The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-25
JEFFR|ES WILL Be
A BIG FAV0R|TE
Johnson viii Have Strong Fol
lowing and Looks Like
the Winner.
MOST POPULAR ATTRACTION
IN HISTORY OF WORLD
If Men Fight Fortunes Will
Change Hands: Thousands
viii Attend Contest.

Jack Johnson. who is called the
world heavyweight champion puglls,
bat who must vet defeat James j.
Ieffries in order 10 claim a clear title,
is on his way TO New York rs fast as
the train can take him. James j. Jeff
ries is patiently waiting in New York
for the colored champion and his rep
rescntativcs, having Just arrived from
London, TO sign mp articles for fight
to settle the dispute for the world 5
championship.
Jefries announces that he is i'm the
best of condition and ready 10 enter
tho ring on a days notice with John
son, claiming that he has gotten him.
self into irst-class shape while in Flu
rope. and gives his weight ~ 22S
pounds, although he will not allow him
self 10 be weighed in the presence of
any one. .Jelfrics SAYS he is as good rs
he ever was, and il he was not conf
dent that he could defeat Johnson he
would never sign articles for 4 fight
In Fine Shape
II is all very well for Jcfries to au-
nouncc 10 the world that he IS in the (
best of condition and that he can whip /
tlc black champion. nder the circum !
stances he could do nothing else. as he |
has his eagle eve on a purse which viii |
net him not a cent less than $4,000 I
and for this amount old Bob Fitzsim-
mons would come back and try TO make
the world believe that he was better
than ever. Jeffries has never been anX-
ious 20 re-entcr the ring, bat the public
has demanded that he return and bring
homo the championship belt to the
white race again. or. to be exact, de-
fend his title, which johnson now
claims through the retirement of the
white champion.
The one question which is being dis
cussed by all the fight fans is the con-
dlilon of .Jch'rics. His supporters claim
that he can defeat Johnson If he can
get into any kind Of shape, while
great many arc confident that he can
whip Johnson without a day S training.
This is all very well 10 talk about. bur
when IT comes TO fighting, the real
merits of the men count
Never Beaten.
,Ieffrics has never been defeated i'm
ms life. although he has had some very
rough journeys, the last one being in
l9O2,s when Bob litZsimmons, at The
age of 40 Years. cut the champion 's
face into ribbons and then, in the
eighth round, quit, claiming that his
hands wore gone, and Bob was counted
out with a smile on his face Fiva }
wears later Bob fitzsimmons met Jack
johnson and lost in two rounds. being !
nuablc TO even make a showing against
the colorcd fighter, The next year, q
ly03, Jehrcs met Corjctt in San Fran J
'asco. Jcffries beating the latter in ten {
rounds. In Tins fight Corhett stood ND i
nnd exchanged blow for blow with the =,
champion, and 1T was ono of the best l
slugelng matches ever witnessed on the T
eonst. torbett had changed his former !
lactIcs with the hope that by con :
l,nual succession of blows he could beat j
Jcilries, but the latter was too strong c
FOR the former champion and Corbctt i
was beaten. After that .Icnrries did c
nothlng IN the fight game. Monroe not =
ngurIng, and since that time has rested
an hIs IaureIs of worlds undefcated n
',nampion, and has taken life easy on :
MS Los Angeles ranch Jcllrics later V
entered the saloon business. While i'm i
ms business Jcf'rics met all his old a
.rlcnds. and it was continual treating +