Arizona republican., 1909-08-02
CHAMPION JOHNSON
 SAID ID BE YELLOW
Kaufman Thinks the Negro Is Afraid of Him.

respondence of The Republican)- | Jack Johnson has been repeatedly ac- 1 cused of buffing and Cowardice in relation to his attitude toward Sam ] Langford but sporting men just now are inclined to credit the big negro champion with having driven Al Kauf- | man to the wall. For three months Kaufman, through his manager Wm. | Delaney. and his packer. w. A Brady, was made to appear in the light of a fighter who could not get a chance to display his prowess. Challenges were hurled at Jeffries. Johnson. Ketchel and Langford by the burly Californian until he created the i'm pressiOn in some quarters that all of these men were afraid of him. He offered to fight Jeffries for S1O.OOO | side. but the boilermaker merely 1 laughed at his proposition He said he would meet Ketchel and Langford for money or marbles, but refused to take either of them on in a ten round bout before a local club He finally signed articles of agreement to bat tie with Johnson. time. place and the number of rounds left in doubt. and when the negro put his name to the document Kaufman was apparently delighted Johnson then haggled over the terms of this match and in a moment of anger he declared every thing off
 Johnson is afraid of mel" was Kaufman's ready plaint. while De fancy backed hip up with an aval- anche of words. But Johnson got an offer of $1O.O00 guarantee the other day to fight twenty rounds with Kaufman on August 27 before the Mission Athletic club of San Fran cisco. and he promptly wired his ac- CeptanCe. This action was conclusive and put the proposed fight squarely up to Kaufman. It certainly looked as if the much talked of mill would be decided until. much to the surprise of the sporting public, Kaufman through Delaney, announced that he could not accept the date specified and needed several months to get into proper condition.
 Kaufman will not be hurried or forced into a fight by Johnson or any body else explained Delaney. He must have plenty of time to train" As Johnson stood ready to enter the ring in six weeks from date in spite of the fact that he is in poor phy- sical trim just now. Kaufman's ina biity to fit himself in the same length of time comes the general belief that Delaney's would be champion is not so eager for mixup with the negro after all. In fact many say that Kaufman can be justly accused of running out.
 rI, huE haa acting as Kaufman's agent here in the attempt to Clinch a match with Johnson. says he is both surprised and disgusted. He has wired Delaney that there is no excuse for Kaufman's sud den attack of cold feet. and that he is anxious to withdraw from the nego- tiations Harvey has articles of agreement signed by both Kaufman and Johnson in his pocket. and says that in his opinion Johnson is really anxious to settle the question of su premacy. California fight fans. how ever, have not been shocked by Kauf mans actions. They say that Kauf- man is not first class heavyweight, and that his failure to stop the sec ond rate Jim Barry in less than thir- ty-nine rounds was a true line on his skill.
 If Kaufman could not stop Barry in that length of time," they argue, what chance would he have to beat Johnson in a twenty-round bout? Kaufman is too slow and clumsy to win from Johnson on points. but he might have chance in a finish con test
 kaufman's backdown, however, has served to increase the interest in the Johnson KetcheI fight at Colma in october. inasmuch as Langford has coolly turned down the proposed match with the Michigan lion for