Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-04-06


sent word to his wife that he was all
in and told her to start for home. She
was on the way out and was passing
the ring in the twenty sixth round
when a singing left to the body and
a cyclonic right to the jaw caused
johnson to Crumple on the floor OF
the ring where he lay partly outside
the ropes until the referee counted ten
and held up Wizards hana I'm token
of victory.
There is much discussion tonight
and probably will bc for a long time
among the followers OF the fighting
game as to whether Johnson really
was knocked out. In the sense of be-
ing smashed into Inconsistencies, he
certainly was NOT put out
The consensus Of opinion is that
Johnson expected and knew that
there was no possibility Of his win
ming: so when knocked down he
chose to take the count rather than
rise and stand further punishment.
Johnson often has stated that
fighting is a business and he would
not foolishly submit to repeated
knockdowns when he found he had
met his master. A second or two
after Jack Walsh, the referee, had
counted ten johnson quickly got up.
1t was well that he did so for a mo-
ment later a rush OF spectators to
the fighting platform all but smoth-
cred the pugilists.
Trouble Threatened.
For an instant II seemed as if trou-
BILE was threatened but about fifty of
the several hundred soldiers stationed
about the fight arena jumped into the
ring and formed circles around the
Vanquished and victor.
Under escort of the soldiers Will
lard and johnson left the ring and
went to their dressing rooms while
the crowds cheered and broke into
wild discussion.
Willard was out of his dressing
room in a few moments and in an
automobile on his way back to Ha-
Vana. He was escorted half way to
the city from the MaTianaO race track
where the fight was held by a troop
of Cuban cavalry.
Crowds lined the streets and mar
row rOadways and the new white
champion was loudly cheered. He
WAS decidedly the favorite of the
crowd all through the fight and to-
night is the hero of the island.
Automobiles returning to the city
liOlll lllt IlSul lltW WllllG lldBS anu
thus the news spread far and wide
that the white challenger had beaten
the negro champion. As Willard
came along the crowds in the streets
waved flags and linen handkerChiefs
tied to sticks. At one point a group
Of negro children who evidently had
heard that Johnson was the victor
waved black flags at the white cham
pion.
Bruises and Cuts Few.
Willard probably is the most mod
est champion who ever stepped out
Of prize ring, taking his victory as
philosophically as he had looked for
ward to the fight. Neither he nor
Johnson showed much evidence OF
having been engaged in heavy
weight championship battle. The new
champions lip, right ear and left
cheek showed slight cuts but at no
time was there more than a drop or
two of blood in evidence.
In this respect the fight was in
great contrast to the Johnson-Je -Jeffries
fight at Reno five years ago when
Jeffries was cut to pieces and blood
splaShed over the spectators at the
rlngside. Evidently thinking that this
condition might prevail again today,
johnson objected to the presence of
a white woman i'm the newspaper seats
just outside the ropes and>.she was
relegated to place out of possible
range.
on the contrary no fight between
heavyweights that has gone to a fin
ish was cleaner or less brutal. John
sons left eye was partly closed in the
early rounds, but not sufficiently to
interfere with his fighting. His lip
also was cut inside and his famous
golden smile flashed from very red
setting.
Sudden End Surprise.
The end of the fight came with a
suddenness that da2ed the spectators
1t followed two or three rounds OF al
most complete idleness on the part of
the contestants and the crowd settled
down to a long drawn out struggle,
believing that 1t would go the full
limit of the forty-five rounds without
either being able to register a knock
out.
The early rounds were filled with
flashes Of Johnsons former wonder
full speed when he would rain rights
and lefts to Wizards body and face,
delivering ten blows to one from the
big white challenger. Through all this
time Willard was strictly on the de-
fensive and on occasions johnson
played with him, once standing with
guard down and letting Willard
swing at him only TO dodge and
laugh at the awkwardness Of his op-
ponent
In many respects the fight resulted