El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-27
JACKSON IS STILL
STRONG IN FRISCO
Is ola Different School and
Class From Jack
johnson.
By w. w. Naughton)

San Francisco, Cal, May 27.-1t Is
very evident that Peter Jackson, for
mer champion of Australia, had many
admirers among California's patrons
Of boxing and that he is still remem-
bered as a pleasant. well-behaved fell
low and class IA heavyweight
In an article written SC me little
time ago 1 took occasion to say that
I did not care to hazard an opinion
as to whether Peter Jackson in his
day was a greater fighter than Jack
Johnson is in his day. I have ex-
planned time and again that there is
no way of settling an argument Of
that kind satisfactorily. But the ar
guments keep cropping up just the
same.
A correspondent who frankly utters
the opinion that Jackson would have
demolished Johnson in 10 rounds. and
who just as frankly declares that he
can't for the life of him see why
am not of the same way. of thinking,
asks me to describe for his personal
benefit wherein Johnson compares
with Jackson as a fighter.
Do Not Compare.
To begin with, the two famous col
ored opponents of the glove game do
not compare I mean, they had not
a thing in common. They presented
a striking contrast, and that is why
1 can't make up my mind how fight
between them would have come out II
they had flourished contemporaries
ously.
Peter Jackson, in my mind. was the
most finished of all boxers developed
under the Mace system. He was
marvellous judge of distance, a won
derfully sure hitter and he had tre-
IL IN a
straight left that it seemed impossible
for an opponent to get out of the way
Of He could draw a mans fire and
meet him with a right cross. that
would land squarely on ear or chin
He knew to dot when to unload
with a left at the body or a right at
the heart. and he knew to nicely
when to block or draw back from a
lead or counter. But ne was me-.
chanical fighter, albeit rapid.
heady one. He knew nothing outside
of what the Mace system taught,
whereas, Johnson is a natural fighter
with a stock in trade of punches that
the Mace system. if employed today,
could not provide against
It may be that Jackson, with his
sp1endidly timed straight left, would
keep Johnson at bay and cut him TO
pieces gradually.
But if he failed to do so? If John
son worked close to Jackson is he did
to Jeffries?
If Johnson courted clinches and be-
gan uppercutting Jackson with a free
left and right in turn, as he did JEFF
fries? What then?
Therefore, I repeat, do not know
Belong to Different Schools.
Jackson was a great fighter and
TaI, &c R11f belong
to different ages and different schools
and. for the life of me, I can't say
whether old Peters straight from the
shoulder. stand-away would work
against Johnson's clinging tactics and
his grapevine punches.
While on the subject. I would like
to refer to Jackson's fight with JEFF
fries in San Francisco 1t has been
said quite often that Jackson was but
a wrath of the Peter Jackson of other
DAYS when he faced the boilermaker.
Well. while the results proved that
Jackson was not as good as formerly
inst as the result at Reno showed a
falling away in Jeffries-it must be
said that Peters confidence in his own
prowess was not impaired. He came
to San Francisco from England look
ing for a match with Jefrfies, and he
went Systematically to work to gam
his desire. He convinced the match
makers of the Olympia club Of san
Francisco that. he was in earnest and
that he had firm belief in his ability
to trim the rising young boilermaker,
and he was the most self-satlsfled
man on earth when called upon to
sign articles.
Nor did he think that the defeat by
Jeffries meant the end of his career
This was shown when Eugene Van
court, a strong personal friend of JEFF
fries, arproa cbed Peter after the fight
and said: "Ieffries told me to give
you his respects and tell you not to
be downcast over losing the fight"
"You tell Jeffries to look out for
himself and not to mind me-, said
Peter with a snort. The sweetest
message Jeff Gould send would be
word that he is willing to fight me