Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-06-23
FLYNN MAY
 WIN BATTLE Jim Corbet't Writes Tha Graphic and Says Poor Condition of Johnson
 Will Tell.
NEGRO IS BEST MAN
Reports From Las Vegas Show That Black Champ is Worried Over His
 Weight.
By James J. Corbett. Former Heavy-W Weight Champion of
 the World.

Former Heavy Weight Champion of
 the World
 New York, June 22.-(Special to the Graphic-l do not find it neces sary to take slant at the calendar these days to realize that the Glori- ous Fourth is rapidly drawing near. The unusual amount of mail reach ing me daily tells the story.
 Some time ago l announced in the Graphic, that l had by accident run across Jim Flynn and Jack Curley and had been asked to assist the challenger for the heavy weight championship during the last few weeks of training and to act as one of his seconds when he faces Johnson in the ring. Ever since that l have been target for the episties of fight fans from all sections of this big country.
 The gist of most questions fired at me naturally is, What chance has Flynn to beat the negro?''. A few correspondents are frank enough to admit that it. is not sentiment that prompts them to solicit the opinion of the writer but instead. the tempting odds against the white man, to be had for the asking, and of which they purpose to take advantage if the pro- per encouragement is forthcoming Some others are more pointed and personal and boldly inquire the reason for my delay in joining the Flynn camp.
 To attempt to answer the many queries by mail would be too diffi- cult a task, so l take this method of replying to my quizzers. In the first place I wish to explain that l doubt very much if will be able to attend the Flynn-Johnson battle at all, even as spectator. Since my return from the road certain business matters have kept me tied down closely to my office, and it looks as if l will have to give up the idea of taking the trip to Las Vegas.
 To the average student of form in boxing, Hymns chances of winning over Johnson must appear mighty slim. With the latter in the splendid condition of two years ago when he took the title from Jefferies, it would be ridiculous to offer an excuse for this coming battle. But as everybody knows the champion has been step ping a pretty fast pace during the past two years, and no matter what any of the so-called experts may tell you, take it from one who knows, it is impossible to get into shape by training a couple of months after long indulgence in the good things of life.
 And therein lies Flynn's greatest ortunity-Johnson' lack of con- dition. That has beaten many good man in the past and probably will i'll the future. According to all accounts the champion will enter the ring on the Fourth of July far different man physically from the athlete who de- feated Burns and Jeffries.
 Flynn's talk with me suggested that his confidence was based in the main upon the belief that the cham pion can not get in good fighting trim in the short time allotted to train ing.
 Jim does not hope to win quickly; he is prepared to take all Johnson can hand out for ten or fifteen rounds; after that he argues condition will tell and that he will gradually wear the champion down to the point where he can land the finishing blows
 There is no disputing the fact, as dispatches from the battle ground in- form us from day to day, that John son holds Flynn very cheap, and the lllIlttu dIlDuHb Ol WOlh uS Aelo NOAC to date bears ample testimony to that fact Photographs of Johnson recent ly taken at Las Vegas corroborate the stories of lack of condition.
 It will be this lack of condition that beats Johnson, if such an interesting event is to happen, as there is no other way in the world it is possible to figure Flynn victor. The old adage of the ring-a good big man can beat good little man--fits this match to a r. t
 Flynn's chances may he compared with those of Tommy Burns when the latter met Johnson. Bulk won then as it should in this instance, the diff ference being that Johnson at that