Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-24
JOHNSON HAS NOT LONG
 TO KEEP CHAMPIONSHIP
White Heavyweight Should Win Title Within I've Years According to Ex- pert.


 Jack Johnson says he is going te re- tire next September. Well, he may and then again he may net. Very few champions have been proof against the temptation to get back into harness when big money is hung in the balance and it may be that Johnson will be in- dUced to try again after he has re- neHnesd the ring and it's vanities ac- cerding to w. W. Naughten.
 If he retires and stays retired we must get a champion from somewhere, of course. But if he keeps right along at the game the writer doubts whether he would be able to hold his own against fairly good heavyweight two years from now.
 l draw my conclusions from what I have seen of other pugilists. At John sons time of life two years works great havoc. have known famous fighters who, after passing the 34- year mark, have sloughed away in workmanship to such an extent that 1t was pitable to one who remember ed them at their best to see them in action. And they were not all fel- lows who dissipated, either
 The writer believes there will be A. new heavyweight champion two years from now if there is not one sooner. And this is by no means an infer ence that I consider Flynns chances of gaining the title throughly hopeless. am free to say that I hardly look for Flynn victory in July, but there have been so many violent upsets during the past twenty years that it does not do to be too positive in matters of this kind.
 Even if Johnson escapes Flynn, Ia fc ,f worlds champion being a white man. We have some capable colored heavies ust now, but like Johnson, they have been a long time in service and I doubt if any one of them is as good as he was a few years ago. Leaving the age question aside Sam IIangford has been fighting ten years, Sam Me- Yea nine and Joe Jeannette eight, and these are certainly the pick of the negro brigade. Jeannette is pos ibly the best preserved of the three, but a year or two more of active ser vice will see him slowing up unless a mmistaken, and as far as I know there are no younger colored heavies coming to the front just now.
 Among the white fighters the writer has an idea that Al Palzer and Luther McCarty are going to develop into good men. The white hope situation is in such shape-claims of budding greatness being made in behalf of so many-that 1 would not undertake to say how many other promising fight CTS there are in sight. always bear in mind that Jim Jeffries, Tom Shark ey and Gus Ruhlin bobbed up with considerable suddenness about the same time and that each of athem made name for himself. Remember ing this, 1t would not surprise me fl several likely heavyweight hopes were uncovered within the next twelve months.
 Just at present conditions are fav- orable for the development of good pugilistic material There never was a time when boxing he'd the toothold 1t has now. With the game flourish ing without hindrance in SC many cities throughout the country, tt will be hard luck indeed if championship material is not discovered.
 Incidentally, it Is a good tune foI any young heavyweight on whom the public has set the mark of its approv- al to tread the straight and narrow and be mindful of the possibilities A couple of years is not long to la bor and wait, and a couple of years will find Jack Johnson out of the run ming providing, always, that he re- mains in the running after next Fourth of July.
 The, man who defeats Johnson.-if he be white man-will probably have fl in his power Co aTnass more wealth than any worlds champion who pre- ceded him. And the manager or train CT that develops Johnson's conquerol will be the envy of managers and trainers the world over.
 The prospect Is so alluring that the wonder is some smart sport who knows champion in the rough as a horseman knows a colt. does not be- gin securing the country systematI- ca1ly in quest of material.