The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-08
Bat MastersOn Discusses Coming
Heavyweight Fight.
Asserts That the Negro Is Over
rated.
ONLY ONE QUESTION.
Can Jeffries Regain His Old
Time Form
Says JOhnsOn's FOOtwOrk Is a
Weak Point.

New York, Jan. S.-Bat Masterson,
the former western bad man and prize
fight promoter. has. the following to say
Of the coming Jeffrfes-Johnson fight:
Everybody seems to be specializing
on the outcome of the battle between
Jeffries and Johnson. scheduled to take
place on the Fourth OF July next. 1t
is even rumored that a few wagers have
already been made on the result of the
contest, but there is some doubt as to
the correctness of this rumor. Those
who bet on prize fights usually like to
get quick action on their money, and
It Is hardly possible that anyone would
care to have his money tied up until
next July.
"The point in the contest that seems
to come In for the most argument Is
the one regarding sJeffries' ability to
regain his old time fighting form. There
are a great many experts in the fight
game who maintain it will be impos-
sible for him to fit himself to be in
anything like the condition he was In
when he retired from the ring.
"Others, whose opinion in the matter
Is fully as valuable. take the opposite
View. While those of the latter class
do not insist that Jeffries will be as
good when he meets johnson as he
was when he was in his prime. they
nevertheless insist that he will be good
enough to win.
"As for my own opinion about the
matter, I believe JeffrieS will be able
to beat johnson if he is within 80 per
cent of what he was when he quit train
ing. To my way of reckoning, Jeffries
IS an extraordinary man, physically far
above any man who ever engaged In a
prize ring battle.
This taken in connection with his
speed, cleverness and tremendous hit
ting power is what I predict my opinion
on. Men OF Jack Johnson's class could
not possibly be given a chance In a
battle with Jeffries' when the latter
was at his best. Such men as Tommy
Burns, Marvin Hart, Joe Jeannette, sam
Iangford and Stanley Ketchel would
not have lasted four rounds in front
of Jeffries If they fought him along
the lines they did Johnson.
For instance. take Johnson's tight
with Marvin Hart nearly five years ago
in which Hart was given the decision
at the end Of the 20 rounds. A review
of that battle shows that Hart did all
the forcing toward the end of the con-
test. I believe Johnson was as good
then as he is now. More than that,
believe his stamina was much better
then than it is at the present time, and
when you stop to consider that the big,
awkward, sloW-going Hart was able TO
carry the fight to him in every round
during the last half Of the battle. it is
lard to figure how johnson is going to
beat Jeffries when they meet
Moreover, 1 don't believe there Is
man in the country who knows any
thing about the fighting game who
holds a different opinion from me in
this respect. Such men as Ketchel
Jeanette, Burns and Langford- at the
time they fought johnson would have
been jokes for Jeffries when he was
right, and they are admittedly the best
men johnson has met. So there you
are.
when the test comes no one need,
therefore, be surprised to see Jeffries'
stamina prove far superior to that of
the black man.
Besides, Jeffries is a two-handed
fighter He can knock out with either
hand, while johnson has but one dan
gerous punch which he delivers with
his right in the form of an uppercut'
and he must be set to get that home
effectively.
Nor is Johnson's footwork the best
by any means. He boxes hat-footed
and drags his feet when moving out OF
harms way. No man thus equipped
can whip Jeffries over any distance OF
ground and you can bet on 1T. be-
neve, however. Johnson can get any
fighter now in the game except Jeffries,
but even that is not saying much
Murphy and Griffith Fail to Agree.
Cincinnati, Jan. S.-A series of con-
Rerences between c. w. Murphy, presi-