Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-10

Kaufman on the verge Of a Knockout. and
In the last round he made such a strong
finish that the negro was clearly netued.
johnson, however, was not slow in offer
ing the same old excuse-that he was not
In his best condition and did not have to
overexert himself. But the fact that John
son made Kaufman look like a green nov
ice in point Of ring science served 70 boom
the negroes stock, especially in California
where the impression is strong that he
will at least win from Ketchel on points.
JOhnsOn's Ring Record.
Looking back over Johnson's ring record
the point is made clear that he has never
been a knocker out and has beaten very
few flrst-class men. He began fighting
about ten years ago, and in one of his
early battles he was put away by Joe
ChoynslEi. In 1901 Johnson knocked out a
third-rater named Horace Miles in three
rounds, and won on points from John Lee
in fifteen, also defeating Jack Mccormick
twice in bouts Of seven rounds each. He
also boxed an inferior colored pugilist
named Klondlke a twenty-round draw. In
1902 Johnson knocked out Joe Kennedy's
brother, Jack, in five rounds. He won
on points from such men as Jim, Seaman,
NAGAAtaAA 4 EA9 HNNAbNA AAAAAa
George Gardner and Fred Russell. and
also boxed draws with Hank Griffen and
Billy lStift, third-raters.
The only knockout scored by Johnson
in 1905 was in a bout with Joe Butler. a
Philadelphia negro, who went to sleep in
three rounds. He got decisions in two
twenty-round bouts with Sam McVey,
who was beaten last winter in a finish
fight in Paris by Joe Jeanette, and also
outpointed Denver Ed Martin and Sandy
Ferguson in bouts Of similar length. In
1904 Johnson knocked out McVey in twenty
rounds and Martin in two, but Black Bill,
a third-rater, and Childs stayed six rounds
with him. 1t was in 1906 that Martin
Hart, sfterward beaten by Burns, got a
questionable decision over Johnson in
twenty rounds in Frisco. After that affair
johnson stopped Jim Jeffords in four
rounds, defeated Black Bill in the same
length Of time, knocked out Walter John
son and Morris Harris in a few punches,
boxed six round draws with Jack Munroe
and Joe Grim, won on a foul in three
rounds from Sandy Ferguson. drew with
Young Peter jackson in fifteen, lost on a
foul to Jeanette in two. and also boxed
the latter two six-round bouts with no
referees verdict.
Knocked Out by LangfOrd.
johnson began the season Of 1906 by
winning from Jeanette on points in fif-
teen rounds. Then he tackled Sam Lang
ford for the first and sonly time to date.
They went in a fifteen-round bout in
Chelsea, Mass, and Langford weighed
1888 pounds. In the second round Langford
swung hard to the Jaw and Johnson went
to the floor for a count that lasted sixteen
seconds by the watch. When the big
negro got up he saved himself by clinching
and wrestling, and in the last eight
rounds he was satisfied to outpoint Lang
ford by jabblng him at long range. A
greenhorn named Billy Dunning went ten
rounds to a draw with Johnson soon after
the Langford bout, which was followed by
two draws with Jeanette, one Of six and
the other OF ten rounds.
Johnson went to Australia in 1907 and
knocked out Peter Felix in a round. Re-
turning to this country he stopped ancient
Bob Fitzsimmons in two rounds in Phila-
delphia, Fitz declaring that he was fouled.
johnson stopped Kid Cutler, John L. Sui
livan's sparring partner in a round, and
then failed to knock out Sailor Burke in
a palpable six-round fake in Bridgeport
It took the champion eleven rounds to put
Fireman Jim Flynn away at Colma- After
that Johnson went to England and beat
Ben Taylor, an alleged fighter, in eight
rounds, and then proceeded to Australia,
where he trimmed Burns.
Those who figure that Johnson win beat
Ketchel say that the latter will be unable
to break down the negros invulnera'ble de-
Tense and will come in for an incessant
jabbing and hooking because Of his wide
open style of attack. They argue that
johnson is too big and strong to be beaten
down and out and IS also too awkward a
mark for Ketchel's assault. The fact that
Ketchel failed to knock out Bill Papke in
twenty rounds is a further cause for the
belief that he cannot make an impression
on the negro and will simply tire himself
out in the first ten or a dozen rounds.
Johnson has made the prediction that he
will put Ketchel to sleep inside Of twelve
rounds and much money will be wagered
on this particular feature Of the mill.
KetcheI a Real Fighter.
Ketchel is a natural born fighter who
does not know the meaning Of fear. He
has won all his battles by unlimited ag-
gressiveness and courage. He is a terrific
hitter, said to be Fitzsimmon's superior
in this respect, and is the gamest white
man actively engaged in Npugilism today
When he made this match with Johnson
he posted 5000 to go as a forfeit and side
bet. He said at the time hat such a sum
meant a whole lot to him. but that he
was so confident OF beating the negro that
he wanted to bet on himself. While, John
son will be at least a 2 to l favorite
!, Ketchels s.. 900 will be wagered at evens
and ne says he is we'll satisfied to get the
money down At no time since the arti'
cles Of agreement were signed has Ketche
seemed worried over the result Of this, the
biggest fight of his career. He said while
training for the called off Langford bout
/ in New York that he intended to tear into
/ johnson and simply overwhelm him with
/ his great punches and incessant attack
Il, He declared that Johnson could not hi
5 hard enough 10 hurt him and for that rea