The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-03
Ieifries and Johnson Will
Meet in Forty-Five Round
Contest.
WHITE NAN Is FAV0RfTE
OVER C0L0RED CHAMPION
People From Every Large City
of the Universe Will Be
at Ringside.

RENO. Nev., July 2.-Who is the heavy
weigh. champion OF the world? This Is
The question set for argument Monday
lfternoon. when James j. Jeffries, un-
1ehnson snnaS IpS HoIder Of Jeffries' relnquished
ti,le by right of conquest. meet. in tne
Arst real heavy weight championship u nj
oattlc held In this country since Tommy
Burns defeated BIZ Squ!rcs. the Austria
lian challenger, Ia this city just three
years ago tomorrow.
Bob FItxsimmoas In 1890, Jeffries is the
challenger Through all his spectacular
back. He has never tasted the bitterness
Of defeat, and the sporting public has
held him TO he the champion, despite MS
voluntary wthdrawsl IN favor of Marvin
then ;or Jeffries to conquer. OF all the
heavy weights before the PUBLIC ne was
go easily the master that a bout between
the champion and any one OF them proved
poor drawing card.
So Jcffries. In the prime of his man, man,
hood and when his skill. strength and
fighting spirit were at their height: re-
tired. He passed completely out OF the
rrIze Hghtins world, 1t was his lntgn,
who would STRUGGLE for the honors he
ic.d down said Jeffries; he was no longer
.tishter He proposed TO enjoy IN peace
and comfort in hts southern California
home tiie competence he had won In the
give and take OF hard knocks
Dark Horse in Race.
Blu, there was a dark horse In the race
IA very dark horse. indeed-and Jenrles
never thought OF the race question. Dct-
Ter known In the sporting whirl IS ths
.'eoior line" represented in John Arthur
Johnson of Galveston; when he planned
bucciic future for himself He failed
10 reckon with that mighty host, public
apinion.
Jack Johnson of Galveston began his
ring career, in his home town In 1901.
5aexed e s Skin and and eSperence. ] and his skin
was black; No one thought OF him eS-
one bu, johnson himself,
For himself. il is said. johnson had
marked out high place in the p,nsilist;tc ,il !.
hUc lie worked for IL early and late. night
ing everyone who came his way. but
fighting craftIly. steering clear of over
eXcrtlon. and of men who wcrc decidedly
mis- superior and apt 10 bring his am
lations to disastrous defeat. With every
fi-ht ne gained experience. He slowly
Llossomed out as a Tun blown scientific
boxer clever beyond the run OF ordinary
big men His ring, generalship deveNoped
M. n NOS! surprising way and his his big III;
was taking care Of himself between
whiles, carefully building up his strength
without ,mpairins his speed.
Hard Climb.
Through all the time johnson was
fighting his way TO The top. his dreams
were ccntered about the one fight that
some day he would achicvc-s fight with
Jtffries. the great man Of the ring, With
mind single 10 that purpose he went
forward. frcttne against delays but
watching Jeffr!es always on hand when
Jef[geS stepped into the ring. and CIV
ing no part OF his attention 10 any other
object than the great white fighter,
When Jeff retired johnson did not de-
spa!r. He went on toward the champion
ship chasing half way around the world
10 get his chance at Tommy Burns In
Australia, but never losing sight OF the
quiet farmer In southern California. The
championship meant great deal 10 him
1T meant that fighters must come to hin. .
that he would no longer be compelled TO
scheme and struggle just for the chance
10 fight. But more than that, in the end
Il meant fight with Jeffr!cs. and John
son knew It. and also be knew that JEFF
fries knew it. He had tested race prcju-
dice in many ways. He had heard tho
hiss of race feeling In the shouting and
yelIs at countless ring sides He knew
that II n black man held the coveted title
OF the arena the day must come when the
i,is retreat and do battle for his rein-
auished honors, driven into the ring by
popular clamor.
When They Meet.
And Monday Jeffries and johnson face
each other in what virtually is fight to
finish For Johnson it Is tho fruition
OF his years OF hoping and planning and
fighting. For Jenries 1t is-what? He
has yielded to the pressure OF public opin-
ion. He has rc-entcred the ring after
years when age was etching Its wrinkled
device upon his forehead. when his
mighty muscles grew soft and flabby from
disuse. and when. the rlsors and self
denial of training forgot, he cared hoth-
Ing for the growth OF his waist line He
never. intended TO tighr again. And had
the championship remained in the keep
ing OF white man, ne never would have
fought again.
So. after all, Il is Johnson's black skin
that has won him his chance to fight
Jeffries
When the gong signals the fighters to
their work >tlhey will be surrounded by
the greatest gathering OF sport lovers the
world has ever sccn Row after row.
rsins toward the skyline. the spectators
will I'LL the great octagonal structure that
has been built TO stage this fight OF
fights. In gate money they Will repre-
sent approximately half a million dollars
World Is Represented.
The crowd has come from all quarters
Of the globe TO see the giants battle
from Berlin. and even from Manila. and
tle cities OF Australia, Japan and China.
Il Is doubted n there is town OF any
Tickets were booked months ahead and
special trains were run tho breadth of
the country TO bring the multitude to-
sether.
Physically both Jenries and Johnson
are remarkable men. They are big men
IN every way and yet are scientific box
bodiea. with wonderful control OF the
blows they launch, and which arc bnclsed
by The power OF steam ram. Their su.
rer!ority over the rank and file of hca.y
weights was won because of this com
bnation Of skill with great strength of
Judgment and clear head work with the
greatest offensive force.
Jeffrlcs Is bigger man than johnson.
but they arc more evenly matched than
any two heavy weights who have entered
the ring in many years, What Johnson
lacks In size he makes UP for IN skill.
and thc. fact that he has never known
n period OF physical relaxation such ms
JsffrIes has enjoyed for the past five
years.
Right there is tho second question that
is 10 be decided tomorrow. the question
TO which all fightdcrn has been seeking
the answer since this fight was firsl
suggested. Gould Jeffrles como back p
Jeff Is Confident
, Jeffries thought he could and believes
that lie has, His opinion as Ia the pos
slbility of restoration WIS based upon tho
statements of renowned foreign phvsi-
clans who examined him IT was ques.