Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-12-11
BOTH SIDES
TALKING
THE CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST
Jeffries Says He VIII Win-Jack
Johnson Predicts Great Victory
The Fight TO be i'm California.
CURRENT SPORTING GOSSIP
Jack Johnson Regarded With In
creased Favor.

Jack Johnson seems TO be making
friends nowadays. The big negro
pugilist evidently has received some
good advice from his manager and
associates. He has dropped the
overbearing. loud talking methods
that caused a storm OF criticism
when he arrived here from Austria
liza after whipping Burns and is
creating a more favorable impress
sion wherever he goes. At first re
garded as a pugilistic joke, johnson
has commanded the respect OF the
sporting public by whining Al
Kaufman and Stanley Ketchel and
by signing articles to fight Je6rios
without raising a rumpus. In Madi.
son Square Garden Wednesday might
Johnson was loudly applauded bv
hundreds Of white men when he
Jumped on the platform. and as he
SKIPPED about the ring. showing re.
markable boxing skill, words OF
praise were heard on all sides.
JohnSon's head was turned when
ne won the heavyweight champfon-
snip from Tommy Burns. Prior to
mat mill the negro did not have n
dollar. Sam Fitzpatrick had paid
his way around the world 10 securo
that fight. only 20 be turned down
cold in the hour Of triumph. John
son left Australia with Ices tbo,
$IO'OO0 in his clothes, but that was
more money than he had ever
dreamed OF having. He could NOT
Keep his head from swelling as n
result, and when he set foot on
American soil he found that he u,os
extremely unpopular with white
men. II made no difference u,boro
ne appeared In public, he was hiss
ed and hoOted. The NIGHT ne onto,.
ed the ring in Phnadelphia 10 bov
SIX rounds with O'Brien thera w.
such hostile demonstration tbot
Johnson, usually good natured vyos
as mad rs a halter. II vyas OH r.
could do 10 Keep from bittine o-t
rlsht and left as he left fbe rf,o
ana heard the abuse at every t,,r
10 was then that johnson v,,s "a
Nised 10 show the American sno-+-
ing public that he was nor an O..
rated pugilist and could heat Lyo,,r
man. ketchel or any of Tho otto,.
heaVyweights who were bot on Lfs
Srall- When he made KanfDa,
TOOK Ike novice in a ten ro,,n5
oout therefore Johnson's cr,tt..
paused In the use Of the b,r,n,.,.
lheh came the knockout of Katcboi
ana the negro's attempt 10 ,in5iI
Cdte himself was even more succoe.
Iui The fact that as soon ne act,,a,
negotiations with ferries nero ~.
way Johnson Displayed extreme 5atr.
ness a quality he has shown 80.
since. also convinced white r,e,, ~
ne was entitled 10 recognition yvho,
@ @Dlds Tor the fight were onened "a
Wednesday. Johnson was annIar5l.t
when he said. ''PPi""lSd
want everything done fairly
ana above board. The nronootar.
~ must nave square deal ana nh,
Chs matter has been settled ou
ASK Is fair chance 10 beat rofsr;o,
IN the ring. 7 am nor trvino 10 o..
me pest or ANYTHING bv fecbntcol,-
sies and I'm anxious IN SHOW e,o,.,,
o",N ] am on the level" "
Johnson Is supreme1v cone1o,,.
that he can whip Jeffries he sao,,,e
20 ne over-anXious to get int ,ho
.lhg with the former wor1d,s cbor,,S
ron. lie has stated all along tbat :.
niaue no difference who cot t
uFht or whether Jefries was in 0,i.k
'he successful promoter or not
"in' AMI that means T'U eot
tne Dig end Of the money q" Io6r
son Is reneatine from dav N Al
MANY critics who saw johnson ar5
ferries iE the Garden Wedneedav
hlght were positive in the oninioy
that II the men were To meet wftbfn
week the negro would wi, becarso
or his sunerior physical conditjon
Wnlle IT is true that JerTries he's
taken on many pounds Of flesh ana
seems as liSht as he was when Dc
peat Fttzsimmons for the title there
is no doubt that the boflermsker
iacks the old stamina and will have
10 put in three or four months AT
hard labor before he can hone 70
Withstand the grueling test.
yenries shows signs of being wind
broken after two or three one
minute rounds OF light sparrinx with
Berger. This work IS far different
from rounds OF three minutes each
at ton speed at the same TINE giving
and taking heavy blows. Jerries and
Johnson are matched to go "forty-