El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-28

Milwaukee, Wis, May 2S.-Many of
! the managers of boxers have given their
! opinion as to the coming contest be-
tween Jeffries and Johnson. There are
few of them who follow the game
more closely than Teddy Murphy, the
| original boy manager, who brought out
Battling Nelson. Teddy, in his own
characteristic style, gives his views
as follows to the writer:
Friend. Tom: a few lines anent the
big quarrel Gust before the comets
taiD between the Stone Wall James j.
Jeffries and the big Senegambian Jack
Johnson; l know them both personally
and pugistically.
Il have witnessed contests that John
son has taken part in, on several Oc-
casions. One OF twenty rounds was
with Sandy Ferguson at COlma, Cal,
and really that big stew kidded the
DOGGY man all through. Johnson got
the decision, but he was a disappoint-
ment as a prospective champion / also
witnessed contests between Jack and
Marvin Hart and Johnson and Sam
Langford In neither of these contests
did Johnson show high class, only in his
defensive tactics, which 1 admit were
we'll nigh perfect. But Hart took all
sorts of chances, and If Johnson was
a fighter of the FizsimmOns, Sharkey,
Jeffries caliber he should have stopped
Hart. Instead, Marvin battled on and
gained the referees decision. Langford
at the time of his contest with John
son weighed but 140 to 145 pounds,
but the best Jack could do was gain a
decision in fifteen rounds.
Those are the contests Johnson took
part in that 1 witnessed, and consider
ing the disparity in size of JohnsOn's
opponents l do not consider Johnson's
performances meritOriOuS. He can de-
feat middle weights because his size
and defensive tactics are too much of a
handicap for the little fellows whom
ne outweighs by so pounds or so. 10
overcome. 1 consider his highest
achievements his defeat OF Tommy
Buns, Sam Langford and Stanley Ket-
chel, but they are small boys In COM
parison TO the big black
1--WE will now take a review of the
big grizzly bear" Jeffries. Knowing
Big Jim personally for six years, and
aSsociating with him in private and
public life, I feel as though 1 can speak
from the away down low). 1 met
Jeffries for the first time when Bat
Ting Nelson and L arrived in San Fran
cisco to start training for Nelson's
contest with Martin Candle. And it
happened to be on Jeffries's wedding
at Oakland. Cal. In company with Bill
Delaney and Dick Adams, Big Jim and
his future betterhalf made the big
sneak away from the Oyster Loaf, and
then followed his most important
match. that with Mrs. Jeffries
Shortly after that Jeff was matched
with Jack Munro, and was training
hard for the contest at Hardin Springs,
when he met with slight accident,
bumped his knee on a rock while reach
ing for drink in one of the springs.
He could have gone to the ring on
crutches and defeated Munro, but he
would not take a chance of this slight
handicap, and the contest had to be
postponed for two months. This is
just an instance to exemplify what
have claimed right along, viz, that
Jeffries felt himself out carefully be-
fore arriving at the conclusion that he
could get right for Johnson. Having
occasion 20 watch his marked improve
ment in the last year 1 am willing to
say that he will be o. K. when he climbs
through the ropes on July 4th.
He will scale closer to 25O pounds
than go, in condition. and Johnson Will
have an awful time roughing or bust
ling the bear around. Islook for the
contest to go twenty rounds or more.
as Johnson is superb on defense, but if
he gets awfully quarrelsOme. and Jeff
feels tired and crouches and stalls. I
cant see Johnson getting to him with
anything like clean solid punch OF
course, Information that is accurate
about q boxers condition, etc. must
necessarily be obtained right at the
training quarters. with your own two
eyes. some time prior to a contest
I expect to have that information two