The Ocala evening star., 1910-07-07
THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
tSdvannah Morning NewS)

Savannah Morning News.)
, There can be no doubt that the more
perfectly conditioned human animal
won at Reno yesterday. The outcome
of the contest depended upon the abil-
iity of one man to give and take more
land harder blows than the other.
jThere was no question of racial su-
premacy involved, and the color line
had no existence except in the super
heated imaginatiOns of prejudiced per-
sons. The principals themselves elm
mated the racial factor when they
agreed to meet upon an equal footing.
When they entered the ring they We're
man to man, athlete to athlete. prize
fighter to prize fighter Hoth We're in
the game for the money. Neither car
ed a baubee for glory of race or any
thing else save the cash. They fought
for a prize, a rich prize it is true, and
the younger and stronger man won.
That is all there is to it. No amount
Iof sentiment can change the adaman-
tine fact.
The outcome of the n i'll goes to il
Illustrate what has become practically
iar axiom in pugilistic circles. 1t is
that fighter, no matter how good,
cannot come back" after a number of
years absence from the ring. Jefffrfes
was out of the game for upwards Of
five years. During most of this time
he lived a life of ease and enjoyment.
1T is stated that he did not dissipate.
as many boxers do. but he lived well
and at his pleasure on his farm and
elsewhere He took no violent exer-
icise. The result was that his flesh got
soft and his muscles habby. If he had
l. h II la y
imight have been as strong ever
and even more clearly. But the long
interim of inactivity sapped speed.
strength and instant initiative. The
other man, on the other hand. had kept
constantly in condition for the past
nine years, during which time he had
been working steadily towards the top.
johnson was fit and fast when he
entered the ring. and he knew IT. But
he had not the courage Of his condi-
tion. That is evidenced by the fact
that he wanted a new division of the
purse. making the losers end OF 1t
larger. The original agreement was
for - and - division. Had he been
confident of his powers he would have
stood out for the - and - division,
since it would have meant several
Thousand dollars more to him. But he
was faint hearted at the beginning
land wanted to make sure of a tidy
sum. win or lose.
In honesty. fairness and simple jus
ftice Johnson should be given credit
for having won a notable victory on
inherit JefrieS was conceded TO be the
tmoSt Formidable man that could be
drought against him with any hope
of winning. That Jeffries did his best
viii also be admitted. The conditions
THAT were his undoing were not his
fault. but his misfortune. His first
mistake was ever to come out Of his
iretire ment. and his next was to as
,sur1e that he could be Just good
The was in his prime after five years
lof loafng.
We are heartily glad the scrap IS
over Il really doesn't make any diff
ference to the country who won. No
iprinciple was at stake. And there will
probably never he another fight of the
kind on American soil. Nevada. the
last state licensing prize fighting to a
finish. will have a new law in the near
future drastic as that Of any Of her
neigh bors. The country has been up
set, in all probability, by its last
heavyweight championship glove con-
test