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From the January 1904 issue of Mitt Slingers Magazine...Contents include article on the rise of boxing in Europe and movement towards the pro ranks, and an editorial on the increased usage of rubber gum shields and padded cups in professional boxing and their pending approval by the IBU...There is a push against the IBU's influence by some US managers but the boxers themselves are happy with the current situation that restricts a manager to collecting no more than 20% of a fighter's purse...Gunboat Smith has reportedly severed ties with manager Cleve Peters and signed up with Jimmy Buckley's stable with assurances Buckley will get him a fight for the world title...At the Cirque de Paris Georges Carpentier announced his return to European rings with a convincing decision over Scotland's Derek Beattie in defence of his EBU championship belt...There were signs of ring rust as Carpentier started slowly and took several rounds to really get his timing going but Beattie failed to take advantage fearing the Frenchman was playing possum...At London's Blackfriar's Ring Packey Mahoney pulled a huge upset of the bookies odds in winning 7 of 8 rounds over England's Tom Cowler...Many at ringside thought Cowler might have been doped as he never put up much of an offence, looking content to box entirely on the defensive...The promoter held back his end of the purse until he received an explanation from Cowler's chief second...Bjarni Thorsen revived his flagging career with a 10 round decision over Canada's Danny Whitebear in front of a vociferous mob at Oslo's Stortinget Halle...The Dominion champ put up a good effort but was fighting on the back foot for most of the contest...In yet another upset in December, Eire's Private Dan Voyles outpointed Deutschland's coming star Otto Flint over 8 rounds at Dusseldorf's Rheinhall....Voyles is turning into quite a spoiler of Continental fighters...Followers of the sweet science in England are of the opinion that Scotland's young Colin Morrison was rushed along in meeting veteran Wm. Iron Hague, the result of which was an 8th round knockout loss after five or six lopsided rounds...Morrison tried hard but still has much to learn...Australia's Bill Lang has departed for home and brought along a few American heavies to try their hands in Antipodean rings...Noted New York fight manager Robert "Bob" Clark has left for Europe accompanied by a small troupe of local fighters including one Alfred "Soldier" Kearns formerly of the US Cavalry's Philippines Expedition...