Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31
HEAvYWEIGHTS BEGIN
TRAINING FOR BATTLE
BAT JOHNSON AND VAN D00ZER
GET BUSY
Main Event Men for June IL Are Pre-
pairing for Mill-Russian to
Train at Re-
dondo


Doozer, the two heavyweights who Will
meet in the arena at Maud Junction for
the ten-round go on June ~. Will set
tie down at once to active training for
the bout, as they have less than two
weeks in which to condition themselves
for the hard tussle which surely will
follow when they get together The
match has caused much excitement
along Spring street because Of the fact
that Van Doozer, a boxing instructor,
viii make his debut In the professional
ring against a man who is admitted to
be one of the toughest nuts In the
business. 1t generally Is agreed that
Van Doozer is either remarkably con-
fident, through thorough trying out.
that he can dispose of the big fellow or
that he Is unusually game. for the
teacher of the gentle hammer art will
stop many punch that will have the
force of a steam engine behind 1t.
Probably there is no harder hitter in
the ring today that this once-despised
Russian, whose two fights with Jim
Flynn have gone down In ring history
as the f1ercest grueing matches that
have ever been held nj Los Angeles.
Indeed several old-time followers Of
the game who have seen the bruisers
of the '60s and '70s in action remarked
fighters was the hardest battle they
had ever seen. Every minute was full
of fierce hammer-and-tongs milling.
There was little science to the battle,
but as slugging match it was SUI
preme.
johnson Is Popular
Thus Battling Johnson became inn
nfensely popular with the fans and Jim
Flynn's popularity decreased only In
regard to his action in the Eyton mat
ter AS a game fighter he Increased
his following If anything, for all agree
his action In getting to his feet after
the eighth round knockdown was
marvellous exhibition of gameness.
Should the whirlwind match of the
last appearance of Johnson be repeated
the evening of June IL Van Doozer and
the Russian would draw O. great house
I'm q return engagement. Van Doozer
states that he will stand up and battle
with the huge bulk which Is forging
ahead toward the heavyweight goal to
the best of it's crude ability. and If he
does there will be no quiet moments.
Jim Gaines, manager of the Battling
One, will take his lad in all probability
to Redondo to train, as club has Of
fered favorable inducements to him to
do his preparatory work there. Van
Doozer will train at his place in this
city, and, as he has been working
quietly with the match in view for the
last two months, he should have no
difficulty in getting into condition, even
in the short time afforded.
Johnson returned Thursday from a
trip to the northern coast and looks to
be in great condition. He took good
care of himself in the north and fought
several battles for small purses In or
der to keep in shape. He won them
all, NEEDLESS to say, as he stacked him.
self against dubs of merely local repu-
tation.
At the Two Camps
1t is probable that Monday will see
both men in active work for the meet
ing and by midweek the two camps
will be in full swing. Jim Cameron.
the big colored lad. is being sought for
as sparring partner for Johnson. and
Van Doozer will secure several heavies
to work with him, although he has not
given out his list of probable helpers.
1t is the plan of Tom McCarey, man
ager of the Pacific Athletic club, to
stage complete card of heavyweight
events In case enough good men can
be secured. If not, the lighter lads
will be given chance. Several new
men have lately Joined the ranks of
the local fighters, including Jimmy
Hanlon of Boston. a fast little 133-
FOUNDER, and Kid Fitzgerald of Phila-
delphia, who fights at about 1928. 1t is
also proposed to match fast little
Danny Webster and Kid Carsey, the
protege of Frank Carsey, or Casey, and
Bubbles Robinson. the clever little coll
ored lad who has been with Joe Cans
in the north. Bubbles made such a
good impression in his last appearance
here that he became popular favopite