Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-06
RlGHT-HAND PUNCH
PUTS JOHNSON OlIT
Continued from First pag.l

Continued from First page)
an The punishment Johnson could in :
hict, and partly on the doubt ms IN
|ohnson's and his ability to figh, n
iohS battle against the odds OF su
Perior height, weight, reach and youth.
WILLARD WAS READY
TO STAND PUNISHMENT.
willard said before entering the ring
'hat he would take beating for ten
or hiteen rounds. and had trained to
N''hatahd IT, AS matter of fact. he
LOOK twenty rounds of severe punish
nent. but laughed the blows aside and
hcpt standing up against the rushes OF
Tue negro who several times in each
OF the earlier rounds swept willard be-
'ore him TO the ropes. WiIiard's bacje
blows.
In the rushes johnson would attack
Willard in the body. and when the
"hite mans hands and arms came down
TO guard. Johnson would swing rights
ana iefts TO the unprotected Jaw and
,"ce. After each of these attacks, VII
LARD cheerfully came back for more.
IoAhsons continual grin through the
carly rounds began TO change to a look
"i "onderinent. as the bat tile turned into
INC twentics, and II was evident then
INC negro came TO the conclusion thar
was useless for him TO try TO knock
X. ~
also seemed TO know that he was in no
condition TO fight forty-nve rounds
Time had done It's work
~ had been the opinion of johnson
and many Of his friends that he did moi
nave TO be In the best of condition TO
"hip willard. undertaking the white
man splendid condition and youthful
stamina
The tight was all Johnson's during
me hrst twenty rounds. Willard only
once or twice taking the aggressive and
men swinging clums!ly and wildly.
Ncanwn'!e, his body was growing mink
under the blows that flashed from
crowd GET USED TO
SEEING TWO SHAKE BLOWS
IN these rounds willard took :, beat
ing which would have put an ordinary.
tighter down and out. The crowd got
used Ia seeing him throw off these
siashing blows, and expected to see
Johnson do the same thing when Will
iard swung his right to the ncuro's
chin in the fatal twcnty-sixth round.
They expected to see johnson iumn nm
and continue lighting lust as villa ard
had come back, but the old champion
knew that he had fought his last cham
pionship fight from the twentieth round
10 the final. the fight looked slow. and
the crowd began to boot The reason
il looked slow was because Johnson had
'ech uoiHS All inc nSntlnE, and sud-
denly stopped and began sparring for
time
1t was some time before willard or.
his seconds realized that johnson was
through and only needed blow or two
10 send him to pugilistic Oblivion.
During the early part of the fight
Jack constantly abandoned words with
the spectators. and talked steadily at
willard. who needed the negro's chat
ter about as little as ne did his blows.
Wizards seconds were after John
son all the time. warning him to keep
away from Wizards terrific right. II
was In the sixteenth round that one
of Wizards seconds shouted: Jack,
YOU run into Jess right we will pick
YOU up right over here"
BE sure you take good care of me-"
said Johnson
1t so happened that when Johnson
went down for the count, 1t was in
Wizards corner.
WILLARD WILL MAKE
CHALLENGERS WAIT
Willard probably will take his own
time in accepting any challenges. He
already has announced that If he won
he would not fight another negro.
1t can hardly be said at present that
willard is great fighter, but he is n
wonderful specimen of physical man
hood, and is likely to develop an ag-
gressivcness and skill that may mako
him invincible for years to come
Willard looked clumsy against John
son more skillful man might have
shocked Johnson out after the twelfth
'rund. for after that the negro was GO
ing on speed, nerve and skill.
Throughout the fight the Cubans kept
shouting words of encouragement to
willard. such Hs Kill the black bear"
and KNOCK him out and let us 20
home"
Through the twenty-f first, twenty
second. twenty-third and twenty fourth
,ounds Johnson hardly struck a blow.
When Johnson finally went down I'm tho
twenty sixth round he rolled over on
ais back. The sun was beating down
with torrid intensity, and his arms
drew up as though to shield his eyes
from the glare while the referee
counted.
There was virtually no big betting
here The odds for small wagers to-
day varied from to 8, to to 5 on the
negro.
The crowd which paid to see the fight
looked to number between $1,000 and
10000. Fully 5000 persons Viewed the
fight from the distant slopes and hills.
Many women, both Cuban and Ameri-
can, were present, az well as oil tho not