Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03
JOHNSON SOUGHT i
FIGHT WITH JEFFR|ES
Former Challenged Rival
Years Ago, But Was Refused
for Lack of Record.
BELIEVES HE is SURE
TO WIN BATTLE AT RENO
Claims Never to Have Exerted
Himself in Any of His Fights.
Temperament Peculiar.

Eight years ago. when johnson began
to loom on the pugilistic horizon, he
urged his managers to make every effort
to arrange for fight with Jeffr.es. JET
fries can't touch me-" was his boas st even
In those days, and he fretted continually
over the fact that until he acquired q
reputation his prospects for a cham
pionship battle were but as gauzy a.
the tail OF Halley's comet He says he
believed then as confidently in his ahil-
fty to achieve the title as he did Gx
years later when at last his opportunity
TO battle for the supreme prize was
realized.
1t was not my fights themselves. but
my fight to get those fights that proved
the hardest part of the struggle" John
son told the Associated Press in recount
Ing his difficulties i'm reaching the pin-
nacle OF his ambition. 1T was nv color.
They told me to get a rep; but how was
! 10 get rep without meeting fighters
or class? But / made them fight me 4
just kept plugging along. Swapping nm
what chances to fight 1 could graz, until
oy and by the topnotchers saw thai
sooner or later they'd have to take me
on. AS soon as ! had shown what 1
couid DO, the fight public-most of the
ians, anyway-took sides with me. and
that helped whole lot"
Johnson asserts that he has never been
apprenensive Of possible defeat In any
cohtest ne has engaged i'm. None OF
tnem he declares, had any terrors for
aim. A0'
His four most important battles have
, oeen Iougnt wltiin the last year and a
nan. oatfng from his defeat OF Tommy
Surns In Australia December %. iIlx
Having wrested the championship from
burns. he determined TO meet and de-
s eah MS title against all Corners. His
Kaufman and Stanley ke.cne.l followed
In rapid succession
On ms lights two or three wears he
aors' mat mad brought him prominence
anu hsiped Him along greatly in his ca
reer. his contests with Sam Ianrfo,d
the Boston negro; Joe Jeanette. Sam Nc
sey. Denver I'd. Martin, Jim FLYNN and
o.heIs Johnson lays no particular stress
except TO regard them as so many runrs
OF his ladder of success.
Wanted This Fight.
I'm looking for a fight" asserted
johnson, in which I really can let mvsalf
out and show the public just what I can
40. Inats one reason why I'm so anx-
ious TO go up against Jeffries."
Johnsons declaration sustains the tuds-
tneht OF numerous sporting writer's woo
nave maintained for years that the big
ne seioom; ever. extended himself,
Inan ne has ever delivered in the ring
II appears to have been a general beiisc
ina. Johnson was holding back" Tbs
was particularly noticeable in his recsnt
nght with Stanley KetcheIl. In thar hont
Johnson toyed with his man ali the w
he seemed to think the fight a Joke ,Insti
sup and a timely punch brought him
~ LII, ms Knees ana aroused his anger Just
WHAT happened next has never been clear
~ known 1t was too fast to watch: and
IN an lnstant's time Ketchell was an his
back and being counted out He did NOT
1 I, 20 reaHSe what had struck him, and
JOHNSON nimseis seemed astonished at the
result Of his sudden exhibition or strenetS
and speed. e"seh
Johnson was born In Galveston. i'm 1879
ms birthday being March 81. and IL ring
experience goes for anything he has n
In 1901. his first year as a fighter he
Iougnt SIX lights. winning all but ona
winch was draw. The next year he
Went into the ring sixteen times, and
gagged, until to date he has to his credf.
over sixty battles While many OF his
opponents have not been of the style to
test bis mettle. his frequent bouts Have
served at ieast TO keen him always i'm
training, and this is one of the strong
arguments of his partisans.
Peculiar Temperament.
TemperamentalIy Johnson is an inter.
esting study. His chief characteristic 4.
his unfailing good nature, a cur;ouslv
constant sort of even temper that nothing
seems to rufile. His golden smile" IS
seldom out Of evidence. and not even the
coarse and insulting gibes that frequently
greet him from fight spectators seem to-
nave the power to disturb him. Even
when ducking a storm of blows and
showing wonderful skill I'm evading the
onslaughts of his opponent Johnson neyer
loses his poise nor his power of obserya-
q
uon- his eyes take in and appraise
everything that transpires at the ring
side. He seems to hear every comment
made by the onlookers. and even in the
midst of ciinch. when every muscle is
tense. Will recognize witty sally from
the audience with flash of his ready
smile, and. like as not. an equally witty
rejoinder thrown at the audience over the
reekfng shoulder against which he is
pressing
why don't you fight. you black man..
yelled an enthusiast at the Johnson
Kaufman fight. The men were i'm n
elinch at the time. but without an in
stant's hesitation Johnson shouted back.
why should 1 fight? I've got your ten
dollars already"
And this cool-headedness under fire
Is another of the negro's qualities upon
which his hackers count believing 1t i'm
possible to rattle him by any known ring
tactics. That his good nature does not
indicate a low order of intelligence. how
ever, has been clearly shown by his
clever business methods and his rather
well done ringside speeches. Men who
have watched him say he simply has no
nerves, using the word in the accepted
sense.
Johnson feels that he has been we'll
trained for this fight He regards his
present staff that has whipped him into
shape in his wind-swept camp ION the
beach as the best he ever had, and SAYS
no fighter was ever given more loyal and
efficient service than he has received.
All of his training partners-those who
do the real work with him-are young
men.