The Washington herald., 1909-04-13
WILL MEET KETCHELL
Johnson to Fight Montana
Lad FOrty-fiye Rounds.
coFFROTH DICTATES TERMS
COIma. Cal, 20 Be Scene of Contest.
Club To Hang Up n Purse OF $4,000.
After WrangIe with Bill Delaney,
who Thinks KetcheH Easy.

New York, April 12.-In all probability
Stanley Ketchell viii be the first white
man TO try for Johnson's heavyweight
championship title. After a long pow
WOW with James Coffroth. the san Fran
cisco promoter. here to-day. it was prac-
ucally agreed that Johnson and Ketcheu
viii meet in a forty-hve-round bout al
CoIma, Cal, the second week in October.
Cofroth practically dictated the terms
OF the match after consulting with Ketch-
ell IN Philadelphia on Sunday and later
talking Il over with the big negro in this
city until about O'Clock this morning.
Coffroth. it is understood. has agreed 10
hang up a $4,000 purse, and expects
that the fight viii draw nearly SeGO0
in gate receipts. He insisted upon Ketch-
ell as Johnson's opponent as soon as he
learned from Jefries that the latter
would not declare himself one way or an
other until after three months. and that
II he decided 20 tight then ne would not
be ready 10 meet Johnson in the ring
for At least eight months more. or
some time in March. 1910.
ketcheII Highly Regarded.
Conroth said that Californians regard
ed KetcheI as a greater fighter than
kaufman. and. therefore. would not cen
slider a fight between Delaney's man a. i
Johnson under any circumstances, also
that Ketchell was simply wild 10 get
crack at the big negro. and that in his
opinion the Montana lion had the best
chance of winning the title.
In fact the Frisco promoter declared
to-day that Ketchen could beat Jeffries
If he should happen to land one Of his
great Knockout punches. When Johnson
and Ketchen enter the ring the negro will
weigh 205 or perhaps 20 pounds. while
ketchell VIII nave taken on enough
weight 20 enable him to tip the scales at
l5 pounds or a trifie more. johnson is
three inches taller than Ketchell.
KetcheU is the hardest puncher in the
ring to-day. He is game TO the core. and
is a pretty shifty fellow in every way.
He does not possess Johnson's science
but il is figured out that the negro does
not excel Philadelphia Jack O'Brien in
cleverness, and Tor that reason KetcheII
viii have a chance TO beat him down as
he finished the quick-moying Quaker.
KetcheH outclasses Tommy Burns in
every way. IL is thought. and as he is
when he begins his mill with the black
man.
Passes Up Delaney.
Johnson held a fruitless wrangle st
noon with Billy Delaney. Kaufman's man
ager: Wfllus Britt. KetcheITs manager.
and Joe WoOdman. who looks after Lang
ford's interests. But nothing was accom-
plished. Delaney told johnson that Kauf-
man wcald fight him for $1,000 a side and
winner take all. but the big negro would
not consent 10 make a match
Britt. in behalf OF Ketchell, also wanted
10 bet $4,000 on the side if Johnson signed
articles. but he would not hear Of a mill
with either kaufman or Langford. John
son dnally suggested that Ketchen should
meet Langford, the winner TO fight Kauf-
man. and the successful man in that af-
fair To be the one to tackle Texas Jack
for the title. After the wrangle was
over Delaney. in disgust. said:
You dont see COffrOth here do YOU
Well. il is all framed up for johnson. to
6ght Ketchell, and Kaufman has been shut
out That's all there is 10 IT, johnson
thinks KetchelI IS easy for him, and sc
10 l."