The San Francisco call., 1908-12-28
JEFF AND JOHNSON
OFFERED PURSE
OF S5O.O00
II Don't Need The Money" Says
fhe Former Champion
Heavy Weight

SYDNEY, n. ). w, Dec. 27-Almost
the sole topic of conversation here is
the Johnson Burns fight and the proba-
bility OF getting James ]. Jeffries to
emerge from retirement and fight the
new champion for the laurels the Cali
fornian once held.
Whether 1T will be possible to ar
range battle TO take place at Rush
cutters bay between Johnson and JEFF
fries is not known. but certainly every
effort TO do so Will be made by Hugh
Mcintosh, the fight promoter. who an
nounces that he viii leave for the
United States by way of England jan
uary and offer q purse of $4,000 in
the seas TO meet Johnson.
That Mcintosh can afford to offer an
enormous purse for another champion
ship go is shown by the fact that
the receipts from the Johnson Burns
fight aggregated $4,000. This amount.
il is believed here. is the greatest ever
taken in for d single prizegfilt OF
this sum Burns received $4,000 and
Johnson $500, including $500 for
, his travelling and training expenses.
Thus far, Bill Squires, the local heavy
weight who thrice has been vanquished
by Burns, is the only man who has
issued a def to Johnson and the big
Texsn has signified his Willingness 10
meet Squires for $lo.00o a side. 1t is
unlikely, however, in view of the i'm
preston Johnson has made here as a
fighter, that Squires Will be able TO find
a backer.
Johnson is in perfect condition and
shows no marks of the battle with
Burns. While his end OF the purse for
defeating the champion was small in
comparison with the amount received
/ by Burns. Johnson is enabled TO pick
up a considerable sum of money on the
! gagged by a Sydney music hall for five
weeks for an act consisting of bag
punching and the methods employed by
him in training. For the work he Will
/ receive $1.750 per week. In February
Johnson will sail for London. where he
/ expects TO fight Sam Langford, the
Derby day before the National sporting
4 club.
Burns also is in good condition. ex-
/ cept for diseolorations about the eyes
and badly swollen jaw. At first it
/ was thought that the negro's heavy
swings had broken the white mans
only badly bruised. The French Cana
/ dian adheres TO the decision he made
! prior TO meeting Johnson-that II
/ would be his last fight despite the re-
, suit. He says he has made during his
/ fighting career 100000, and that this
is enough to keep him from want.
When Mcintosh sails for London next
/ week he will take with him the NOV
ing pictures Of the Burns
/ fight.
JI>FF DEFINES OFFER
Los ANGELES. Dec. 27.-"There will
be no fight between Jack Johnson and
| myself; they are not talking to me,
said the former heavy weight champion
James J. Jefries. tonight when he was
told that Hugh Mcintosh, the Austria
liam promoter. was going to offer $50,-
600 for a fight between himself and
/ the new champion.
/ Il done want the money he said
II am ogt Of the game and the public
might as well understand it. / fought
my last fight some time ago. and nc
amount of money. nor any inducement
anybody can hold out would get me
into the ring again"
There was no hesitation or equivo-
cation about Jeffries' answers TO the
questions put to him. He said thai
he was annoyed by the persistent at
tempts 10 get him to agree to ight
again. and that he would like to have
it made positive that there was nc
way in which he could be induced
to fight Johnson, or anybody else. JEFF
fries is very fat. and entirely out o.
condition and it is thought by those
of his associates in this city who ough1
TO know that he never could ge
into condition to enter the ring, ever
Il he had the inclination to do so.