The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-04
TODAY'S FIGHT.
Considered the Battle of the
Century.
None Ever Attracted the At
tentiOn of This One.
HOW BROUGHT ABOU II
Public Demanded That Jeffries
Meet Negro Champion.
How the Contest Was Finally
Arranged.
low BROUGHT ABOU T

That it is the battle of the century
no one can deny. 1t has attracted
more attention than all of the fights
ever held, and will be witnessed by
the greatest number of spectators that
ever assembled at a similar event.
Although admittedly the greatest
| fighter in the world at the time of his
retirement James j. Jeffries wasn't
getting paid in proportion to his repu-
tation. Jimmie Britt, Battling Nelson
and many of the little fighters were
making more money than the giant
Californian and there was a dearth
| of heavy weights to meet Jeffries. The
champion SO far outclassed all the men
| In his division that it was impossible
| to make matches that insured fin
ancial success.
Jeffries in Vaudeville
| Arriving in Cincinnati, May g.
1905, Jeffries announced that he ex-
pected to retire May Is from the stage
and the prize ring. He was playing
Davy Crockett at that time and while
the announcement did not cause an
upheaval in theatrical circles there
i was a feeling of genuine regret among
| the fistic bugs. The farewell an
nouncement was not considered Sc
riously-other fighters. singers and
opera stars had retired and changed
their minds-the Jeffries constituents
! believed that when the proper time
| came Jeffries would re-enter the
game.
The premier heavy weight declared
MS intention of engaging in the min
| ing business and that the fighting
game could run for the lend book"
Whether the mining business ever
| paid dividends or not was never made
public. jeff bought an alfalfa ranch
! In California and half interest in a
T ~ hi
tempting offers were made for him
to fight again, but the big UNI de-
clared he was out of the game and
no one could disprove his statement.
When Jack Johnson and Tommy
Burns were matched to meet in Sidney.
| Australia. for the championship of the
| world, the possibility of the negro win
MIN again revived interest in what
jeff would do in case Johnson won the
| title. He declared he was out of the
game for keeps.
Jeffries Slow to Meet johnson.
The day before the fight in Sidney the
former champion was asked if he would
meet Johnson if the negro won
There will be no fight between Jack
Johnson and myself" Jeff replied
They're not talking to me. I don't
need the money-am out of the game
and the public might as well under
stand it,
Then came the johnson victory over
Burns in IA rounds and the pressure
which ultimately resulted in the pres
ent match was started against Jeffries.
Hugh Mcintosh, who had staged the
Johnson-Burns fight, offered $4,000 for
match between Jeffries and Johnson.
Uncle Tom McCarey of Los Angeles
offered Jeffries $4,000 win or lose, or
draw his share of the purse for a
match with Johnson. This was the
first offer that brought a rise out of
Jeff and he declared it was just like
tossing off 100000 not to accept the
offer, but again declined with thanks.
Jeffries Agrees to Meet johnson.
Offers of all kinds were received and
rejected, and many wild rumors were
circulated regarding the possibility of
the fight. Johnson made many state
ments that Jeffries was afraid to meet
him. and everything possible was done
to get a statement out of Jeffries.
The big fighter was obdurate, how
ever. and declared that he had declined
| to meet johnson when he, Jeffries, was
in good condition and that the public
shouldn't ask him to fight the negro
now.
with an eastern syndicate on January
81 1909 for $500 per week for 20 weeks.
IT was believed at this time that Jen
was going to see if he could get into
condition.
While passing through Omaha, March
| / 1909 on the way to fulfill his vaude-
vile contract. Jeffries was quoted as
saving he would fight Johnson. While
this statement was not taken too seri-
ously the retired champion was met in
Chicago by a delegation of newspaper
men, and a group of his friends who de-
sired to have him corroborate or deny
the Omaha story. Jeffries reiterated
| the statement that he would fight John
son if he could get in shape He talked
freely on the subject saying that he
knew what it meant If he lost to q
negro and that if he fought Johnson
the public could depend on it that he
would be in shape and would win.
johnson added some additional oil to
the fire by calling JEFF a big buffer and
continued his line of statements that
the white man was afraid to meet him.
The Money Is Put Up.
Jeffries went through Kansas City
and with Sam Berger appeared in four