The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-03-29

F|ST|C FIGHT
NEXT MONDAY
HISTORY OF PRIZE RING OFFERS
NO PARALLEL OF SUCH con-
TEST AS THIS WILL BE-GlANT
GLADlATORS.

New lorh. March -S.-The history
of the prize ring offers no parallel
OF the battle for the worlds heavy
weight championship in which Jack
Johnson and Jess Willard will en-
gage next Monday at Havana, Cuba.
/ Big men have fought for this premier
. title OF fistiana since the early days
Of the eighteenth century. but never
through the long list of champions
/ from James Figs TO Jim Jeffries have
two fighters OF the physical proper
tiOns OF Willard and Johnson crossed
arms in the roped arena.
OF the champions OF modern times
Corbet,. Jehries and Johnson all
passed the six-foot mark. while Sui.
Ivan. Sharkey and Fitzsimmons were
from one TO three inches below this
height. When the negro title holder
and his challenger step into the ring
on next Monday. Willard vii tower
six feet six inches. in the air while
Johnson will stauG i've and a half
inches below him IN weight these
fighters are also far above the ring
average Of the heavyweight class.
Willard will weigh close TO 235
pounds. which will give him an ad-
vantage Of about twenty pounds over
Johnson in the clinching and tussl-
ing. which will doubtless play an
important part in the battle.
Next to Jim Jeffries, the Goliath OF
modern times, johnson is the biggest
man who ever held the title. Jefries
weighed 220 pounds, and stood six
feet one and a half inches in fighting
shoes; Johnson is six feet one half
inch tall and weighs about 2l5
pounds. in condition; Jim Corbett
scaled ls7 pounds at his best and
was g feet l inch tall: Fitzsimmons
was one and one-fourth OF an inch
, shorter and fought al about 10
pounds; Sullivan stood feet 10 1-2I
inches. and fought al 195 pounds
/ Tom Sharkey Was five feet nine inch
es. and fought his best bouts att
close to 100 pounds.
Compared with these past heavy
weight gladiators, Willard appears as
e Samson. Even when ranged along
side OF Johnson the Kansas cowboy
oyershadows the negro title holder
in almost every point Of physical
measurements. In addition 10 his )
l. inch advantage in heigh. and
ten years difference in age. he out
weighs Johnson BY twenty poundl
His reach OF S3 IL inches against
the neg-O's IS inches will also prove
OF exceptional value il properly used.
In all the measurements OF trunk
and limbs Willard shows an adyan-
tage in structure. muscle and ches,
expansion varying from two to four
inches.
To offset these physical assets
Johnson has the benefit Of ring wis
dom and craft cultivated during his
long career as championship contend
er and holder Just as Willard sur
passes Johnson in every point OF |
physical makeup. the Galveston pu.l
gilist eXcels the Kansas boxer in all
departments OF the science of giving
and evad.ng glove punishment. With
youth and power ranged against eX-
perience and skill. the battle is likely
70 develop into contest in which
ring strategy will equalize brute
strength and courage
Johnson's ring assets are well
known. but uncertainty clouds Will
ards prospects In his short period
OF active glove battling he has never
faced an opponent OF the power, skill
and experience Of Johnson. The ne
gro is no physical weakling. even at
the age of thirty-eight years. AID.
while Willard must be accorded .he
advantage here. il IS likely that the
champions offensive and defensive
skill in both boxing and clinehing
will nullify this 10 a considerable ex-
tent In the closin. rounds OF the
battle il Is probable that endurance
and courage will play an important
part
Willard has shown both these 1uql-
tiles but up to the present tine has
no; been noted for aggressiveness
or boxing ability. Whether he can
use 10 the opportunity will be dem
olstrated in the supreme :eSt at Ita-
vznz next Monday. The future draw
ing powers OF a new champion. ;ow-
erins far above many OF his prede-
cessOrs. adds a glamor 10 the battle
which the promoters have bad in
mind since they beam the prcl5mi-
nary arrangements some months ago.
That the matchmaking was not
r--lo-r- f-s DELAYS and rY-Sa-S IL