The Detroit times., 1914-06-01
Refuse 10 Take Ii Seriously Be-
cause There Are So Many
Queer Angles To Ii
SOME THINK CHAMPION
WILL TAKE A BEATING
Then He Will Come Back and
Clean Up on the Betting on
Return Bout
ny RALPH H. YoNKER

The elite among the fight fans OF
Detroit. the high mogms OF the clan,
can't see" the Johnson Moran battle
for the heavyweight championship OF
the world scheduled Tor June p at
Paris.
No battle which carries with II such
high honor as the heavyweight cham.
p.onship has ever attracted less at
tention among Detroit bugs than the
present one Here IL is less than a
month from the date OF the battle
and Il is scarcely mentioned
One reason OF course. that II isn't
attracting more notice is that II Is
10 be fought so far away IL il were
70 Sc fought in Canada Il would get
more attention here
The big reason that it is not
noticed however is that it looks
queer There is some cullud gemen
IN the hedge somewhere and the bugs
can't figure out whether he Is pal
Of johnson or his worst enemy
About all the discussion there is on
the battle is about its crooked look
There is little arguing about the abil
tiles OF the two men There is prac-
ticaly no betting as 10 the outcome
Whatever talk there is Is about the
queerness Of the whole AFFAIR
The promoters OF the engagement
have failed TO gain the confidence Of
the pugilistic fans m this city OF
course, they had a hard task TO gain
confidence in any undertaking In
which Johnson was concerned.
(ne theory advanced lis that John
son vii lie down and take a beating
from Frank Moran In order TO get an.
other battle with him that Will draw
big gate receipts and give him
chance 10 clean up on the gambling
end Of the two bouts. betting against
himself secretly on the present battle
and fer himself on the next.
On the other hand they cannot rec.
on"ile this idea with the fact that
Johnson has let stories about his dis.
sipation go unchecked They think
perhaps he figures on cleaning up by
a victory in the first bout
Another theory is that Johnson viii
take terrific beating m the hands
OF Moran I'm order that ne NAV be
able &c return to this country Strip
Johnson or his worlds champion title,
anu ltA hlN lit. low IN france TOT
while and he conldN return 10 this
country without attracting any great
amount OF attention The fierce gaze
OF the seGrchlieht OF publicity witch
has been uDon him In the past would
be dimmed by lack OF interest I'm
him and his affairs Johnson would
undoubtedly like to return TO this
country but he can't do so while he
is the CHAMPION
Another thing that docks 10 "
queer is the fact that Moran was
picked 70 20 after the heavyweight
title when such man as Gunboat
Smith was available N this bout
June - is 20 be bonahde effort 20
regain the title for the white race
why send Moran whose ability has
mover been widely recognized. even
IN lac has ability. when the Gunner is
idleo
Johnson and Moran are both IN
Paris working out ~ villas near
Paris They are reported 10 be work
Ing hard 20 get into shane FOR the
bout Johnson Is said TO have started
two weeks ago lust what these re-.
ports are worth is question how
ever Every BIZ of dope ON The Hph,
VIII be wellyalted before being svaI.
low ed in Detroit