The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-03
HAS NOT TRAINED;
UNDENIABLY LAZY
Judgment of Timing and Distance
Bad, and sparring Partners Can
Hit Him at Will-Mike Muir
ply Fears Negro Will
Make Him Look Fool
ish.
BY MIKE MURPHY,

OmciaI Trainer of the University of
Pennsylvania.
tcopyright by the Philadelphia North
American and The Times-D Dispatch-)
Reno, July 2.--I fenr that the tragedy
of New Orleans, when John l.. Sullivan,
idol OF the American sporting public
md prohibitive fnvorite in the betting,
lost to Jnmcs j. Corbett, mny be re-
pented nj Reno.
For four days / have been studying
the men and trying to make up my
mind In order to present a summary.
All around me is optimism and conf
dence that Jenries will win. Those
who have been working with him, the
writer's who are here and the public
that profoundly hopes for a triumph
OF the white man. are shouting what
tremendous man he is; that no one
can beat him: that he has developed
his natural endurance till he can go
any distance without tlring. and that
he has the kind of indomitable courage
that will not be denied
hope IL is true.
snid Same of sullivan.
But they said the same things &
John l. sullivan at New Orleans, but
the Boston boy found then that 1t
takes more than courage to beat a
younger man who Is in better condi-
iion. When the man Ia tired all the
courage in the world viii not save
him IL he cannot protect himself
This was the case at New Orleans
and Sullivan was not called upon to
meet any such remarkable combination
of the fighter and boxer as Jefries
must take on Monday.
Why do j say this? l will admit
that JeHries looks superb. i concede
that he has done marvels in getting
himself as good as he is. but / deny
that his condition is anything like
that of Jenries Of old or that he is
to-day in as good shape to fight as
the big negro. Jenries has done most
everything but bo8 and run extended
distances at good speed.
Johnson has done little else, and in
the week that has been spent In Reno
he has constantly advanced in condi-
ton. Jeffries. think. has been fool
ing himself He has not done work
enough on any single day to count for
an honest days training. judged by
the standards of the trainer who would
let his man neglect nothing 10 be
absolutely al his hest for the vital
contest. de is undeniably lazy, the
outcome OF the hard year and a half
he has put in to undo the ravages of
half dozen years that he lived in
easy, lines. He does not force himself
than condition.
Crnyenly Agree.
Every one who should know better
cravenly agrees with him that every
thing he docs is for the best. 1t
would be a joke IL It were not so
serious. He Will surely find 1t out one
sad day in Reno. that he has not
trained right. even though he be good
enough to win the fight.
He has lost that one necessary thing
which man should have to be at
his best-the combination unison be-
tween the eye. the brain and the mus
cular power. This means that every
movement can be made SO simple and
easily that it is no effort at ALL
In the two times / have really seen
him box here he stopped about every
hard blow his partners aimed at him
with his face or his body. He was
like fellow riding backward in an
express train. He never seemed to
know what he was coming to till the
time he got by 1t. They could hit him
anywhere they liked He had no
guard and when he tried to come in
and hit. it was always with a f,erv
a
smash any old place.
johnson Is such a good marksman
with his left that 1 fear he will make
Jeffries look foolish when the boiler
maker tried to rush. And, remember.
it Is on his rushing tactics that the
white mans best hopes of victory rest.
Johnson is the best defensive fight
er have ever seen. He is quick and
cool in the open. When Jeff rushes he
will be met with that straight left
again and agin.
On the infighting, where the judg-
ment of distance would not count for
so much. he is again handicapped nv
the fact that the negro is really in
comparable in this kind of work.
N 1t is his forte. Jack can give any al
them points on this style of lighting.
File is most at home in it. and keepa
his head amazingly. When close I'm
against his man, those awful arms OF
his work like a flash, with Jolt he
hind them that hurts They say that
he cannot hit hard enough to stop
Jeff's rushes' Let.us hope this be true
for all feel sure that the negro wili|
land on his older opponent.
I asked a young boy to-day to tell
me how much older Jeffries was than
Johnson. Ie had seen them both
many times. He said ten years,
A Frank Opinion.
There you are, This was frank
opinion. Johnson has in appearance I
least ten years advantage of Jaffries,
who not only has his age to contend
with. but has been out of the run
ming for many Years, and is not in his
pest condition, though he himself saysil
ne is and believes 1t. That he has lost
his eye. none can say.
What chance has he to win? This
Continued on Fourth Page,l
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