The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-03
JOHNSON SURE He
Can DEFEAT JEFF
Says Twenty Rounds Will Be
Enough to Put the Big
Fighter Out.
C0L0RED CHAMPION IS
LONG ON EXPLAINING
Declares That He Has Reserve
Power That viii Surprise
Ring Followers.
BY Leased Wire to The Tribune.

BY Leased Wire 10 Inc tribune.
CHICAGO April Jack johnson to-
day for the first time told when and how
he expects TO defeat Jim Jeffries In the
coming battle In California on July i
1ts like this" he said. finally. i
haven't yet told anybody just what kind
OF battle 1 think this is 10 be, and con-
seQuently made no prediction OF the
number OF rounds IL is apt to last Be
cause, in the first place, IL is only In the
course OF the last week or so that l came
TO the conclusion that the fight would
really take place. You know the forieits
were posted and all that, but somehow l
could not get il into my head that JEFF
fries was absolutely on the level In mean
ing to fight me.
Twenty Rounds Enough.
Perhaps sou think I'm kidding" he
laughed, 'but what I'm going to say rs
dead earnest. AS sure as the sun shines
on us today I expect to knock out Jim
Jefires within eighteen rounds, or you
can make IL twenty, TO be exact 1t may
take a tribe longer than / look for. But
not minute over twenty, and that goes.
This is no press stuff that I'm handing
out either. You've asked me straight
question and I'm giving You the straight
goods 10 the best OF nay ability. ] be
lieve ! have the Indian sign on JeitrleS,
and when the time comes some OF the
smart fellows who are figuring on seeing
big hog killing. with me play the part
OF the hog, are in for the surprise oi
their lives or course. I'm proud OF be,
ing the first colored man that has held
les only human nature that l should be.
I'll admit there have been men / fought
that l did not have a power OF use Tor,
but l never let this interfere with any
scheme OF lighting ! had in mind. By
that | mean l wouldn't be foolish enough
to take chance and rush an opponent
of his feet just because l felt sore and
wanted 10 beat him up in hurry.
Not Yet "All IN
Its the truth that never yet, since l
passed my novice days IN the ring, have
/ been fully extended. ] never had to
bring every pound OF my punching power
in my muscles into play, and I've always
had plenty of reserve force TO fall back
on If / needed il. But it happened that
] always won with something considera-
Therefore I don't think It's boasting
when / say that nobody has ever got a
complete line on what can 90. ms
time / mean TO put out every INK IN nay
body. and there II be some astonlsheo
faces at the rlngside when they sec me
going my full gait. The thing I'll pay
most attention to In getting into trim
for this battle is my wind. Not because
] expect a long fight; quite the contrary.
But look for the speed TO he al the high
mark while It does last, and VIII be
able TO step so swift that 1t VIII make
every one open their eyes.
"Bag punching and throwing the mcdi-
cine ball are two OF my favorite stunts
for sharpening the wind. and l get plenty
OF both.
claims OF CleVeIueSS'
"By the way noticed in a newspaper
article the other day where Jeffries ad-
mitted that Jim Corbett outpointed him
all the way up TO the time of the knock
out In their fight Well. ! can outpoint
him as easy as Corbett did but therell
be whole lot more power TO my blows.
II Corbett could have punched hard
enough 10 stop a lightweight, he'd have
put JEFF down for the full count that
time. | consider myself every bit as
clever as Corbett, and | can punch twice
as hard as he ever could"
Before he leaves for California Johnson
viii! try to engage the services OF George
Cotton, a young colored heavyN isht
whom Joe Choynsld has been moulding
with the idea OF bringing him into shape
as a fighter.
Cotton is only 10 years old and a
perb specimen of an athlete. He is tall
broad shouldered, deep chested. splendid
" muscled and as light on his feet as a
panther
II may be said that never in the his
tory Of the prize ring did pusillst and
his aides await the outcome of a battle
with more confidence than is exhibited
by Messrs- Jack Johnson and company.