The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-22
Johnson Will Be Defeated
by the Great Jeffries

|
scientific lines.
But Delaney didn't make n lot of
progress with Jeff, and when he step
ped into the ring with Bob Fitzsim-
mons at Coney Island, n. Y, he was
still a big, powerful and strong fellow
with only smatterinG of ring
science.
Jeff's greatest stride towards clever
ness was made under the watchful eye
of Tommy Ryan. And right here,
fight fans. take OF your hat to Tom
my. for that little combination OF
French and English blood who Is of
ten classed with the Jewish fighters
for some reason-just why | do not
know-was beyond doubt the greatest
pieco of fighting machinery in the
world during his time
One Soo,l look at JeT the first time
he met him was all that was needed
for Tommy TO sec what the big fellow
first needed. JEFF stood up and stop
ped most Of his opponents blows with
some part of his anatomy, He would
take punch to give punch and al
ways got the best of the trade.
/ Tommy showed JEFF that there was
such thing as standing In the ring
with him and staying away from his
return blow. But Tommy could stand
In the ring with most any fighter and
manage to land a blow and then es-
cape the counter
Tommy got Jef's mind in a fairly
receptive mood for lesson and then
showed him the crouch that has pro-
tected jeff from punishment more
than any other thing that he has ever
, learned JEFF learned to double his
head up under his shoulder in such n
manner that he could protect his jaw
! at all times without thinking about it.
With all his boasted cleyerness,
Johnson would have hard time TO
land an effective wallop on big Jim's
jaw. Burns had a crouch, but it was
nothing like Jeffs
Take the fight JEFF had with Shark
ey To this day Jim talks and kids
about It Time and again he would
trade blows with the sailor and prob
ably the balance of wallops was in
favor of the latter when the limit was
reached. JEFF would start haymaker
after haymal5er away back of his
shoulder and he would come down Of
ten after the manner of swinging n
sledge The spectators of the fight VIII
tell you to this day of one mighty wal
lop Jeff started away back In the
neiGhborhood Of his spinal column and
let her go at Sharkey. Had it hit Tom
II would have driven him through the
floor.
Had Jeff known what Tommy taught
him the might he fought Sharkey, Tom
would have lasted about as long as.
the proverbial SNOWFALL On that one
fight Sharkey's reputation hinges. and
il was all because JEFF had not the
cleverneSs
Another point in Jeff's develop
ment that should be credited TO Tom
my Ryan was the improvement in
the use Of his two hands. JEFF always
did have a lot of power In his blows,
but very often they did not land right
Ryan taught him along these lines and
then how to cover up, whether retreat
Ing or advancing towards his oppon-
ent
| honestly believe that James J. JEFF.
fries acquired more ring knowledge
than any big man that ever lived af
ter he had fought two Of his great
est fights
j have come out on several occas-
ions since Jeff announced his inten-
ton to fight Johnson and said that the
boilcrmaker would win. In fact. | have
been more pronounced in my predic-
tions than any other fight writer In
America. and it is because / know
that Jeff in anything like his old shape
will not only be able to protect him
self against Johnson's attack. but will
be more successful in reaching the
vulnerable points of Johnson's body
and face.
Johnson has no crouch, and he
stands up and depends upon his shift
ty and awkward cleyerness to Worry
his opponent into openings Johnson
strikes his blows In an entirely diff
ferent manner than JEFF and starts
many OF them much like a side arm
pitcher.
In uppercuts alone might Johnson
have shade on JEFF. And If Johnson
hits JEFF effectively at all it will have
to be by means of the uppercut route.
While the big negro is playing for
Jeff's jaw he will have to take an aw
ful mauling in the region of his solar
plexus. And the chances are about
10 to L that Jeffries will land his
death-like blow before Johnson knows
what has happened
jeff Is always careful. no matter
who he is fighting On the other hand,
his opponent grows tired and n bit
careless when he finds that blow after
blow directed at Jeff's head and heart