The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-06
WELLS FEELS
VERY CONFIDENT
Goes Not Train For His Com.
ing Fight With Jack
johnson

l.. NOauOAs 0Spt. O.-1HeTe III one man
IN this world who believes Bombar-
der Wells. English heavyweight
champion, has a chance of wrestling
the world title from Jack johnson in
their coming match. The man who
thus differs from the 1900, 600, 900
other inhabitants of this earth is
Wells himself. In fact, so confident
Is he, that he does not even bother
to train.
Although the fight is arranged to
take place at the end Of this month,
the Bombardier is still doing his
nightly turn on the music hall stage
throughout the country. He has a
sketch entitled "Wanted-A Man,"
and he goes blithely on his way, APP
parently oblivious of the fact that to-
ward the end of September the title
will have to be changed to Wanted
IA Good Fighter"
But II Wells is satisfied with his
$4,000, those who are running this
fight are not. 1t is being financed by
some of the shrewdest men in London,
who are confident they will make a
bit of money out Of 1t. They are said
to have insured the gate for SIS, 900,
paying a premium of SIS, 900 for the
policy, and are declared to be in that
enviable position where they cannot
lose. They are banking on the fight
going at least five rounds, in which
case the pictures will be worth q for
tune.
Playing Long Chance.
These men have really taken a long
shot on Wells pulling of a victory
with a lucky punch. They have tied
the Britisher up with contracts de-
pendent upon his winning, so that he
won't be able to blow his nose with
out written permission.
Il cannot understand why you
newspaper men refuse to treat this
fight seriously" said Wells the other
day. Personally, l believe l have an
excellent chance Of becoming heavy
weight champion Of the world during
the last week of September. One has
only to read the history Of boxing for
the last twenty years to realize that
every man who eventually became
champion was laughed at and be-
Titled previous TO- his match with the
then champion. ~
"Corbett was said to have no posi-
BILE chance with Sullivan; 1t was pre-
dicted that Fitzsimmons would go
down to defeat before Corbett, and
Jeffries, the boiler-maker, was said to
be a presumptuous chap for climbing
into the ring with Ruby Bob Even
johnson was laughed at in many
quarters when he chased Tommy
Burns around the world, and it was
not until he administered the sleep
powder to the latter in Sydney that
he was thought to be q real cham
pion. H.. -.
There is no reason. that I can
think Of why I should be afraid Of
johnson. He is the champion, but
whom has he licked? Tommy Burma
was a good, game fighter, but he was
no world beaten. BY all accounts
Jeffries was but a shadow of his for
mer self when he stepped into the
ring at Reno. Johnson may be a
great fighter. He may be the equal
Of men like Peter Jackson, Jeffries in
his prime, Bob Fitzsimmons at his
best, but his record has given no evil
dence of 1t.
HE comes along at a time when
the quality of. heavyweights is suffer-
ing a temporary slump. and will be
champion until a really flrst-class
man enters the ring against him.
Perhaps that time Is approaching and
is no further away than the last week
in September.
II believe I am built for johnson.
I have an enormous reach and am a
clever boxer. l will not mix it with
him, nor will l give him an oppor-
tunity Of using his advantage in
weight against me. l will keep away
from him, and If the fight goes TWEEN
ty rounds l will win on points,"
Wells is rapidly filling out and is
becoming more rugged. The weak
ness about the waistline, which has
been his chief defect, is disappearing
under a physical culture course that
he adopted some time ago on medic
al advice. He is a man who always
looks to be in the best physical con
dition, and apparently hasn't an ounce
Of s%uperfluous flesh on him..
CONNIE MACK PICKS
A N TO WIN RAG
Philadelphia. Sept. 6.-Connie Mack
believes that New York will win the