Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-31
JACK JOHNSON "ALL IN"
SAYS CORBETTS FRIEND
Hears That Heavyweight Cham
piOn Is a Mental and Physi-
cal Wreck.
MAY BE EASY FOR MORAN
"Don't Count Johnny Out Too
Soon" Says Jim, Talking
of Coulon.
BY JAMEs J. CoRBEn

Worldly
Last week received O. letter from
a gentleman at present residing in
Partisan American who represents
!. large business interests abroad, but
who is, and has been for years, an
admirer and close student of boxers
and boxing. My correspondent be-
lieves that Jack Johnson is "all in"
and that the first man of any account
at all who meets him will take the
title away from the negro. follow
with his communication:
Something is wrong with Jack
Johnson; 1 mean both mentally and
physically I saw him the other day
when he signed to box Frank Moran,
the American, next June, and was
greatly surprised at his appearance.
Do not let anyone tell you johnson
is so fat that he will have a hard
job training down to lighting weight.
He doesn't look any too heavy right
now. On the contrary, he looks as
though he needed some sort of work
to build him up. If ever a man had
the appearance of an "all-in" fighter
johnson is the man. He is drawn
and peeked in the face and looks as
if husky would have an easy time
with him. Johnson seems to be suf-
fering from an excess of some type
of dissipation that Is more injurious
to the system than the kind of booze
they deal to the folks back home.
Evidently the champion has been
going very stiff pace over here.
While I never could claim intimate
association with the black, I have
often come in contact with him in
the States, but this was the first time
l saw him since he has been in
France However, have seen enough
of him in the past to know that his
condition at present is not f1attering
to him.
Bad Case of Nerves.
johnson acted the other day as If
his nerves were all on strike. While
he attempted to disguise his feelings
with a forced jollity it was apparent
to those present that the champion
was in bad shape. He appeared to
have a very bad case of nerves. One
familiar with the effect absinthe has
on fellow would say that the cham
pion was just recovering from an ex-
tended debauch. Mind you, 1 am not
saying that this was the real cause
of Jacks highly nervous state, but
If 1t was not then there is some
thing else that has him going.
bust individual of few years back.
My opinion is he would be an easy
victim for any guy with a punch.
Sam Langford probably would stop
him in a few rounds If they were to
meet within the next few months, but
think Jack must realize it and is
too foxy to give Langford the chance.
It will take him a year or more to
get into shape to put up a real battle
If he ever can get back in condition
to fight at all.
at never SOW Moran fight, but II
he amounts to anything l advise you
TO get bet on him. If the fight
takes place in une, Moran ought
to beat him. Or any other fighter
will need more than five months to
train If he is going to lick anybody
worthy the name of fighter. 1T will
not take any Langford to beat John
son. johnson is not there any more,
or else l dom know a thing about
mans condition"
Nothing for Moran to Lose.
The letter is interesting in that 1t
hands us some new dope on the
champions present condition. From
most of the stuff that has been
written and cabled over here in the
past year We have pictured johnson
as regular fat guy--one so big and
gross that it would take many
months to work the surplus weight
off. But my correspondent writes
that Jack Is not over-fat, as we have
been led to believe. and that what
ever designations he has INDUCED in
have had an opposite effect.
AS for Frank Morans chances of
beating Johnson-if the match ever
should take place-well, the Pitts
burgher is simply taking chance,
He has nothing to lose in the matter
of reputation and a whole lot to
gain. Danny McKettrick, his man
ager, knows this, and If johnson
really is not there any more. then
Moran or any other fighter would
have good chance to lick him.
However, Moran is not the fighter
would choose to send after the title.
Frank is an earnest and willing fell
lew, but when that's said 1t is about
all. There are several fellows in this
country-white men at that-who can
beat Moran. At least I think so!
Gunboat Smith outpointed the Pitts
bu-gh man, and that happened before
the Gunner was as good as he is
right now. Morans latest mill on
this side was with AL Palzer, and
when he beat that giant we thought
he might amount to something after
all. But in the light of recent de-
velopments concerning Palzer's con-
dition at the time, Franks stock has
taken sharp slump. Sickness had
robbed Palzer of much of his strength
and he proved an easy victim for
Moran, as he was again, few weeks
later on, In the bout with Dan DAILY,
Jimmy Dimes heavyweight.
Jess Willard. If he would fight and
not stall, would stop a fellow like
Moran inside Of ten rounds. In fact,
think Willard could trim any white
heavyweight. and possibly the blacks,
II he could but be developed into an
aggressive fighter. Gunboat Smith is
another whose record entities him to
chance at the champion over Mo-
ran. Smith has beaten practically
all tho white hopes either by knock
out or via the decision route, and
looks the best In the game, barring
Willard. And this pair has been
matched for twenty rounds at San