Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-05
ARE PRESENT
DAY BOXERS
UP TO mark?

Peter Jackson could have whipped
Jack Johnson the best day the latter
ever saw" So declares Bob Arm
strong. WHO has trained Johnson and
VIII: saw Jackson box on a number
CT occasions when the great Austria
Ian WAS at his best Armstrong was
iE reflective mood and spoke his
mind freely.
We cUlored people," he said, ARE
unfortunate in that VIC did not have a
Peter Jackson to win the heavyweight
championship instead CT Jack Johnson.
Jackson was thorough gentleman,
AM had he wen the title white people
would have thought no more Of 1t
than they did when Joe Cans or
George Dixon won their champion
| ships.
Johnson has not behaved himself
IS he should" continued Armstrong.
I'VE all know that. And just because
he has done wrong all the colCred box.
ers must suffer"
And you honestly think that Jack
. soE was Johnson's mastcr?" was sug-
gested.
! Il do" replied Armstrong. Now,
don't misunderstood md I'm net say
ling that johnson is not } great fighter.
He is one Of the best heayyweights OF
all time ..ut it is his defense which
makes him wonderful. He is past
master in that department OF boxing.
Peter Jackson ,on the other hand, was
not only wonderful on the defensive,
but he was great in all other depart
ments of the game.
aside from this, Peter was larger
man than Johnson. Most Of the
younger fight fans will be surprised
to hear this, but it u.s. nevertheless,
Fla fact. -.
! !. Jack Johnson in condition-that is,
as he was before he began dallying
with automobiles and expensive wines
weighed. about 195 pounds. He
fought heavier than, that at times, but
that was about hisswefght when he
was in real good sh4ps R6ter Jack.
soon in cone:tion weighed 210 pounds.
| What man Jackson twasi / saw
him box Il Chicago one dine when he
was not I'M the best Of shape. But
he didn't have to be. He u1erely walked
about ana pinned his man whenever
| he wanted to. Peter made the other
fellow run around the ring and then
caught him as he rounded. the: cor
ners. TIE bout between Peter Jack.
son ami Frank p. Slayin In London is
still referred to as the greatest Ipugil.
istic contest that. ever took place In,
| England. Iadoubt If any other man
but jackson could have whipped Slavin
at that time" ~
Then Armstrong paused to express
his regret over the present day lack Of
high-class pugilists-
There are no more fighters like the
old timers" he said, land there won't
be until conditions change. Most OF
our fighters now are boys who were
thrown into the ring before they knew
what boxing glove was. All they
know is to go in and exchange wallops.
The first fellow to stop one with his
jaw drops. Of the finer points of the
game they know nothing.
Some of these boys who are claim
ing championships today. and many OF
the older fellows as well. will be sur.
prised to learn that Jim Corbett, with
all his wonderful boxing skill was not
above making a study Of Jackson's
style. Corbett made it point to be
present at every opportunity when
Peter boxed. And he made no secret
of what he was there for. When
asked, Jim always replied that he was
present to pick up whatever pointers
he could.
Of hn oil afc nf f0A
VIXEN we have no really great boxers, |
arc, thoroughly aa'is led in their own
minds that they know all there is to
be learned aoCnt the game.
II crly wish they could sec such
men as Peter Jackson, Jim Corbett, |
Frank Slavin, Tommy Ryan or a dozen |
others of the old.timers, that they |
might realize how much they could
learn"
Armstrong also had his say on mod |
ern methods Of training.
How in the world" he asks, ''can |
mar expect to be able to stand 20
rounds IF the hardest kind of boxing |
when he does not work that long in /
the gymnasium?
You take the average pugilist OF
today He goes into the gym of an
afternoon. skips the rope probably
so or 100 times, spars six or maybe
ten rounds, punches the bag a little
and perhaps pets the wrist machine
little Then he is rubbed down. In
all he works half an hour or so. Yet
he expects to go into the ring and
box one whole hour. No wonder SO |
many of our boxers get wabbiy at the
knees toward the end of contest |
they haven't trained for their work.
Bob heaved a most eloquent sigh.
The boxing game" he said, "ain't |