The evening world., 1912-07-11
Johnson Not Wiling to Risk His
Title by Meeting a Man He
Knows to Be a Crack Boxer
and a Fighter, Too.

The New York World.
TACK JOHNSON despises money.
He won't even look at small sums
like 13O,OOp-when there's a chance
OF q beating thrown In.
Victor Breyer OF Paris has made John
son an authentic offer OF 10000 francs
$4,000 for his end to fight Jeanette
thirty rounds In France. Before max
ing this offer Breyer succeeded In get
ting permission from the authorities to
put on Jeanette and johnson In
thirty round battle. although the usual
police regulations limit all bouts to
twenty rounds.
$4,000 In advance. The only stipula-
ton he insists upon Is that johnson
must post In the hands OF some respon-
sible party a forfeit OF $4,000 to guaran-
tee his appearance. This Breyer con-
sidsrs a necessary factor In the match.
a. Johnson might take II into his head
to run OUT At the last moment unless
he HAD up big forfeit. Johnson has
steadily refused to meet Jeanette In a
long night. He had met Joe half a
dozen times or more In short contests,
and knows that the more Jeanette Is
punched the stronger he grows and the
harder he nights. jeanette was knocked
down twenty-four times by Mcvey In
Paris. and twice was nat on his back
when the bell saved him. Yet he stuck
II out. fought harder ana harder, and
finally bea: Mcvey 80 dec!siveiy that
the latter reeisd from his corner at the
beginning Of the hftieth round ana
threw up his hands.
Another offer to johnson, and no
doubt ~ good" as Breyers, IL that OF
Mcintosh. who wants Johnson TO take
= trip TO Australia. He offers the cham
pion $4,000 10 meet Mcvey and Lang
ford In Australia.
These matches would be fought under
easy conditions. as the Australian
authorities refuse TO allow hitting IN
clinches and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. LONG
suit McVey 10 a good fighter. but no
better than LanEford. who recently
earned q decision over him.
Forty-hve thousand! And Johnson
hasn't even taken the trouble to send
Mcintosh an answer!
Billy Gibson has sent johnson a very
substantial offer for a match with Jean
cite In the Garden. such a match would
pack New York's famous arena until the
last In would have to climb the rafters
TO see the ring. But Johnson answers
Nothing doing. might box Paizer ten
rounds In New York for $4,000"
There It ID. The champion" won't
take . chance with man he knows to
b . crack boxer and q fighter. too But
he'd box Palzer." lie knows Palzer IL
practically q novice-blg. strong. game
but a novice without knowledge enough
Of the game to do Jack any damage in
ten rounds. In such a bout Johns son,
with his SKILL In defense. could lie back
and block and stall and grin through ten
rounds and get the money for nothing.
And thered be no decision-hence no
chance Of losing his title unless he was
knocked out cold.
What kind OF a champion Is II that re-
fuSeS TO defend the title he holds? What
we need Is a governing body to confroI
boxing. make the rules for the game.
enforce them. No man should be allowed
to hold title without defending It with
In . reasonable time when challenged.
NvEh In France they are roins
ahead OF US In the handling OF
boxing bouts. The French have a
regular governing body that settles all
questions and makes and enforces all
necessary rules. Result-good boxing
and no disputes sfterward. Even wher
the manager OF Carpenter, the mos
popular boxer France ever had. climbed
into the ring during Carpenters bou
with Klaus the referee promptly dis
qualified Carpenter. There's np tell!nl
what an American referee would hav,
done In these days when rules are 81
little understood and no poorly enforced
This applies. naturally. more to tn,
West and to boxing clubs outside o
New York. for here the Commission 4
doing good work.
The French governing body recent!
made up an approved list OF worldl
champions II runs: ."Flywe. ght, Si
Smith; bantamwe.gat, Johnny Coulon
featherweight, Johnny knbane. gAt
weight. Ad Wolsast; welterwelgh;. Dixi
KID; middlewelght, Billy PapAe; ligh
heavyweight, Sam Lansf0rd, heavy
weight. Jack Johnson. '-
ind no objection 10 this list exccp
wherein II mentions Dixie Kid an
Billy Papke.
Dixie Kid may have done soma sor
OF hghting In France. but here In Amer
lea he Ii only a poor third-rater, not I
De HlcHtioutu Nle iost remote con
nection with the championships. AS 10
Billy Papke. he was champion once. bu
he has lost too many hghts TO othe
middlsweights to have much OF c'alr
nov. Bob Mona, a real middlew Ugh
was hrst TO whip him In this country al
ter his return from Australia and Tnl
land. II Papke was champion Mob
took his title away. and there was
decision In that bout.
Papke looked In first-class fightin
condition again when he left Il
France. II he keeps up his work an
doesn't take back the fat. see no res
500 why he shouldn't do better tina
Klaus. and beat Carpenter. Ard |
that case, why, let them call him cham
pion Of the world over In France.