Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-04
BIG FIGHT STAGED MONDAY
Johnson, cinder Champ, Will Defend
Title Against Jess Willard,
Hope Of White Race.
RINGsIDE GIVES HOPE CHANCE
nv RTNcsIpE.

after midday, perhaps, we shall have the
answer. The answer will be to the much
mootcd question: Us Jack Johnson still
the doulneering force in the heavyweight
divlsion7''
Jess willard. 2E pounds Of sinew and
muscle has contrived 20 obtain the an
swer from the big senegambian himself
Willard has been allotted forty-five
rounds to solve the problem; but II is
wholly up to himself whether he shall re-
Quire the entire forty-five rounds to OBJ
tain favorable answer. OF determine the
matter in shorter space Of time and
with less drain on his vitality.
All Of which Is preamble TO the sp-
rended facts:
Jack johnson. colored the incumbent
champion. Is 10 meet Jess Willard. the
white challenger in scheduled forty
fivc-round fight at the Oriental race
track. Marianom about five miles from
the heart Of Havana, Cuba, tomorrow.
Johnsons championship OF the universe
Is at stake, and tho men are to embark
on their cpoch-making journey az II
o'clock in the morning.
These are salient points In tho case.
Tho speculative Il herewith advanced.
willard Has n chance.
u IL the humble opinion Of the writer
that Willard has an excellent chance OF
restoring the worlds heavyweight cham
pionship to the Caucasian race. provided
-this reservation goes without prediction
Big Jess has fighting heart as big-or
as snlail-as pebble BY this VIC wish
TO convey that II willard possesses any
kind OF fighting heart at all lie should
have. al least an even chance with the
dusky champion.
Willard has every natural advantage in
tomorrow's big fight. He IL taller. .heav-
Ter more powerful. better developed pro-
portionately. than Johnson Burly Jack
will appear like pigmy when he ranges
alongside Willard tomorrow.
One most important esstntial in john
sons favor Is his experience. He has a
: master fighting brain; is keen TO improve
his opportunities. and besides he ia ar
rogantly confident--on the surface.
Also a psychological aspect into the
controversy While outwardly Johnson
seems cocksure OF victory. It Is the gen.
eral belief that in his heart there Turks
an ingrown apprehension that he may
lose his title. and all the emolument ac-
cruing therefrom. and thus the souroe Of
his easy mode Of living will be suddenly
and effectively cut off This Is believed
% weigh on Johnson's mind more than all
other matters concerning the fight
johnson il BsagEinm.
willard win he sent the way gone bv
I'll the other white hopes that have met
me. ! will knock Jcss out inside Of twen-
" rounds, Is Johnson's boast.
But such braggadaclo can scarcely mis-
lead any one who has seen the ridge OF
snperfluous beef around Johnson's waist
line.
4 can hit harder and am more clever
than Willard. and he'll be playahine
n my hands when / get warmed up" u
the Eist OF Johnsons next statement.
But even this falls to ring true 70 any
one who has noted the continued absence
Of the champions celebrated colder
smile during tho ardIous training siege
There Is great deal Of significance at
tached TO the loss OF Johnson's million.
dollar grin There Is no eainsaying bni
That Jack is taking this affair with VIII
lard seriously; otherwise ne would moi
rave trained so assiduously since .beins
aefinltely informed that the fight wouIt
surely be contested.
The fear Of possible defeat is npoi
! johnson, and u he enters tho ring In I
pcrturbed state Of mind. WIZARDS chanc,
q ultimate victory win be greatly en-
HANGED Jack has gone so far as to TAX,
precautionary measures to INSURE his III
ture IN case q defeat as he has threat
nnod 70 epon a hotel in Havana shortly
lie merely Wishes 70 know In advanc,
whether the natives would look upon III,
proposition fayorabIy. shrewd boy tina
Mr. johnson,
Guards Title Carefully.
Another matter that tended 10 show
iohnsons upset frame OF mind was lndi
Gated BY tho deliberatlon with which II,
chose the referee. A score Of namen .
prominent arbitera were offered by III
willard hackers hut Johnson refused 4
consider any name on the list. foasln,
that he was to be ''iobbed' out Of hi
sltie' His title means his ilfe 10 johnson
ana he has guarded Il carefully.
n now appears certain that nothlnl
~il crop up al tho eleventh hour 70 Ore
rent the match. For while after Ha
fana had been selected as The site 70
tho battle Il seemed - II IL would neve
pe permitted 20 be held A faction d
rival promoters underworld t. intimldat
JACK curley, Dick klesin. st al. into IN
peiief that they would resort 10 any artl
lice IN order 10 stop the bout takln
place But President Menocal has be,
sonaiiy approved OF the match. ana al
supposedly Chamber Of Commerce CA
10 nothing TO hinder the bout az tina
bedy Is practically dead issue on IN
sslend -
i was also declared by a pro,nine,
ranch owner that the battle hetween
black and a white would engender raols
feeling. and possibly start uprising. b,
y = now learned that this statement wa
mace with the intention 20 create inter
rst n the bout
So Johnson and Willard win get {,
Fether tomorrow ana new heavyweisl
champion may be crowned. Anyway.
Is she best chance ia five years that
white man has had 10 win back Il
Hhampionship from johnson.
To Hold Townsend