Richmond planet., 1909-08-07
Current
Sporting
Gossip.
Johnson Says He viii Cover Jea's
Money Next Week.
New York Sun. July 30. 1903.

New York sun. July 30. 1909.
Jack johnson says be will be here
next Tuesday to cover the $4,000
forfeit posted by James J. Jeffries on
"Wednesday TO bind a match for the
heavyweight championship OF the
world. johnson declares that he
VIII post the full amount of the side
bet. $4,000. and viii sign articles
OF agreement as soon as the proper
time arrives. He favors San Fran
cisco as the battle-ground which
means that in an probability James
CohrOth will get the match. The
negro cannot get 10 out Of his head
however. that Jeffries is not on the
square and declares that he will not
rest easy until he sees the boiler
maker actually in the ring.
Will stop him inside OF fifteen
rounds is the colored mans predic-
ton. Il hope he viii be ht,"
Jenries continued 20 receive con-
gratulations from his friends all day
Yesterday. lie repeated the state
ment that IL was now up TO Johnson
20 cover his money and agree 10 the
terms offered. lie also stated that
he would be In his old condition
when he entered the ring and that
johnson would prove as easy a mark
IS Jack Munroe Jeffries. however.
declined TO say q word about the
division of the purse. II IS believed
hat he will insist on a winners and
losers end, possibly : and 25 per
sent. in which case nobody can ac-
cuse the big fellow OF naming un-
fair conditions. Jen also believes
that California is the place for the
big mill and shows an inclination
20 do his training at Los Angeles.
II johnson puts UP his coin next
week he will set az rest all rumors
that he does not want TO meet JEFF
fries. but he will probably have 10
wait until some time in September
before signing final articles of agree
ment. AS Jenries will not be ready
10 fight until three months after
that incident. il is thought that the
men will not settle their differences
before the latter part of December
or early in January.
Jenries insists that ne weighs only
2S5 pounds at the present time, al
though he looks much heavier II
he trains vigorously for three
months he will surely reduce 10
proper fighting weight, but he NAV
perfect his wind. Close friends OF
the boilermaker have repeatedly as
serted that a week breathing appa-
ratus has been Jeffries's chief
trouble and that il will require no
end of strenuous work 10 overcome
the ailment. The big fighters will
ingness TO meet johnson in practi-
cally finish fight, however, is taken
ha
dence in himself. But at the same
time il is believed that the longer
the battle the better it will be for
the negro, whose remarkable defen-
sive tactics are expected 10 enable
him 10 stand an unlimited strain.
Jen's assertion that he is still the
champion and that he is now ready
10 defend his title against all comers
particularly Johnson, has surprised
some people. 1t was always be-
heved that Jeff relinquished his title
10 Marvin Hart and that il passed
into the hands of Tommy Burns
when the latter beat Hart several
years ago. Burns was recognized as
the technical champion when John
son stopped him last winter, and ever
since then the big negro has been
generally regarded as the title
holder. in spite of the fact that he
has deliberately sidestepped a signed
agreement TO box Sam Langford.
Jeffries. If Mt, is undoubtedly the
greatest fighter in the world. He has
never been defeated. and his willing
ness to return TO the ring will con-
vince hundreds of ring followers that
ne is the real champion.
For that matter, he SAYS that he
never gave up his title, but simply
went into retirement after his ridicu2
lously easy victory over Jack Nun
roe, because there were no first-class
heavyweights left for him to subdue
he also states that he would never
have returned TO the ring IL a white
man had beaten Burns, and he fur
ther intimates that II Ketchel
should defeat Johnson at Colma in
October he will give up pugilism for
ever. Those sceptics who still have
an idea that Jeffries has no idea of
milling again say that the big Cali.
1ornian regards the Ketchel-John-
son AFFAIR as a sort OF anchor TO
~indward. Jeffries has never re-
garded the negro as a first class pu-
gllist, IL is said. and has an idea deem
under the belt that Ketchel, ~ he
taxes care Of himself, can put the
coiored man away. The posting of
lorteits and the signing OF articles
oy Jenries and johnson can fn no
way prevent the Johnson-Ketcbel
nN', as forfe<ts are in the