The part
which renders it necessary for me to keep closed doors, I shall
now explain. I give prizes here of considerable value for boxing
contests which are conducted under rules of our own. One is due
to take place in a very few minutes. The contests vary in
character, but I may say that the chief officials of the National
Sporting Club are usually to be found here, only, of course, in
an unofficial capacity. The difference between the contests
arranged by me, and others, is that my men are here to fight.
They use sometimes an illegal weight of glove and they sometimes
hurt one another. If any two of the boxing fraternity have a
grudge against one another, and that often happens, they are
permitted here to fight it out, under the strictest control as
regards fairness, but practically without gloves at all. You
heard of the accident, for instance, to Norris? That happened in
my gymnasium. He was knocked out by Burgin. It was a wonderful
fight.
"However, I pass on. There is another class of contest which
frequently takes place here. Two boxers place themselves
unreservedly in my hands. The details of the match are arranged
without their knowledge. They come into the ring without knowing
whom they are going to fight. Sometimes they never know, for my
men wear masks.
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