS Will
 Take Place At Sydney
BURNS IS THE FAVORITE
Heavy Sums Will Be Won and Lost on This fight-Prizes, Picture Rights and Side Bets Will Make
 the Winner Rich.

Sydney, N. S. w, December VI rom my" Burns. the French-Canadian heavy weight pugilist, and Jack Johnson, the American colored pugilist, who are to fight here Saturday next for the heavy weight championship of the world, are hotb in the pink of condition. Hard work has made them fit for a long and hard battle and although the odds favor Burns, Johnson has many supporters.
 Burns has placed himself in the hands of his skilful trainer, oKeefe, with O'Donnen, the Australian middleweight champion, as sparring partner.
 Preliminary Work.
 Jack Mullins is Johnson's trainer and "Bnl' Lang. whom Burns trimmed so bandilv in Melbourne, last September, has been doing his best for the past lew weeks to give Johnson points on Burns stlye of fighting. Several other pugillsts have been assisting Lang in this task and Johnson has been putting in the hardest kind of work preliminary 10 what he considers the most important battle of his life.
 Both or lI6 Dltu AiofO Do~-- training exhibitions twice week at the Stadium, thousands watching their work In this way they have gathered Ill lot of money, a part of which they VIII p1ace on their chances. The public bet ting favors Burns at to 4. Already A large amount of money has been put up at these figures. It is expected that irrl,+ NO referee has been selected yet, but 1t is believed that a good man will be found within A day or two Contracts for the picture rights are being made in all parts o1 the world.
 Title to Be Settled.
 When the final count of the referee at Ruscheutter's Bay, Sydney, Australia, next Saturday proclaims Tommy Burns or Jack Johnson the worlds champion heavyweight pugilist, adherents or the fighting game will have settled for them teh much mooted question of which IS the superior man. Since James J. Je1- fries retired and Burns defiantly an- nounced that he would defend the title against all comers-bal ring colored men Johnson has camped on his trail, de- nying the right of Burns to draw the color line and no little amount of pub lie opinion has sided with the black man.
 Despite the clamor, however, Burns consistently refused to accede to John sons demands.
 Nobody. however, doubted Burns abil- ity to give Johnson a good fight.
 Victories of Burns.
 Bill" Squires the Australian, came across the seas with the championship bee and sought fight from Jenres. The Californian, however, was out of the game and Burns took him, on in San Francisco. defeating him in less than one round. Burns then went to London, where he knocked out Gunner Moir and afterward whipped "Jem" Roche in Ireland and severaf other heavyweights. Johnson followed Burns to London and challenged him there. Burns declared he would fight if he could be assured of s3O,O00, win, lose or draw; but this was not forthcoming and Burns sailed for Australia, where he again trimmed Bnr' Squires. Eight days later he de- feated Bill Lang.
 Then the fight promoters at Sydney hung up a purse O s95,O0O and Burns cabled Johnson his ultimatum. This was that of the $35,OO0 Burns was to receive s3O.0O0 despite the issue of the battle, Johnson's end to be s50o0.
 Johnson accepted and immediately left for Australia
 Fight to a Finish.
 The fight will be to a finish in a 24-foot ring in the open air. Besides the purse of s3OOOO, Burns will obtain a moving picture film valued at s1150 and transportation for himself and man ager back to London, making in all sS3,- GOO that he will receive for meeting John son. Johnson also gets his travelling ex- penses from London to Australia and return.
 Tommy Burns began fighting in 1900 and in his numerous battles has lost but three, one to Mike Schreck, one to Jack Sullivan and one to Philadelphia Jack O'Brien.
 Jack Johnson is considered the show fest boxer since James J. Corbett. He began his ring career In 1901 and lost but two battles-one to Marvin Hart and the other to Joe Jeanette, at Phil adelphia, on a foul.