Evening star., 1909-06-02
KAUFMAN TO FIGHT
JOHNSON FOR TITLE

NEW YORK June Jack" Johnson
signed an agreement yesterday afternoon
giving "Al' Kaufman, the giant Cali
fornian and protege of Billy Delaney,
a chance to fight for the championship IN
a finish forty ty-fve-round or tWenty-rouho
contest in September.
In acting as representative of Kaufman
Charlie" Harvey found the big negro I'M
movable on one point-Johnson VIII NOT
fight in Australia. If l was broke TO-
morrow and had a ty-thousand-doilar
guarantee for battle in Australia | had
rather dig the streets here, declared
Johnson. After the match with Burns l
quit that country forever. The taunts
and slurs, to say nothing of lies, that
were in circulation there turned me
against that country as battle ground
England and France are not barred ana
clubs i'm Europe will have a chance to bid
for the contest. For personal reasons.
partly formed at the time Marvin Hart
was given decision over him In
twenty-round fight in California, JoHn-
son says he will not fight more than
twenty rounds in that state. Jimmy
Coffroth has already established forty-hve
rounds as a favorite distance for cham
pionship fights in San Francisco, but II
he bids more than Nevada OF other pro-
moters he will have chance to stage the
match
johnson kept his appointment with
kaufmans representative in the cham
pion's present home. in West 35th street.
risking arrest in driving his automobile
from an uptown theater to Barron VIII
kns' hotel, where the champion is quar-
tered in the family suite Before hSht
talk could be introduced Johnson eXplalis
ed the mechanism of his automobile III
detail while admiring members of his
race kept their eyes on his massive frame.
Il want only champions privilege TO
dictate some of the terms. announced
johnson as he reclined on dlvan and
dangled his feet over leopard skla rug.
..Charlie' Harvey's eloquence could not
shake Johnson from the stand he had
taken against fighting more than twenty
rounds in California.
On the division of the fighters share of
the receipts or purse. 63 per cent to the
winner and 30 per cent to the loser. were
agreed upon after Harvey had held out
for 10 and 10 After signing the agree
ment drawn up by Harvey. the champion
announced that he would bet SJ,oo or any
amount Kaufman hackers wager MI
Kaufman will be lucky if he stays twelve
rounds" commented Johnson after refer
ring to time when Kaufman evaded a
bout with him in Philadelphia I was
not champion then and needed the
money | cannot forget that.
Johnson answered dinner call and
newspaper men were invited to join the
party. One large broiled chicken. a
good sized dish OF Boston baked beans.
two bunches of asparagus that looked like
a cord of wood in the distance and other
dishes which the champion designated as
'trifles' vanished under his attack.
On July l bids for the fight will be
opened and a referee will be chosen after
the battle-ground is selected Johnson
had been assured that Nevada promoters
will offer a big purse or guarantee for
finish or forty-five-round fight on Labor
day johnson has seven weeks of theat
rical engagements ahead. and he will
then begin light work in preparation for
twenty-round fight with Stanley
Ketchell the mddleweight champion.
which will be decided at Coffroth's
club in San Francisco October l.. In
agreeing TO meet kaufman. a fighter who
in ply sique is the equal of the champion,
a month before facing ketcheli Johnson
displays great confidence in himself.