The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-12
WILLARD WORKING
Fight Critic Tells What He Saw
in Kansan's Camp.
Sees Much Ability and Good
Judgment in Big Jess.
(By w. w. Naughton.)

San FRANCISCO, May 12.-1f what
white hope does in his gymnasium af
fords a line on his fighting ability,
those who visited Camp Willard yes
terday should be able to form an opin-
ion of the tall Kansan's worth as
ring man. Jess went through nine
rounds with his sparring partners, those
VINO helped out in the glove exercise
being Charlie Horn, Jim Cameron and
n. Venuicich
Horn was first on the list and by the
same token he gave Willard the best
workout. charlie kept close in and
while his crowding tactics brought him
IN contact with quite few straight
lefts, he had the satisfaction of reach
ing Wizards head now and again with
swinging blows.
This was in the opening round. In
the next Willard tented lot and drew
Horns fire. Whenever Horn led Will
lard snapped back from the punch and
countered with an uppercut.
cameron relieved Horn after two live
~ rounds but failed to perform in
manner calculated to make Willard ex-
tend himself. In fact, Cameron was as
careful as though defending the world s
championship against a dangerous OPP
ponent. He contented himself with
covering up and clinching.
AT that Cameron's stonewalling meth
obs served purpose. They enabled the
crowd to judge of Wizards strength IN
pulling and hauling and also drew at
tent1on to the Kansas heavyweight's
great length of arm. While fumbIing
around with a free right in the hug
g1ng matches it looked as though Jess
nad more reach than a windmill. 1t
didn't take him long to break a clinch
whenever he felt like it, and it is evil
dent that he has great power in his
arms and shoulders
Venuicich made a target of Willard's
BODY That is, he tried to, but he met
pea by many inches of height and as
Willard straight left was proving an
additional stumbling block about all
poor ven did was to acquire a repu-
tation for willingness
IL has often been said that you have
to see big man in real fight to tell
what he is made Of and L think this
applies to Wizards case For a. tall
man he is symmetrically built and if
am not mistaken he has the strength to
take care of himself no matter how
rough the milling may be.
He is always well balanced when in
action and displays none of the awk-
Wardness which is generally in evil
dence in the case of a sky-scraping
heavyweight. He uses a straight left
and right uppercut to good advantage
and he ducks, snaps back and side
steps In the manner of the lighter men
of the ring. He has more cleverness
than is usually seen in men of his bulk
and stature.
The principal fault 1 noticed in him
was that he did not send forth his
punches with a good free delivery. He
pokes rather than lashes out and does
not seem to get his muscles and weight
behind his blows.
This, however, may be out of con-
sideration for his partners. He out
reaches and outweighs his assistants to
such an extent that if he were to ex-
tend himself fully he might find diff
Guilty in keeping his sparring staff in
tact. Several times harbored the sus-
picion that big Jess was very much
under restraint and that is why L in
cline to the belief that he will not be
seen at his best until he starts from
his corner to meet Gunboat Smith.
Willard showed that his wind is in
fine shape. After his nine rounds of
boxing his breathing was not disturbed
in the slightest and this though he per-
spired freely. In his case it is quite
easy to keep within striking distance
of good fix for he possesses none of
the habits which are supposed to mill
tate against proper physical condition.
He neither drinks nor smokes and when
he is back home in his native Kansas
he is one of your early to bed and early
to rise fellows.
Gunboat Smith had a little feast of
boxing on his own account yesterday. |
He went two rounds with Greenwood |
and six with Bob Armstrong, who is |
beyond argument one of the most ex-
perienced boxing partners in the BUSH |
ness Bob in his time has acted as |
henchman to most of the worlds cham |
Jacy johnson and Ketch-