The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-05
MITCHELL GREAT
 LITTLE SCRAPPER
JEFF SILENTLY PREPARING TO TAKE JoHNSON'S MEASURE, NATURAL THAT JOHNSON RE- FUSED TO MEET kETcHEL.
By JEFF THOMPSON.

New York, April 4.--vStanley Ketchei is middleweight champion of the world by right of sheer fighting ability. When I first saw this young fellow at his training there was only one point about him which raised a doubt In my mind. His good temper was so natural that there was a question whether or not he would have the heart to send over the Knockout punch when an opponent was practically helpless. His recent set-to with Jack O'Brien removed that doubt Stanley administered the sleep portion to the staggering Philadelphian with the same cheerful alacrity that a nurse girl give soothing syrup to a fretful baby, and 1t was just as effective
 While Stanley does not acquire the K. o. on Philadelphia Jack because of the lack of time 1t was as clean a knockout as ever I saw.
 Ketchel has the build of a natural fighter. He lacks the ring generalship ip of O'Brien and some of the others of the crack baxers, but he is afraid of nothing, he can stand punishment cheerfully and he can punch like a mule kicking with either hand.
 A study of his fight with O'Brien con- vinces me that not only can the cow boy dispose easily of any fighting man now before the public, at anywhere near his weight, but that there are not more than two men in the game, Jeff fries and Johnson, who have any busi- ness with him, and I am not at all sure that Johnson can whip him.
 It has been demonstrated time and again that when the boxer and the fighter meets, unless there Is an over whelming preponderance in favor of the boxer, the fighter wins. Johnson is a boxer. Ketchel Is a fighter The black may have the necessary preponderance, but I doubt it.
 Jeff is still coy and the public is still in doubt as to wh ether or not he will meet Johnson. While I have no inside information, I am inclined to believe he will meet the negro. I saw the big boilermaker the other day going through a few stunts. He is quick, ac- curate and can hit hard. He is not unduly fat. The only point on which he Is doubtful is the wind.
 For 10 rounds I have no doubt that Jeff is as good as ever and l am in clined to believe that 10 rounds would be enough to enable him to do John sons business.
 Very properly, however Jeff pro- poses to make sure he can go the long route if necessary. This will be de- termined before long. and I believe will be determined affirmatively
 There has been some criticism of Johnson for pulling out of the pro- posed match with Ketchel The criti- cism seems to me unjust. Johnson is champion and Is Justified under modern usages to make the most possible out of the title while he holds it.
 A fight with Jeffries will be worth two dollars for every one a fight with anybody else would produce. Until it is definitely decided wh ether or not he can get on a match with Jeffries, the negro would be foolish to take on any body else, especially so dangerous a proposition as Ketchel.
 If the cowboy sh hould whip Johnson and no one vii ldeny that this Is a pos sibility, all hope of a match with Jef- fries and the big purse this would mean would be gone.
 If Jefries finally decides not to fight then Johnson will have to fight the cowboy.