Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-24
SALINAS YOUTH
HAS AWFUL KICK
NEW HEAVYWEIGHT STAR HAS
BEEN FOUND
PUT AWAY BAT JOHNSON IN
FOUR MINUTES
Jack Burns Comes to Los AnqeIes in
Search of Tryout Bouts and Looks
as if He Might Do-Memsic
and Welsh Busy
BY JAY DAVIDSON


Another heavyweight possibility ha.
shown upon the pugilistic horizon and
is doubly welcome at this time because
the crop of heavyweight near-cham-
plons is SO small that this division
seems on the verge of decay. JACK
Burns of Salinas, who knocked out
Battling Johnson in less than four
minutes of fighting a few nights ago al
bakersfield, is the latest bidder for
Iame and fortune in the big division
ana he is in Los Angeles in search Of
employment at his trade. Accompanied
py MS manager, Gene Jefferys of Sail
mas, TINS big strapping youth arrived
FRIDAY night and at once got busy with
sweeping challenges to the world.
Burns lmpreSSeS one with his size
ana ADDS to the impreSsiVeness by the
tale of his scrap with the big Russian.
Press reports verify the statement of
his manager that Johnson showed re
markable gameness in taking the pun
lshment Burns administered in the brief
tlne they were in the. ring, and the
1act tnat ne put johnson down eight
times IN four minutes seems to indi-
cate that Burns has a wallop as well As
size.
inns young giant is nearly as tall as
AL Kaufmann and built almost along
the same splendid lines He is "a wears
ola ana tights at about 1873 pounds. He
IS beginner in the game. haying
fought only during the last six months,
put ne has made a remarkable record
Tor one SO young in the business. He
knocked out Joe Willis inn four rounds
Knocked out Joe Willis in four rounds,
and got a twenty-round draw. with Ter
ry Mustain that the press and ringside
spectators say was an exercise gallon
Tor Burns and that he should have
been awarded the decision.
Burns wants to make his local debut
IN scrap with Jim Flynn, arguing
that since both have whipped Johnson
declslVely it is up to one of them to
become eliminated as the contender for
the near-championship honors. Burns
put Johnson away much quicker than
Flynn, Barry or Kaufman. and his
claims for attention are based upon
something material, rather than being
supported only in theory He will be
easy to match up, as he says he will
tackle Flynn or any of them on a
Wlnner-take-all basis or cut the money
any way that is satisfactory to the
other fellow.
Welsh=Memsic Bout Next
The next ring engagement in Los An
geles viii lbe the ten-round argument
the night of February 2 between Fred
die Welsh, the great little English
champion, and George Memsic, until
recently considered the real contender
Tor the lightweight championship. These
boys will meet at the lightweight limit,
and are in hard training for the bout
A peculiar interest attaches to this
scrap. Welsh has proved such a classy
boxer and such a stiff walloper that
the fans have come to regard him us
well nigh invincible. Memsic, until
he took the slump several months ago
that put him out of the championship
running temporarily, stood just as
highly in the estimation of the fans
at one time as Welsh stands now.
If MemSic is not. oVerconfident in
estimating his chances with Welsh and
is as good as he says he has proved
himself to be while in training, this
will be one awful scrap. 1t will be
one of the fastest, prettiest and most
exciting battles ever staged between
lightweights in this part of the coun-
try. Everybody knows that Welsh can
go some when he is extended, and
everybody also knows that Memsic
could step lively himself few months
ago.
Much Depends on Result
With both boys at their best form it
would be sheer foolishness for the
Speculating fans to risk a wager on the
result. Welsh is cleVerer than Memsic
but the latter has the fiercer waIlop
Memsic is not a swinging fighter, pre-
ferring to hook, uppercut and jab and
this will make it more difficult for
Freddie to reach him effectively. Mem
sic knocked out Neary with a twist of
the wrist that sent the Milwaukee boy
to the mat like a falling log, and this
proved to the fans that George has the
kick that few lightweights can boast,
while he does not require a twenty
four-foot ring in which to bring it into
action.
Both boys are in hard training be-
cause each is too wise to take any
chances of losing that can be avoided
Defeat for either means a loss in pres
tige. For Memsic victory means that
he will jump right back into that DO.
sition of the championship contender
that he once held, while a decisive de-
feat would come near to retiring him
from serious contention. Welsh has
gone up the ladder as fast as George
has fallen and he now is where George
was eighteen months ago. If he is de-
feated he must submit to loss in pres
tige and find it necessary to whip one
scrapper before he can regain that
prestige. These facts indicate that
both boys will go into the ring in per-
feet trim and will do their best every
second they are in the ring.
Arcadia Club Opens
The new fight club at Arcadia. the
Oakwood Athletic club, pulled off its
first show last night in the dance hall
at the Oakwood hotel. This hall is
large and roomy and the ring was
erected in the center of the room. Seat
ing accommodations We're furnished for
about 500 persons who attended and
the affair was conducted in an orderly
manner without any disturbance or
rowdyism. A good card was staged
HI Ka III