The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-06-29


| lott
Johnson asserts that he has never
been apprehensive of possible defeat
| in any contest he has engaged in.
None of them. he declares. had any
terrors for him
His four most important battle.
have been fought within the last
year and a half. dating from his de-
feat of Tommy Burns in Australia.
| December 26, 1908. Having wrested
the championship from Burns. he de-
termined to meet and defend his title
against all corners. His fights with
Philadelphia Jack O'Bren, AL Kauf-
man and Stanley Ketchel followed in
rapid succession.
On his fights two or three yea RS
before, that had brought him prom
inence and helped him along greatly
in his career. his contests with Sam
Langford, the Boston negro. Joe
Jeanette. Sam McVey. Denver Ed
Martin Jim Flynn and others, John
son lays no particular stress except
to regard them as so many runrs
of his ladder of success
Pm looking for a fight" asserted
myself out and show the public Just
what | can do. That's one reason
why I'm so anxious to go up against
Jeffries."
Never Went Limit.
Johnson's declaration sustains the
| judgment of numerous sporting writ
ers who have maintained for years
that the big negro seldom, if ever
extended himself, and was capable of
striking harder blows than he has
ever delivered in the ring 1t ap-
pears to have been a general belief
that Johnson was "holding back !"
This was particularly noticeable in
his recent fight with Stanley Ketchel.
In that bout Johnson toyed with his
man all the way He seemed to
think the fight a joke until a slip and
timely punch brought him to his
knees and aroused his anger. Just
what happened next has never been
clearly known. 1t was too fast to
watch; and in an instant's time
| ketchel was on his back and being
counted out. He did not seem to
realize what had struck him, and
Johnson himself seemed astonished
al the result of his sudden exhibition
of strength and speed.
Johnson was born in Galveston.
in 1873. his birthday being March
81, and if ring experience goes for
anything, he has it. In 1901. his first
year as a fighter he fought six fights,
winning all but one, which was a
draw. The next wear he went into
the ring sixteen times. and from then
on was almost constantly engaged I'M
til to date he has to his credit over
sixty battles. While many of his OPP
ponents have not been of the stvle
to test his mettle his frequent bouts
have served at least to keep him al
ways in training. and this is one Of
the strong arguments of his parti-
sans
Temp ontally. Johnson is an in
toresting study His chief chara cter-
istic Is his unfa.ling good nature, a
cUri0uSN constant sort of even tenn
pe, chat nothing seems to rufrla. His
golden smile is seldom out of evil
( 3aa-o ANA mott even The coarse and
. Insulting ijbas that frequently greet
him from spectators seem to have
.
when ducking storm of blows and
showing wonderful skill in evading
the onsl8ughts of his opponents
johnson never loses his poise nor his
/ power of observation. He seems
to hear every comment made by the
on-loollers and even in the midst OF
a clinch, when every muscle is tense
will recognize a witty sally from the
audience With flash of his ready
smile. and, like as not, an equally
witty rojOinder thrown at the audi
ence over the reeking shoulder
against which he is pressing.
why don't you fight, you black
man." yelled an enthusiast at the
Johnson-Kaufman fight. The mer
We're in a clinch at the time, bu
without an instant's hesitation John.
son shouted back. why should
fight. I've got your ten dollars al.
ready"
And this cool medicines undo,
fire is another OF the negro's quail
ties which his hackers count, believ.
ing it impossible to rattle him bv an,
known ring tactics. That his gooC
nature does not indicate a low Orde1
of intelligence. however, has beef
clearly shown by his clever business
methods and his rather well don,
ringsidc speeches. Men who hav,
watched him sly he simply has NJ
nerves. using the word in the accept
ed sense.
l. We'll Trained.
Johnson recls that he has bee,
well trained for this fight. He regard