Bisbee daily review., 1910-07-03

reaching the pinnacle OF his ambi-
tion. "It was my color. They told
me TO get a rep; but how was
10 get a rep without meeting fight
ers of class9 But I made them fight
me. just kept plugging along.
swapping up what chances to fight
/ could grab. until by-snd-by the top
notchers saw that sooner or later
tey'd have TO take me on. AS soon
as / had shown what could do.
the fight public-most of the fans.
anyway-took sides with me and that
helped a whole lot"
johnson asserts that he has never
been apprehensive of possible defeat
in any contest he has engaged in.
None of them, he declares, had any
terrors for him.
His four most important battles
have been fought within the last year
and a half dating from his defeat
of Tommy Burns in Australia. Decem-
Der 26, 1908. Having wrested the
championship from Burns he deter
mined to meet and defend his title
against all corners His fights with
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien. Al Kauf-
man and Stanley Ketchel followed in
rapid succession.
On his fights two or three years
before, that had brought him promi-
nence and helped him along greatly
in his career, his contests with Sam
Langford the Boston negro. Joe Jean
ette Sam McVey Denver Ed Martin.
JimFlynn and others Johnson lays
no particular stress except to regard
them as so many rungs of his ladder
of success.
I'm looking for fight" asserted
johnson. 'in which I really can let
myself out and show the public just
what / can do. That's one reason
why I'm so anxious to go up against
Jeffries."
Johnson's declaration sustains
the judgment of numerous sporting
writer's who have maintained for
years that the big negro seldom II
ever, extended himself. and was ca
pabIe of striking harder blows than
he has ever delivered in the ring.
Il appears to have been a general
belief that Johnson was holding
back" This was particularly notice
able in his recent fight with Stanley
Ketchel. In that bout Johnson toyed
with his man all the way. He seemed
TO think the fight Z joke until slip
and a timely punch brought him TO
his knees and aroused his anger. Just
what happened next has never been
clearly known. II was too fast TO
watch: and in an instant's time
Ketchel was on his back and being
counted out He did not seem TO
realize what had struck him and
Johnson himself seemed astonished
at the result of his sudden exhibition
of strength and speed.
Johnson was born in Galveston. in
1878. his birthday being 5darch 81.
and if ring experience goes for any
thing he has it. In 1901 his first
year as a fighter, he fought six
fights. winning all but one, which
was a draw. The next year he went
into the ring sixteen times and from
then on was almost constantly en-
gagged until TO date ne has to his
credit over sixty battles. While many
of his opponents have not been OF the
style to test his mettle. his frequent
bouts have served at least to keep
him always in training. and this is
one of the strong arguments OF his
partisans.
Temperamentally Johnson is an In
-teresting study. His chief charac-
teristic is his unfailing good nature.
a curiously constant sort Of even
temper that nothing seems to ruffle
His golden smile" is seldom out OF
evidence. and not even the coarse
and insulting jibes that frequently
greet him from fight spectators seem
TO have the power to disturb him
Even when ducking storm OF blows
and showing wonderful skill in eVad'
ing the onslaughts Of his opponent,
Johnson never loses his poise nor his
mower of observation His eyes take
in and appraise everything that
transpires at the ringside. He seems
( to hear every comment made by on
lockers. and even in the midst OF a
cIinch. when every muscle is tense
/ will recognize a witty sally from the
audience wiah a flash Of his ready
/ smile and. like as not, an equally
witty reioinder thrown al the audi
ence over the reeking shoulder
against which he is pressing
sWhy don't you fight. you hlael
man. yelled an enthusiast at tn'
Johnson-Kaufman fight. The mel
we're in a clinch at the time. bu
without an instant's hesitation, John
son shouted back, why should
fight? I've got your ten dollars al
ready"
And his coolheadedness under fir'
is another Of the negro's qualities
upon which his hackers count beiieV
ing IL impossible to rattle him by an
known ring tactics. That his goo'
nature does not indicate a low orde
of intelligence. however. has bee'
clearly shown by his clever business
methods and his rather well dom
ringside speeches. Men who nav
watched him say he simply has d
nerves using the word in the &C
/ cepted sense
Johnson feels that he has been wei
trained for this fight. He regard
his present staff that has whippe'
him into shape in his wind-swep
? camp on the beach as the best n
ax.av had and saws no fighter wa