The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-08-16
JEFFR|ES-JO NSO \
Go CAUSE FOR
COMMENT
UPON CHAMPIONS coNDi.
TON DEPENDS HIS FUTURE
SUCCESS OR FAILURE.

tBy BIN Biunt)
1t Is a little early, perhaps, tn dis
cuss the proposed Jeffries- Johnson
contest. but. even at this untimely
date, the closer students Of boxing
know the whole proposition narr"ws
down IL one point. How near his old
time fighting form can J.ffries get
1t isn't case of how good Johnson
is, but how bad jeff is. with Jeffrles
Is per cent as good as he was seven
years ago, for instance. there would
he nothing To II. absolutely nothing.
But there is the rub. II he can't get
good" he is, in for fine trimming
No matter how badly the sporting
public in general would like tn see
johnson defeated, ii must not bc for
gotten that he is a hard man to whip.
The best evidence Is that nobody Of
late years has come anywhere near
whipping him. As n crude youngster
he lost To Joe Choynski but not once
since then has he been fairly or decis-
lively whipped. IL is his superb defense
that has carried him to victory in the
past rather than his powers of attack.
That Is the keynote To the whole stu
ation-his defense. II means that
Jeffries would have to he in such ply
steal condition that he could force the
fighting from the start and keep il up
to the finish. once let him tire or his
wind go cronk and the battle would
degenerate into sad spectacle, n
repetition of the Corbett- sullivan fight
at New Orleans It would be like a
silver tipped grizzly. exhausted from
la IL i..-F,ss
ally chased into a corner. All the hunt
or would have to do would he In keep
at a safe distance and deliberately
pick him Ia pieces. 1t might take
number of shots To do it. but the end
would come in time.
No Place for Sentiment.
Sentiment never Won a glove fight
in the world. The fans may root
for Jeff until the cows come home.
but il won't make him win. The ten
der feeling and personal sympathy and
admiration are very pretty and much
To be sought after by any fighter but
they don't spell victory. In this ease
IL is condition first. last aa1 always
After a long period of rest, spent in
indifferent iadulcnrr. few uf them
cnme back. JrffrIcs may prove m cx-
cepu"h. Tor II" Always "aS marvel
OF physical perfection. but this will h"
the most severe test Of his career
"hlie IL may b" great pleasure FOR
som" scflhes I" persist IN referring t"
Jeffs retirement as being "f four
years, duration. 1t Is al III" sam" tim"
misleading II Jcffries and johnson do
finally meet in IN" ring il couldn't
Very We'll happen until February. 1910
Thht would allow him four months
aslaa fnr thar ,,,,,.., ,f.[.. IL ~.
hattle Ry.,s with It,l; Nunr,e in taai
Figure it cut Even tn. Nrrrn.. b.,nt
should be- thrown out when tr,ip. L.
dope nut JrfrS chances of getting
back into form THAT FIGHT Iazt,d hut
"a round and a half and JrffrtrS Mas
not in thu ring long enough t. shaw
whether h.. could travel over Il long
rough course. II viii Ia. necessary to
datp fran the bout h.G.r., Tia. nnc
with Munrnc This Was With lin Cor
hrtr aud took blaze in l4ns II kas
the last time. Jcrfrt,s Vas asked rn
SHOW what h,. really bad an ta,. shell
lie showed il ;.ll ilght that nisEt but
it VA ii long time ago can lie. ct
hack into shape for "a hattie in 1917
with "nr If tin, toughest men h.. ~ cr
met II WHi be- t.u1rsSiHlv t. t,u
until hc has been in training ii cou-