Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-10
FITZPATRICK SIZES UP JOHNSON
How Champions Manager Expressed
Himself Before Recent Mill.

1.-THE Burns-Johnson match has been
talked of a great deal by the pugilists
themselves" said Sam Fitzpatrick, the new
champions manager, a few days before
the mill in Sydney took place. 1T started
in Frisco and, though at one time things
looked within very little of being clinched,
the Fates or something else ordained other
wise. I've known johnson more or less
during the last ten years. but I have been
more closely associated with him for two
years now.
You want to know about this fight with
Sailor Burke in America? Well, that's
easily told. Burke fought as Tug Wilson
did with John l. Sullivan in New York
years ago. He was more often down than
up-fell at every opportunity when hit. He
wanted to last those six rounds somehow.
I suppose Burke hit the boards twenty
three or twenty-four times.
when Johnson fought F4tzsimmons Bob
let a few weighty punches go, and had
anyone OF them landed Jack would have
been hurt, 1 tell you, but he was too clever.
Fitz tried the same shift with johnson
that brought Corbett down, but 1t didn't
work. No. none considered F1tz a dead
one; all thought he had a chance. But
Johnson put him out easily.
Then there was Jim Flynn. They
doomed him as a sure trip up for john
sons reputation. He was going to do
everything to Jack, and the sports put
their money on him freely. They said
Jack had a yellow streak, and all that sort
OF thing. But Flynn was not only a punch
ing bag, but he never put a glove on John
son. Jack has nc yellow in him. He's
dead game. as you'n see when he begins
his fight with Burns.
kid Cutler was a big husky lad, John
l.. Sullivan's sparring partner, and they
said he was a wonder. He stood as tall
as Peter Felix, but was broader. and
heavier. You know how Johnson settled
that contraction a round.
Punches? johnson has a whole hean Of
them, a beautifully variety, and they are
all handy, like a good w~orkman's tools
when opportunity offers. Jacks a general
In the ring, too. 1t all, OF course, depends
on circumstances, but he isn't anxious TO
go in blind-eyed and begin to WALTON di-
rectly any referee calls time.
Like a good tactician he gets an idea
Of the enemy's methods and power first
and then he acts accordingly. In this re-
spect he is very much like good old Peter
Jackson used to be- He works for weeks
ahead Besides he is as quick as a light
weight and has everything that goes to
make a fighter.
81 want to tell you before I forget it
that Johnson did something in London that
no other boxer ever had done before. He
worked the halls right through the summer
and broke records in some of the houses.
Yes, he went to Paris and completely
burned up the town with exhibitions. We
scooped a big sum during Dublin Horse
show week.
Tina story about Jack being extended
by a Queensland amateur heavyweight on
the trip here from Europe is all poppycock.
Someone has been bulling the reporters.
Jack SPARED with anybody who would take
him on and treated them all gently. There
was no extending and no knockout, nor
anything within a long distance of it.
rs Johnson as good as Jackson? Now
you're asking a question that is not easy
TO answer. 1t is very hard, indeed, to
judge between the man of today and the
man of years age, but 1 feel sure there
isn't much difference one way or the other.
johnson stoops a bit, while Peter stood
well up to get full advantage of his height,
Jackson would have nothing but straight
punching, while Johnson has all sorts OF
effective hooks and uppercuts.
Il think l can say with truth that while
to a certain extent jackson went about
attaining a particular object one way.
Johnson gets there just as surely through
slightly different tactics. Like jackson
Johnson takes no risks. He is a safe
fighter. You know Jackson's left wanted
a lot Of getting over. Well. 1 think John.
sons is as good.
"Will Jack knock Burns out? Well,
can't say that for sure. but Burns will
have all he wants after twelve rounds