The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1910-07-22
BY KNOCKOUT.

Jack Johnson now finds himself in
much the same position that Jim JET
fries was in when he defeated Jack
Munroe back in 1904. There is no
body for him to fight. Johnson has
proven beyond the shadow of doubt
that he Is the peer of any man in
the mitt game and if he takes care of
himself it will be long time before
any man will be able to take the cham
pionship crown from his head.
Sam Langford talks of fighting Jack
and has challenged the big black for
a battle. Johnson says he will pay
no attention to the def, declaring such
a fight would not draw. Il don't think
Langford can whip Kaufman or
Ketchell," said Jack, land everybody
knows neither of these men have
chance with me-"
Tommy Ryan has been coaching a
big Irishman known as Con O'Kelly.
Under Ryan's instructions O'Kelly
won his first battle, a fight with a
man named Comiskey, whom no per-
son ever heard of, but foxy Tommy
isn't going to put his man against
Johnson for some time to come, if at
ALL
Johnson is so much better than any
other man now in the ring that the
only hope for the white race lies in
some unknown being developed in the
next year or two who can get him
into the ring out of condition as he
has been in several battles since he
defeated Tommy Burns.
Up to the time Johnson fought JEFF
fries there were many who said the
negro didn't have the necessary punch
to defeat good man. This no doubt
was due to the big blacks peculiar
style of milling. He always has been
content to take his time and go easy
with an opponent. Before the fight
with Jeffries, Johnson said he intended
to prove that he did have the punch,
and he did.
Then there were the people who
said that Johnson had a yellow
streak" If he has Jeffries was un-
able to find it, and if Jeffries couldn't
make it show there's little chance for
any other man to do so. Jim Corbett
was one of those who openly declared
that Johnson was lacking In bravery.
"Jeffries will make him jump out of
the ring" said Corbett. Again Pom
padour Jim" was wrong. 1t is no.
torious fact that Corbett never has
been able to pick winner. He
thought Burns would whip Johnson.
He thought Cans would defeat Nelson.
We all know the results of those bat
tlese.
Corbett complained before the fight
that Jeffries did not box enough He
made the same excuse after Jeffries
was knocked out There probably is
some truth to this, but 1t is doubtful
whether the result would have been
any different.
Now comes the question: Could
Johnson have whipped the Jeffries
that whipped Bob Fitzsimmons? It's
a hard question to answer and the ex-
perts fail to agree. From present day
indications 1t is doubtful whether
there ever was a better man than
Johnson. John L. Sullivan was the
kind of man who is made to order for
Johnson's style of fighting. Sull!vans
wild swings and bull like rushee would
have been easy for Jack. johnson
would have peppered John L. the way
he did Jeffries. He would have met
these rushes with the famous upper
cut and would have had no difficulty
in blocking the swings. A fight be-
tween Johnson and Jim Corbett would
have been pretty to see. but Corbett
never had the punch that would have
whipped Johnson, and it is doubtful If
Jim would have weathered more than
one or two uppercuts.
For my part believe Bob Fitzsim-
mons in his prime would have been
a harder man for Johnson to whip
than any of them. But Bob would
have been at the same disadvantage
as he was with Jeffries. Thirty or
40 pounds difference in weight would
have been too much even for the freck-
led one.
We have got to give it to Johnson.
and 1t is to be hoped that he behaves
himself. That big purse he won will
pay many fine for auto speeding and
he WHY make much more in the next