Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-09

HAAA1N EANN
had Fits dazed and almost out in the
Garden in 1900. but Robert came back and
put Gus out in the sixth round with a ter
rble left-hand drive in the pit Of the
stomach.
"Jeffries will tell you that Fftzsimmons
gave him the worst punishment he ever
received in their eight-round battle in
Frisco in 1909. def was fairly cut to
pieces and was covered with blood before
he was able to send Bob into dreamlsnd.
Johnson, the present champion, found Fitz
an easy victim in Philadelphia in 1907. but
Bob was all in then and could not fight a
little bit.
Now we com down to J~effries. the
king OF all modern heavyweights and
probably the greatest in the history Of
pugilism-a man who has never been
knocked off his feet in the ring. He has
defeated such great men as Corbett.
Fftzsimmons, Sharkey, Rubin and others
in signal style. Although Jeff hasn't a
very long ring record, nothing near as
long as those of Sullivan and Fitzsimmons,
he has shown all the qualities OF a won
derful pugilist. His ability to take severe
punishment without any apparent weak
ening Is well known. Sharkey hammered
him In two fights, one Of twenty and the
OhhNh VI twenty 1--WE EOunOS, without nurt-
ing the b~oilermaker to any great extent.
Fftz punched his hands to pieces on him.
and Corbett jabbed and hooked him until
his arms ached. Therefore say that II
Johnson can put as much steam into his
blows as did Sharkey and Fftz he will not
be able TO make much OF an impression on
Jeff.
JEFF Had Big WALTON.
-Four wears aCo Iaffrfa. ..s.sa -
made mincemeat Of all the heavyweights
or today. including johnson, for at that
time he could not only receive punishment.
put could also hand out the greatest wal
Tops ever seen in a ring, not excepting
those of Sullivan and Fitz, two of the
greatest hitters that ever put up their
hands. Ask Rubin about the terrific
stomach punch that Jeff shot into him
at Frisco! 1t not only put Gus away, but
also convinced him that his fighting DAYS
we're over.
The boilermaker began fighting in 1897,
when he knocked out Van Buskirk in two
rounds. Then he went along for seven
years, when he retired, after putting Jack
Munroe, the Butte miner, away in a couple
of rounds in 1904. During his ring career
Jeft took part in only twenty mills, but
1t is not always the big champions who do
so much fighting. Take, for instance, a lit
tie fellow like Matty Baldwin, who has 1855
fights to his credit in a career as long as
that of Jeffries. The little fellows can
stand more training and milling thar the
heavyweights as a rule.
Tommy Burns proclaimed himself cham
pion after he treated Philadelphia Jack
O'Brien to the double cross and a good
walloping in 1903 at Los Angeles. A few
months before Burns had won a twenty
round bout on a decision from Marvin Hart,
who was at that time considered a COM
ing champion by Jeffries and others. Jack
(Twin) Sullivan got a decision over Burns
in twenty rounds in 1905 and the other
night Sailor Burke beat Sullivan to a
standstill in ten rounds over in Brooklyn.
Such men as Mike Schreck. Tony Caponi,
Billy Woods, Hugo Kelly, Jack o'Brien and
Reddy Phillips fought long and short-drawn
battles with Burns. Where would these
men nave come in with John L. Sullivan,
Fitzsimmons or even Corbett when in their
best form? Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
whipped Burns in their first bout of six
rounds in Milwaukee in 1904. Burns, let
me tell you, never showed any great
amount Of class as a pugilist even as cham
pion. though he earned some fame and
glory by defeating such second-raters as
Squires, Moir. Roche, Palmer and others
while he was b~luffing his way through
Europe.
Fifteen years ago middleweights like
Mccoy, Creedon and West would have
trimmed Mr.. Burns In fine style. When
Burns met johnson, who has some class
as a heavyweight, he wasn't In the fight
at all. even for a minute. The black man
proved conclusively that Burns was only
a second-rater and never had a right to
call himself heavyweight champion of the
world.
IF YOU look Johnson's ring record over
carefully you'll find that he's never met a
first class heavyweight. Marvin Hart got
a decision over him in twenty rounds al
Frisco in 1906. Johnson has fought draws
with such men as Frank Childs, Billy
Stiff, Hank Griffin twtce), Sandy Fergu,
son, Joe Jeanette (three times), Jack
Munroe. Black Bill, Young Peter Jackson
Sailor Burke and Joe Grim. He's faxed a
bit. too. There's no doubt about tina
Sailor Burke affair up in Bridgeport last
year. johnson could have stopped Burke
inside of six rounds if he had been on the
level.
johnson is a trickster, no mistake. He;
fluncked out OF a fight with Sam LangforC
at the National Sporting club OF London
giving as an excuse that he is not com
PEELED to live up TO agreements signed fol
him by Sam Fitzpatrick, his discarded
manager. Every thing is lovely for johnson
iust now, but wait until he suffers a de
feat. The the world will turn him dowI
r cold. Sporting men will stand for a de
r feated white champion. but never for
negro when subjected to a whipping.
' 'If Johnson really wants to make himsel
/ a fistic hero let him get busy and NEE
(. Ketchel, Kaufman and Langford before HI
E faces Jeffries. II he can beat these thre'
challengers prior to a fight with the boiler
! maker he'll not. only prove that he is
great pugilist but also that he has a RICH
4 to call himself a worlds champion. Blu
. so far Johnson's ring record does not com
pare with those OF Sullivan, Corbett, F1tz
. simmons and J~effries. None OF these higI
o class champions ever fought fifteen draws
y as Johnson's record shows Their ~victorie
were all decisive.
The heavyweight class Of today lack
. the standard of former years. There is no