Evening star., 1911-01-15
KAUFMANN0 ONLY
WHITE RACE HOPE
Corbett Thinks Al Is the Only
White Man Qualified to
Meet Champion.
BELIEVES HIM IN NEED
. OF MORE SPEED
Critic Says Coast Fighter Is
Big, Strong, Clever and
Knows Points of Game.
BY James J. Corbett.
Special Dispntch 10 The Star


These are duh days in heavyweight pug
dom, and we can blame the Iethargy and
lack Of interest partly to the fact that
the present crop of fighters is such a
poor one. 1 am speaking OF white men,
Outside Of Kaufman there is not a big
man in the country with a vestige of
what is called class"
When l remarked. in a recent article I'm
this column. that it looked as IL the title
was safe in the hands OF the colored race
for some time to come 1 then had no
idea that Albert Kaufman had changed
his mind and would exercise his preroga-
tive to challenge Johnson for the cham
pionship. / was under the impression that
the Californian was satisfied to rest on
the laurels already won and let the cham
pionship go hang l will not say that L
thought AL afraid to go after the negro.
but rather that he was overcautious.
Since coming out like a man and de-
claring his willingness and even anxiety
to go to the mat with the champion [
feel that Kaufman Is due considera BILE
credit and praise. / wish to qualify the
remarks above referred 10 by saying
that IL there is a white man i'm the game
In this country capable OF trimming the
dusky holder OF the title Ii Is AL.
Kaufman Big and Clever.
The Californian is big strong.
fairly clever boxer. and understands the
finer points OF the game. although he can
hardly be called a great ring general,
AIS greatest fault is his slowness. and
II the youngster only could put on top
lacking much in championship timber. So
far as gameness goes he has demon
strated that in the past. For instance, In
his first contest against that crafty ring
expert, Philadelphia Jack o Brien. In
which the experienced and clever boxer
cut Al. then a novice and boxing his first
professional engagement. into ribbons
and closed both the boys eyes. Kaufman
battled on until unable to put up his
hands. That memorable encounter should
satisfy even a man from Missouri on the
question of the big fellows heart.
I do not consider Jack Johnson hard
man to beat. I did not think so before
the Jeffries fight, and what l saw at Reno
has not made me change my mind. And.
mind you, il Is not prejudice or any per-
sonal feeling against j. Arthur that
makes me feel confident that he is not
such a terribly hard proposition as some
colored man would lead us to believe.
Says Negro Is Not Game.
In the first place, claim that Johnson
is not a game man. His actions in the
ring while waiting for hostilities to COM
mence and during the first few rounds
Of the Reno mix-up demonstrated beyond
a shadow of a doubt that the present
champion of the world was a scared and
much-worried man, and that had Jeff
not been the pervous and mental wreck
he unfortunately was at that time. the
contest would have been a short one In
f1x< lx<>
ready to lay down before the fight
started.
OF course, he now is champion. has dis
posed of the Jeffries bugbear. and would
be meeting a younger and less expert
enced boxer in Kaufman. Naturally his
and confidence would be much
more in evidence. But if Albert could
put over one or two of those triphammer
punches to the body l reckon that Mist
Johnson mos likely be glad to beat it.
under fire. The bout with JEFF was no
test. That affair was a joke. and no one
knows it better than the champion.
Willing to Back Coast Man.
I merely am expressing my opinion In
this column and may be wrong, but will
be willing to bet my money that I am
right when the big event comes OF.
There Is nothing In Jacks recVfd to mako
me look upon him as the greatest ever
and as an unbeatable. There were at
least half a dozen boxers OF the vintage
Of 1900. to which johnson has SO sneer-
ngly referred, who to my mind were just
az good IL not Of better class than the
champion. / refer to such men as Fitz-
simmons. Rubin, Sharkey, Jeffries and
Kid Mccoy.
Sandy Ferguson never was considered OF
caliber. yet he found IL an
easy job to hold his own with johnson
when the pair met few years ago. The
bout was given to Jack on a foul, but
gro deliberately quit. and many who saw
the contest agree with him. kaufmann
can hit harder and box more cleyerlyi
than Ferguson could in his palmy days..
and he, too. might make the champion
show the white feather.
Others Fall Far Behind.
There are at present no other white.
who have shown even
fash of championship class or even the
form Of second raters. One or two OF the
recent discoveries may develop into good
men, and on this point l will have some-
thing important to say later on Then
here are q few, like Jim Barry and Tony
Ross. who more or less decorate the pro-
,ession. but none OF these fellows can
De considered seriously as championship
possibilities. Kaufman Is the only
hope" In stock In these United states.
1t is quite a long time since last visit.
d this city Uacksonville), and II doSs
lot look much like the town knew when
fought Charlie Mitchell here years ago.
'he old city was largely destroyed by the
,reat fire OF 1901. and the newer Jackson.
lille Is a great improvement and one of
he most progressive cities Of the south.
They finally are getting wise In old
;otham and the scribes are panning the
lleged boxers who have been palminG
themselves OF on the patrons Of the game.
'ome months ago l took the club man
gers and referees to task for permitting
he ciinchers and stallers and biters and
uggers to get away with the rotten exhi-
itions of the manly art inflicted upon
he public.
Glass Of Shows Poor.
During q recent stay In the metropolis
Continued on Third Page.)