Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-13
By JIMMY BRITT

Who, If anybody, of the white race,
will be able to wrest the heavyweight
crown from off the brow of Jack
Johnson, Is the question that you hear
from the lips of sporting men in all
places where they congregate. Look
ing the field over, and having, at
least. some measure of experience in
the boxing game, l cannot call to
mind any one of the white hopes, so
called, who has chance with john
son, unless the colored champion has
become a shadow, and a very meagre
shadow, Of his former self.
Situation Worst In 90 Years.
The heavyweight situation has been
for the past two years in worse shape
than 1t has been in twenty years.
Most of the aspirants for the heavy
weight title can be eliminated from
consideration. One can hardly be-
lieve, after seeing them perform in
the ring, that they have given any
time or attention to learning how to
box. Most of the white heavyweights
before the public today have nothing
to recommend themselves, except that
they are large of frame and slow of
brain. In nine cases out of ten they
We're never intended to be fighters,
and the idea. of becoming a pugilist
would have probably never entered
their mind, or the minds of their
friends, were 1t not for the fact that
they happened to scale somewhere
around the 200 mark By this, | mean
to point out that they were never in
tended as regular fighters, lacking as
they do, in most cases, the instincts of
a gladiator without which no man,
large or small, can become sue
eessful pugiliSt. In other words, with
out the combat of instinct and AMI
mate confidence in their ability to
win and the liking for the game itself
no one can win success in the ring.
Most of the white hopes whom | have
seen in action seem to lack the true
lighting spirit, and give me the i'm
preston while in action that they
would sooner be doing something else.
On the other hand, those who would
have the spirit seem to lack the brain
power to absorb any boxing skill. At
no time in the history of pugilism
has there been so few good white
heavyweights and so many bad ones.
| would naturally, like to see some
white man come along capable of
beating Johnson, but l am very much
afraid that we will have to wait some
time. OF course, Johnson, like all
other champions, must eventually be
defeated, and in his contest with
Jim Flynn some time ago and his
battle with his namesake, Battling
Jim Johnson, in Paris recently, he has
shown that he is far from the john
son of old.
Gunboat Smith Looks Best.
Gunboat Smith, in his battles with
other white hopes, has shown him.
| self to be the best of them all, and
| 1t is just possible that he may I'm
J prove enough within the next year tC
| take the coveted title away from tho
negro champion. Smith is possessed
of very good punch, is game and
willing to take a chance while in the
ring. While l admire him personally
however, he is hardly heavy enough
at the present time, or has he a
knowledge of boxing, that would be
required to beat johnson. Battling
Levinsly, who has been doing such
good work of late, is another posi-
bility.
Then, again, there is Charley Vein
ert, the Jersey boy, of whom so much
has been said. Wenert, from what
! hear, is remarkably clever and has
n good wallop. Both Weinert and
Levinsky, however, will need more
experience and weight, which should
come in a year or so, In order to be
considered in line for the heavy
weight honors.
johnson Should Beat Moran.
Johnson, who is now matched with
Frank Moran, in Paris, should win
without any trouble, and while / will
be roofing hard for Moran, | cannot
see how he has a look-in. Altogether
the heavyweight situation seems To
be in the hands of the colored race,
as there seems TO be no white man
capable OF defeating either Johnson,
Langford, Jeanette or McNey. What
further adds to the difficulty Is that
there are SO few big men who can
fight And when you do find one with
the fighting instinct he is usually
either unwieldly in action, slow In
thinking or unable to acquire boxing
skill. In other words, it Is q rare
combination of attributes which 20
to make UP a successful fighter. He
must have courage, ability to think
quickly, be fast in his movements
and, above ALL must possess the in
stinct of fighting. The combination
is rarely found in one man, as big
men are not as plentiful as small
ones, and it is, therefore, more diff
cult to produce a heavyweight cham
pion While l, in common with all
other sporting men, would like to see
the championship brought back TO
the white race, at present the outlook
for that is quite as dark as the quar-
tet of negro men who stand in its
way.