The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-09
JEFFRIES WELL LICKED.
JACK JOHNSON WINS HEAVY
WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.
Old Time Champion Could Not Come
Back and Was No Match For the
Big Black Bruiser.

johnson. Texas negro. son of an
American slave. tonight is the first
and undisputed heavyweight cham
pion pugilist of the world.
James J. Jeffries Of California. win
ner OF 22 championship fights. the
man who never was brought TO his
knees before by a blow. tonight pass
cd into history as a broken idol. He
met utter defeat at the hands of the
black champion In the 18th round.
While Jeffries was not actually
counted out. he was saved only from
this browning shame by his friends
pleading with Johnson not to hit the
fallen man again. and the towel was
brought into the ring from his cor
ner: At the end OF the 18th round
Referee Tex Rickard raised the black
arm, and the great crowd filed out
glum and silent.
Jeffries was dragged to his corner
bleeding from nose and mouth and
dozen cuts on the face. He had
black closed eye and swollen features
and he held his head In his hands
dazed.
Johnson walked out OF the ring
without a mark on his body except a
slight cut on his lip, which was the
opening OF a wound suffered In train
Ing.
Ring experts agree that II was not
even championship fight. Jeffries
had a chance In the second round,
perhaps. but after the sixth 1t was
plain that he was weakened and out
classed in every point. After the 11th
round II was. hopeless.
IL was the greatest demonstration
the ring has ever seen of the failure
OF a fighter to "come back" after
years of retirement.
The youth and the science Of the
black man made Jeffr.es look like
green man. The great Jeffries was
like a log. Johnson was like a black
panther.
Jeffries fought by instinct. 1t seem
ed. showing his gameness and his
great hghting heart In every round,
but he was only the shell Of his old
self. The old power to take a terri
bls beating and bore in until he land
ed the Knockout blow was gone.
After the third round Johnson
treated his opponent almost as joke.
He Uolled and blocked plavful,y
warding OF the bear-lIke rushes OF
Jeffries with marvellous science, now
tucking blow under his arm. again
plucklng II out OF the air as a man
stops baseball. Out OF the sea OF
opinions and arguments that bolster
ed up this fight and made II the talk
OF the world these pinacles of fact
have been cast up.
The fight was on the square. or
that there was no doubt after the
FIRST round.
There was no evidence or hint of
the yellow streak" on the part OF
johnson.
johnson proved himself so abso.
lutely Jeffries' master that experts
such as w. Corbett. an Australian
sporting and ring expert declared
that Tommy Burns had put up a bet
Ter fight against Johnson. and that
the black man was only playing with
the other man.
The end was swift and terrible. 1t
looked as though Johnson had been
holding himself under cover all the
rest OF the time and now that he had
measured Jeffries In his weakness he
had determined to stop 1t quickly.
Jeffries had lost the power OF de-
Tense. A series OF right and left up
percuts delivered at will sent him
staggering TO the ropes. He turned
and fought back by instinct, as
thought he were dying hard
With the exception OF a few fast
rounds the fight was tame. Jeffrics
did not have the power I'm his punch
to hurt Johnson after he had received
blow after blow on the jaw, and his
vital power was ebbing. But even be-
fore this stage came. Jeffrics could
not reach the black man. The blows,
almost all OF them. landed with the
speed taken out OF them. 1t was
like hitting a punching bag.
The Jeffries crouch was in evidence
at times. but during most of the fight
Jeffries was found standing straight
and working with something of his
old agSressiveness.
The 18th round started with
clinch after Jeffries had failed to Iani
on the body. Johnson then core loose
onj before the spectators were pre-
pared for the finish ne had 81 nt T.f