Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-09-29
Jeff IS READY TO
FIGHT RIGHT MAN.
Another Contest for the Heavy
Weight Championship is
Badly Wanted.
WHAT THE BIG FELLOW SAYS.
n, issues Sweeping Challenge to
Auy aud Every White Man ia
The PngIlistlc Business.


pnrlne the past week there has beer
considerable talk In tho local press TO The
,aoet that Jim Jcffrlos had at last beer
induced to consider match with Jaci
Johnson. the big, clever colored fighter
NM IL appears that those who started
,he story spoke without authority from
sho champion, Tho other day he made
statement which he believes should es'
,abnsh for All time TO come his position IN
,he matter. Tie declares that he Is ready
and willing 10 meet any white man liy-
mg but he emphatlcally AYERS that he
wll never hght Johnson because Of the
latler's color Here is the statement made
By Jefrles'
have said so often that | am ready
10 meet any white man In the world in a
championship fight that Il is an old story,
but I have 10 repeat II here The faster
they come, the bigger and cleyerer they
nlo the better I viii be pleased
There have been so many challenges
hurled at me lately that II would seem
that / ought 10 be able TO get busy pretty
soon, but DO not feel very hopeful ANY
number Of people are ready to challenge
but when the time comes to make good,
they sidestep
All any man that wants a fight with
INC needs do ls 10 show that there will
be money IN the contest and that he is
capable Of putting up real fight. do
not want 10 meet another Jack Munroe
nor will ! do so. A fight with a man
Of Munroes calibre hurts the game,
Whenever a dub like the miner is touted
90 w0rld-beater and then makes a sorry
showing puglllsm loses hundreds Of
friends Another fight like that would
nut me on tho blink as a drawing card
the lighting game that weighs anywhere
near the 30-pound mark has had a desire
20 challenge me- Not only have fighters
come after me, but even amateur ath.
letes have come 10 the front and prom.
ised 10 XIII me with q blow, All this
talk makes me long for a quiet nook
where ! can enjoy life tlll a real fighter
comes along able and willing to give me
n good fight. When that man shows M
IN crawl through the ropes and do the
best ! can TO defend the championship,
As matters now stand do not see that
there Is man In the lighting business
who has a right 10 meet me. OF course
there arc several who would take a lick
ing for a small end Of big purse, bus
that's not the sort OF scrapper ! want 10
cross arms with. However let any OF
the men who are crying for fght prove
90 the satisfaction OF the sporting press
Of the country that they should be given
chance and they are as good as signed.
Now 10 get down to business This Is
The way I look on the challenges that
have come my way, | Will take each
man by himself
Ralph Rose This fellow il big
kd. / thought at hrst that he was on
thC level and that he might really be-
made good enough 70 meet me- He was
AZ bold as a Hon when he first shouted
that he was strong enough TO break my
neck With punch. He also had me
faded In several other matters, notably
speed and youth. As soon as let IL
Ne known that | would be glad TO do
business with him ne renlged and | guess
he IS crawling yet. ! hear he has a
greater reputation Tor shooting on his
mouth than for anything else, and that
that habit has mado him very unpop-
ular at the University Of Michigan.
have been told that he Is not game and
that lets him out as lighter No
ChlCken-hearted man ever won a fight.
Tom Jenkins-No Jenkins PROPOSE
don for n rough.and.tumble fight looks
good TO me. II he can prove that people
will pay to see us mix things on an every
thing goes basis and can lind place
Nhere the fight can be pulled on, | will
take him on As | figure H. he would not
last very long lie hopes to get IN and
make wrestling match Of the bout. but
] think I'd catch him coming, and " |
did he would lose a lot Of strength after
my wallop landed, But / do not want %
knock Jenkins proposition. for he may
zee hs way 10 pulling the bout on, AMI
IN willing TO do my share OF the brls-
Sandy Ferguson. All this fellow has to
base demand for fight ON Is the fact
that he has beaten Gus Rubin and few
third and fourth ratefs lie doesn't class,
and n fight with him wouldn't draw flies
J DO not think he Is game. aud would he
willing 20 meet six men VI his capacity
IN an evening
Jack Johnson. This fellow Is fair
tighter but he is black and Tor that rea.
son J will never fight him II | were not
me champion ! would as soon meet
negro as any other man, but the title will
never 80 20 a black man II | can help it
J DO not think this fellow has anyth,vx
on a lot OF heayies that / have licked
He a good man. but not as good as Fitl
and Sharkey. He Is an in-and-outer, and
mas some quer fights In his record. But
tne only thing that makes fight with
INN Impossible is that he Is negro
Bob Fitzslmmons. -. Lanky Bob has been
talking lately about being ready 10 do
business with me soon. That's Joke
be knows he don't want any more Of my
game lie Is talking for advertising
purposes, and every talk brings results AZ
Inc box Office OF his show.
think ! have very fairly sized IN the
men who say they want TO fight me
Bone would fight II given chance,
Others would take to the tall and lofty IL
iney saw a SET Of articles within a mile
OF them. II any OF 'em can be made NJ
opponents for me, aud the public demands
lons 70 work at my tIade-hghting-but
There Is nothing doing.