The San Francisco call., 1909-07-29
FIGHT FANS HAIL
THE GOOD NEWS
WITH CHEERS
"Jef VIII Win if He's Only Half
Right" Says the Blacks
Former Manager
By WILLIAM J. SLATTERY

champion of the world spread like
wiIdhre in the city yesterday and it
was the principal subject discussed in
the Office, at the club, in the street,
in cafes and at the diner table OF the
home Of the man who likes a prize
fight Though Jeffries peeled those ive
$1,000 bills off his bulky bank roll 1000
miles away the interest was nearly as
great as though the feat of the unde-
feated champion had been performed
right here in San Francisco, the city
where he received his start and where
he made most Of his money.
. The news came as a surprise TO some,
while others simply looked up with
that Il told you So expression on their
faces. But everywhere the general i'm
preston prevailed that the match was
as. good as made now. for most of the
fans figure that so long as Jefries has
gone so far as 10 post his forfeit and
offer TO bet Johnson he viii have to
fight. This is the only logical way to
figure it, Unless Johnson SHOWS his
former yellow color the greatest battle
that the prize ring has ever known
should take place within six or seven
months. and probably near San Fran
cisco.
The fans seem divided as TO the out
come Of the most talked Of mill that
was ever proposed. Half Of them be-
Iieve thst Jeffries viii make Johnson
Jump cut of the ring, while the other
half ere inclined to the belief that
JEFF like the others who have tried
it IN the past Will not be able to come
back and that he willy fall an easy vic
tim TO the tantalizing jabsr and jolts
Of the husky Ethiopian
Perhaps the followers Of the game
do not realize that there is only two
years. difference between the ages of
the rival gladiators. Jeffries is "a.
while johnson has seen 81 summers.
Jenries started lighting in 1896. knock
ing out Danny Long in this city. John
son started two years later around
Galveston. Tex. The men are practical
ly well mated as to years, but Jeffries'
record compared to that of Johnson
looks like a milestone stacked up
alongside Of a pebble.
Thus il can readily be seen that this
is not a case of Jim Corbett going up
against John L Sullivan. Corbett had
III vi N-AN UAQ DOENVlA NAdlliB4OA Be 10
years. Sullivan was a short, stocky
man. inclined to be fat and hard to
condition. JEFF is big, powerful
monster. used to the outdoor life and
he should round TO shape quickly If
at all.
Possibly no man in the business
knows johnson so well as does his
former manager, Safn Fitzpatrick, who
brought him to the front and is re-
sponsible for his standing. Fitzpatrick
Is authority for the statement that
Johnson is not a puncher but boxer,
and he draws his conclusion from the
fight with Burns in which johnson won
the championship.
i don't think that. JEFF is the man
he was when lie quit the ring and
don't think he ever viii be- says Fitz-
patrick but he viii not have TO be
even half the man to beat Johnson.
There is no question in my mind that
JEFF viii knock him stiff in a few
rounds, provided that his wind is half
q good as il used to be- One of Jeff's
OLD punches viii be plenty.
johnson is very much overrated as
far as his punching ability goes. He
hit Burns flush on the jaw in nearly
every round OF that Sydney fight and
stiH he could not. floor him. so what
chance viii he have OF putting such
= monster as JEFF on his back unless
Jef's knees fail him? 1t looks TO me
as though Johnson is in for the beat
ing Of his life
The most important question to be
settled after the black man posts his
forfeit is: Where shall the fight take
place? San Francisco is the logical
spot for il, but as Jeffries wants the
mill 10 go 10 the highest bidder this
p city is liable TO have many dangerous
rivals, for the great match will mean
lot to any city or town that Sc
cures il.
There is no question that Jim Cof-
froth viii be among the first to enter
a legitimate bid. AS Cofroth has pro-
NOTED most Of Jef's big fights the big
fellow surely will have a leaning to-
ward him. Should the fight take place
in California Coffroth figures TO have
an edge on all his rivals. In fact, he
stands a better chance than any other
promoter in the business.
Frank ManteIl. the rising young
middle weight who beat Jack CTwin)
Sullivan at Sacramento July 5, is out
with a hot challenge for Billy Papke
The latter beat Mantell about two
years ago with lucky punch. so Man
tell says, and now he seems very anx-
ious 10 wipe out the disgrace. Man
tell wants TO hook up with Papke at
the Mission street arena on Labor day.
and if he does not land there, he win
fight in this city.
Nantell is under the management of
Sam Fitzpatrick. and If given the
chance he promises to develop into a
star fighter. For the last year or more
he has been performing around the
bush towns and winning very regu-
larly He is q clever fellow, fast on
his feet and has a good left hand. He
made a great showing against Sullivan
on July and gained clean cut 20
round decision over the Twin, who is
rated as one Of the most crafty and
most tricky lighters in the business.
Manteli has an offer to fight Hugo
Kelly in Sacramento on Labor day. but
he would prefer taking on Papke at
the Mission street arena. He realizes
that Papke is a better card. having
beaten Kelly in a punch. 1T is difficult
10 figure Papke. for he certainly is one
n the most pronounced in and out
fighters the game has ever known. He
s-@-sIs ketchel again. so he says and