The Alaska citizen., 1911-04-10

! the annex al olNmpla on lueS0aN night in 20-round contest for z
 purse of G3.500. The result was {
 win for Langford, his opponent beinf ' disqualified in the sixth round.
 i InasmuCh as the winner had beer | promised the first right to meet Jacl | Johnson, the contest had a direc i bearing upon the championship of tho
 world, and it was thus raised to in | ternational importance. The claim: Cf both Langford and Lang to worlds 1 championship honors have been con ceded by good judges at the ring l side, but judging from their records their reputations have been somewhat easily earned. They have both met i Jack Johnson. and been defeated by him, but they were little more than noviCes at the time Lang has also been twice beaten by Tommy burns But until Tuesday night these were the only blemishes on a successful career.
 ! Langford. too. has fought many battles, and all of them with sue cess since his defeat by Young Peter Jackson in 1906 It Is true that none of his opponents have been men in the first class of the heavyweights: but that has been no fault of his Langford stands only feet 6 inches in height, and weighs but 166 pounds But he is a hefty man of his hands and a superb boxer in the classic upright English style. Like Tom Savers half century ago, he has beaten all the men at his weight, and finds the big men singularly re luctant to meet him.
 On Tuesday Langford had an op. portunity of establishing his reputa- ton on a more solid basis, and he clearly proved his title to take his place in the rst rank of the fighting men of the world. No finer exhibi- tion of scientific boxing has been seen in this country since Peter Jackson beat Savin in 1892, but on that occasion the two combatants were equally matched On Tuesday LanSford was giving away GA inches in height and nearly 42 pounds in weight. But his fine judgment, his perfect self-cCntrol. his superior skill as boxer, far outweighed these dis advantages. Moreover, he has a dan gerous punch with both right and left, and punishing upper-cut. which he used with great effect.
 Almost from the start he was mas ter of the situation. Taking the cen ter of the ring he forced his big antagonist frequently to the ropes, and followed him wherever he went. He was never in hurry, but always in the right place, with perfect pOise for delivering a blow with right or left. Do what he would, Lang could never get free His antagonist was always in front of him, ready to strike, and within striking distance. Lang was obviously nervous and un- certain He seemed never to know when to expect a blow, and the blow came too often when it was not ex- pected for Langford gave no signal. Lang is credited with being skill full boxer, but he was never given an opportunity to show his skill. There can be no greater testimony to the skill of his opponent.
 Of Lang's pluck and capacity to en- dure punishment there can be no question. He had ample opportunity of displaying both. It is also evident that he does not yet possess a sutti ciently dangerous punch. He did oc. casionally reach both the head and stomach, but without any appreciable effect. The blows on the head left Langford cool. collected, smiling; those on the body scarcely disturbed his equilibrium. With Lang it was very different. In the second round right swing on the body, followed by 9 left on the head, sent him to the floor, and in the third round an old wound over his left eye was re opened and it bled profusely.
 From this point he was completely at the mercy of his antagonist, and suffered heavy punishment, although a rally at the end of the fourth round revived the hopes Cf his supporters. In the fifth round, however, Lang was sent heavily to the ground with a straight left on the chin and swing ing right on the head. He was up again in nine seconds, but in help less condition, and with quick sue cession of blows with right and left on the head, and severe upper-cut, Langford sent him down again. Lang regained his feet, but in dazed con- ditiCn, and but for the call of time Langford would no doubt have fin ished the contest there and then, But it did not last much longer. Lang came from his corner for the sixth round fresher than could be expected. He landed the left lightly on Lang ford's head. Langford slipped and fell on one knee. While he was in that position Lang hit him again. It was a harmless blow, but contrary to the rules of English boxing, and the vic tory was at once awarded to Lang ford. There was little doubt that he had already won 1t and that Lang was a beaten man.-London Times. LONDON-THE 2O,round go between Matthew Wells, the eX-amateur light weight champion, and Fred Welsh, of Pontypridd, for a purse of 990O, the lightweight championship of Great Britain, and the Lonsdale belt, took place at the National Sporting club on Monday night. It produced the most keen and interesting struggle that has been witnessed for a long time at the headquarters of profes- sonal boxing, and it ended in win fer Wells on points, after the full number of rounds had been fought The correctness of MT J. H. Doug lass decision was unquestionable.
 The two men were equally match ed. Wells, who weighed 135 pounds, had the advantage of a pound ip weight. but Welsh was the taller. It was clear from the start that Welsh had a difficult problem to solve. In the first half a dozen rounds Wells forced the fighting at a great pace, and scored repeatedly with his left, and when half tho rOunda had baen