BOXING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2571, 4 August 1909, Page 6

BOXING.

THE JOHNSON-JEi' FRIES MATCH

United Press Association —Copyright (Received August 3, 9.55 p.m.) NEW i’ORK, August 3. Jack Johnson has deposited 5000 dollars in connection with his match with Jeffries.

KAUFMAN AND JOHNSON . MATCHED.

Oversea wires* have flashed the nows that AL Kaufman, the young San Franciscan, was matched to fight Jack Johnson for the heavy-weight championship of the world and a purse of £2OOO at San Francisco on the 27th proximo. “I don’t see that the thing is a match at all, says “Amateur” of the “Referee.” Kaufman is certainly a fine, big, young fellow, standing 6ft lin high, scaling in the neighborhood of 14st, and only in his 24th year, but he is as slow as a funeral in the ring—a lumbering, plodding kind of fighter, who would be better served were conditions the same as when President Fulda ran the old California Athletic Club in ’Frisco, and had spread across the entrance to tho boxing hall the legend “All fights here must be to a finish.”

In April last Kaufman met one Tony. Ross, an untutored Italian, who had never previously done enough to get his name in what Americans would call the “dope” (record) book, and the fight Kaufman put up disgusted all who saw it. Said Jack Johnson next morning, “I saw him (Kaufman) last night, lie cannot fight a little bit. He couldn’t hit me .with a handful' of bird shot, and it would be an imposition upon the public to send us into the ring together.” During the early part of his career Kaufman evidenced good fighting ability ,and promised to turn out a highstepper of the A 1 brand. In 12 battles up to and inclusive of October, 1907, he knocked out ten opponents—five of them in one round each, one in three rounds, one in five,. and another in seven. One battle was won on points after 15 rounds, a nd another saw Jack O’Brien knock the rising youngster cut in 17 rounds. Kaufman undoubtedly had a punch then, but he would seem to'have lost it since. Not long ago a third-rater —one Barry—stood up to Kaufman 39 rounds, and only stopped because his hand was badly hurt.