The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-03-04
BOXING NOTES
lR T.s Andrews.1


 After all the talk about barring Jack Johnson from chanpionsnap match in England, the National Sport ing club of London has changed its attitude in the matter and is now en- deayoring to stage a. big bout between Iiil Arthur and sam Langford. At least this is the news that comes from a friend who is close to the powers that be Writing of the affair he says: Tn defiance of warnings is-s sued by powerful newspapers in Lon don, the National Sporting club intends staging a championship bout between Sam Langford and Jack Johnson + IL is within the bounds of possibility They have offered a purse of 15,000 for the acceptance of the colofed fighters for a twenty round battle
 1t is a question if Johnson will agree to risk his title for such small amount In face of his repeated de-
 nands for $3O, ,O00-win. lose or draw, it does not seem reasonable to sup pose that the champion will come down to sharing half that sum- The club insists that the purse, if accept ed, is to be divided 60 per cent. to the winner and 40 per cent. to the loser, 2 per cent and 30 per cent or the winner take all; but they will not be party to any win, lose or draw arrangement even should Iangford be agreeable 10 such a proposal
 rejection of these terms seems pretty certain by Johnson, as will be the stipulation that each fighter puts up a $2,5 300 side bet Joe Woodman has already lodged a forfeit of $2, 300 on behalf of Sam Langford, who agrees to all the clubs conditions, in cluding that of sharing the picture rights equally between the club and the two fighters
 In a short chat with a representative of the club it. was learned that the of f. fer, which. by the way. is the same amount as that which Carpenter and Wells recently boxed for. Meantime another syndicate is making frantic efforts sto get Johnson to box Lang ford for a $30,O0O purse to be divided anyway the boxers please. It will be interesting to- see what attitude the newspapers adopt towards the two or fers.''
 The popularity of boxing in England among the soldiers and naval men has led the French people to starring cham pionship journeys for their de- fensiye forces, similar to those decid- ed in England. There is proposal to make boxing a part of the training of French conscripts in future and If such a proposal is adopted the French men may soon out-distance the Brit ish in every weight. The spread of the game in France is undoubtedly due to the success of Georges Carpen- tier, whose victories have been made the most of in his native country and his defeats easily explained away
 France is not the only country where boxing is being pushed to the front, as Belgium and Switzerland have contests. quite frequently and now the Danes are taking it up. The Germans have been slow to adopt the sport, but gradually they are waking up and so is Austria.
 It is rather peculiar that the ath1et- ie young men of Germany do not take more. to boxing, considering that there are so many German-Anericans who follow the sport; in fact, some of the best boxers in the States ares among the Germans. When all the Euro pean countries take more to the man | ly art there will be tournaments on a. l scale that will make the wrestling | tourrevs look sick