The San Francisco call., 1909-03-24
BIG MATCH LURES
COFFROTH TO
NEW YORK
Mission Street Promoter Ready
to Offer jeff and Johnson
a $4,000 Purse
By William j. SIafeery

The prospects of pitting Jeffries and
Johnson together in his Mission street
arena next Decoration day is the mag
net that will lure Promoter Jim Cof-
froth to New York tomorrow. The
king of the promoters is about ready
to offer the great fistic gladiators a
purse of $4,000 and an additional per-
centage guarantee, and, apparently, he
is in receipt of some encouraging news
from Gotham when he has decided on
such short notice to make the eastern
pilgrimage and undertake to master
the gigantic task which so many have
thus far failed to accomplish.
1t is not surprising that Coffroth has
got on the job at last. Everybody was
expecting him TO speak from day to
day, but evidently the Mission street
magnate was waiting till all the lesser
lights had shot their bolts. He is
in position to guarantee the big fell
lows more than any other man IN the
ing game, and if there is any
chance OF lnuuclns JEFF to return to
the ring, Coffroth looks like the real
inducer.
JEFF and the promoter are great
friends, and well they might be, for
the big boiler maker did most of his
fighting for Coffroth and, incidentally.
the local man got him more money
than any of the others, not barring the
men who handled the sport in New
York, when 1t was in the neyday of its
glory. All this will count in Coffroths
favor when the big showdown comes.
He has a lot to bank on otherwise
he would not take the chance.
Cofforth is keeping his movements
rather secret. but from telegraphic
dispatches and other sources 1t was
learned that he is now ready TO make
the big bid of his career He is bent
on landing this the heaviest pair Of
fish in the pugilistic pond. but in
must show all the speed at his com
mand and pull every wire on his STAFF.
The very fact that Johnson 4, has con =,
Australian offer is not standing in
Cofroth's way. He knows full well
that in the event that he can land
TO flop over to him. jeff is the card
and the man to reckon with. Once
he is safe within the confines of any
promoters net the rest is easy.
The betting on the coming fights of
the North End club, which Will be de-
cided at Dreamland pavilion Friday
Comm ssioner Tom Corbett announced
yesterday afternoon that he mad lot
of money to si, wager era on natirica the three
Tom Woods and frankie Edwards
Powell and Sayers are selling at
even money and there seems to be lit
tie to choose between them, so far as
the local fight fans are concerned. Both
are very clever boys, but at that
Sayers apparently has 1T on Powell
several shades in this particular de-
lpartment of the game. Powell, being
a local boy, naturally has a large fol-
lowing, and he will be backed strong
AttelI is a 10 to shot over Dell.
but the latter has many stanch friends
over on the beach who are willing to
go to the bat and bet their good money
on him. He is a tearing little fellow
and he figures to make Attell step
around that ring as fast as he ever
stepped before. Dell is in grand shape
having been training at Crockett for
The Woods Edwards affair, while far
| from championship attraction, should
furnish the boys with plenty to cheer
at. Edwards has the cleyerness and
the ring polish. but Woods is pos
sessed of the wallop and he can bring
lit over from most any old position.
! The wagering on this go is also at
| even money, although up to the pres
/ ent time but few bets have been made.
| All indications are that Sayers viii
make a hurricane fight of 1T while he
meets Powell in the main event The
| Milwaukee boy is very anxious to get
a big match here and he realizes that
! in order to do this he must beat Powell
1 likelihood that Coffroth will put him
/ on with Hyland next month.
! Sayers was a bit tired at the end of
| his j 5 round go with Johnny Murphy
| last month, but the training he has
! been undergoing since seems to have
ures to go the distance much better
| this time. Powell and Sayers have
| signed to meet at 1913 pounds at 4
o'clock on the afternoon of the battle.