The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-27
GIANTS OF PUCD0M
johnson and Willard Biggest
Fighters Who Ever Met.
Kansan Has Physical Advan-
tages, but Negro Experience.

The history of the prize ring offers
no parallel of the battle for the world $
heavyweight championship in which
Jack johnson and Jess Willard VIII
engage next Sunday at Havana, Cuba
Big men have fought for this premier
title of fstiana since the early days
of the eighteenth ce 1tury, but never
through the long list of champions
from James F'igS to Jim Jeffrles nave
two fighters of the physical proper,
lions of Willard and johnson crossed
arms in the roped arena.
of the champions of modern times,
Corbett, Jeffries and johnson all
passed the six-foot mark, while Sulh-
from one to three inches below this
height. When the negro title holder
and his challenger step INTO the ring
on Easter Sunday, Willard VIII tower
six feet six inches in the air while
johnson will stand five and nan
inches below him In weight, these
fighters are also far above the ring
average of the heavyweight class.
Willard will weigh close to go
hounds. which will give him an adj
vantage of about twenty pounds over
johnson in the clinching and tussllng.
which will doubtless play an important
part in the battle.
Both Are SamSOns.
Next to Jim Jeffries, the Goliath of
modern ring times, Johnson is the big
gest man who ever held the title.
Jeffries weighed 22O pounds, and
stood feet 1 y inches in fighting
shoes; Johnson is feet II inch tall
and weighs about 215 pounds in con-
dition; Jim COrbett scaled 1877 pounds
at his best and was feet L inch tall;
Fitzsimmons was one and One-fourth
inch shorter and fought at about 10
pounds; Sullivan stood feet 1O1a
inches and fought at 1875 pounds; Tom
Sharkey was 5 feet 9 inches and
fought his best bouts at close to 100
pounds.
Compared with these past heavy
weight gladiators, Willard appears as
a Samson. Even when ranged along
side of Johnson, the Kansas cowboy
overshadows the negro title holder il
almost every point of physical meas
urements. In addition to his Il inch
advantage in height and ten years diff
ference in age he outweighs johnson
by . pounds. His reach of 81 u inches
against the negroes 76 inches will also
prove of exceptional value if properly
used In all the measurements of
trunk and limbs, Willard shows an
advantage in structure, muscle and
chest expansion varying from two to
four inches.
To offset these physical assets John
son has the benefit of ring wisdom and
craft cultivated during his long ca
Teer as championship contender and
holder. Just as Willard surpasses
johnson in every point of physical
makeup the Galveston pugilist eXcels
the Kansas boxer in all departments
of the science of giving and evading
glove punishment. With youth and
power ranged against experience and
skill, the battle is likely to develop into
a contest in which ring strategy will
equaliZe brute strength and courage.
JOhnSOn'S Assets.
Johnson'S ring assets are well
known but uncertainty clouds Will
lard 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 3S years and while Will
lard must be accorded the advantage
here it is likely that the champions
offensive and defensive skill in both
boxing and clinching will nullify this
to considerable extent. In the clos
ing rounds of the battle it is proba BILE /
an important part.
Willard has shown both these quail
ties but up 20 the present time has
not been noted for aggresSivenesS or /
boxing ability. Whether he can rise
to the opportunity will be demonstrate
ed IN the supreme test at Havana next !
Sunday. The future drawing bowers (
of new champion. towering far
above many of his predecessors adds /
a glamor to the battle which the pro-
mOterS have had in mind since thew /
began the preliminary arrangements /
some months ago.
That the match making was not