The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-13

Even with tentative articles of agreement signed by Jack Johnson and Sam Berger. manager of Jeffries. it is still a hard matter to convince experi- enced sporting men that these rival heavyweights will ever meet in the prize ring says the New York Sun. There are several points arising from Wednesdays talkfest between John son and Berger in Chicago that are not regarded with particular favor by men who have been in close touch with pugilistic affairs for years. It is a fact that Johnson offered to wager a, 900 that Jeffries would never fight again and that Berger declined to ac- cept the proposition. It is also a fact that Berger readily agreed to reduce the amount of the side bet and then insisted that the fight should not take place until some time next April Fur thermore it is true that Jeff's man ager inserted a paragraph Tn the arti- cles of agreement which was pro- nounced yesterday "a joker" that the division of the purse. whether on 65 and 35. 75 and 25 per cent. Of winner take all basis, is left entirely to the decision of the boilermaker. a \ s9
 Johnson can refuse to fight if Jen says the winner must take all," said a fight promoter yesterday. giving as an excuse that Berger slipped one over on him. He can also refuse to accept a purse that may be regarded with favor by Jeffries. Furthermore the negro may object to the selection funk out of the match as he did in the. case of Langford in England last May. So far as Jeffries is concerned, if he has reduced his weight to 235, as put off a meeting with the black man until next spring.? Wouldn't it look better if Jeffries insisted on fighting at an earlier date? Why doesn't Johnson insist upon December as the time for action? The answer is easy. Both men are going to get more soft money by filling vaudeville engage ments in the fall and greater part of ths winter If they were dead anxious to settle their differences in once instead of indulging in four1ush- ing tactics. It is unsafe to wager that they will actually fight until they are sewed up with forfeits and have agreed upon every minute detail"
 Meanwhile Johnson will have to beat Ketchel in the most decisive man ner before he can hope to convince sporting men that he has a chance with Jeffries. if the latter is really himself. Within the next sixty days, the time allotted for receiving pro- moters' bids. it is probable that offers for the proposed mill will come from various parts of the country where there is absolutely no chance for the men to fight. When bids are opened sporting men say that Promoters Golf roth and McCarey of Co1ma and Los Angeles will be heard from. also Hugh D. Mcintosh of Australia, who arrived to-day from Europe. and from several mining town syndicates in Nevada, which will be the only ones worth con- sidering. It is generally believed in California that Coffroth already has a secret agreement with Johnson to fight at Colna and that the negro will promptly accept his offer as soon as it is made public As Jefries is believed to favor Vernon, just outside the city limits of Los Angeles, where McCarey can pull off a forty-five round bout
 1t is barely possible that a serious hitch may arise over the selection of a battle-ground In a word the pro- posed fight has not been arranged yet by long shot and it is believed that much diplomacy will be required to get the big fellows into the ring.