South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-06
Johnson Collapsed Six
Rounds Before Knockout

! that he was glad ne had lost He
said.
Now all my trouble will be over:
they Will let me alone"
Both Men seem Nervous.
Johnson hardly glanced at willard
when they shook hands and posed for
the pictures. His brow was drawn 10
/ a pucker while willard also seemed
very nervous.
Wizards weight was announced at
| 23s pounds; JohnsOn's at 225.
During the introduction Of Tom
Jones. Willard lolled back in his
chair. his great limbs stretched out
before him and kept licking his lips.
JohnsOn's expression never changed
one iota during the preliminary. His
sleepy eyes were narrowed 10 Sits as
he let his gaze stray over the crowd.
He gave his wife a brief nod OF rec
ignition.
When Willard was introduced he
received a tremendous demonstration
from the crowd which by now was
stretched all over the enclosure. VIII
lard's seconds were Tom Jones. Jim
Savage. Tex O'Rourke and Walter
Monaghan.
At 1920 Curley yelled clear the
ring" and everybody piled out.
The Battle Is On.
WEIGH nodded TO Bob Vernon who
whacked the big gong with a hammer
and the fight was on.
Both men walked out slowly. John
son was especially deliberate. After
a brief bit Of sparring that had no
result one way or the other they went
to clinch. For the first time John
sons celebrated golden smile crossed
his face. but the once bright teeth
were now dimmed and broken where
the gold had disappeared.
Willard pumped three stout blows
TO JohnsOn's paunch without much eff
/ feet. Johnson nodded sleepily when
| Welch called on the men to break.
! Precipitation broke out on the shiny
head OF the Negro almost Immediate
/ ly and his body was soon as wet and
| slippery as a seal. but oddly enough.
as the fight went along the sweat
/ gradually disappeared and at the fin
/ ish the Negroes body was perfectly
| dry. This probably was due TO the
way Jack rested through the closing
round.
Let Out Big Roar.
| When the first round, which was
| fairly even. was ended there came the
/ first uproar. the Cubans being espe-
cially demOnstrative. filling the air
with screams Of viva" for one man
/ OF the Otner.
From the Americans came yells of
| announcement for willard. Scarcely
one English voice was heard in John
| sons behalf although some Of the
| Cubans cried his name.
Never for a moment did Willard
seem afraid of his dusky opponent.
IN the second round the long Kan
sasan led briskly for the stomach
and throughout the fight kept striding
| in without fear.
; II was I'm the second round that
Johnson began series of statuesque
poses that he kept up 10 the end.
He would stand perfectly still with
| gloves poised high in the air, his
eyes glued to Willard for several sec
| Onds at a stretch. This probably was
his way OF resting.
Work Looks Slow.
| Willard staggered him slightly in
this round with a body blow and il
| became apparent 10 all that the Ne
gro had lost his speed. He shuffed
| rather than walked about the ring.
| Johnson got in smash to Willards
stomach that caused Jess mouth to
pop open. but when the second round
came to a close Jess was still march
ing in, unafraid
Up to this time Johnson had not
/ said a word. He rarely smiled az the
| all sides of the ring, but he gave no
| sign that he heard until the third
round when he made some remark to
| Willard.
| When he sat down in his chair be-
/ tween rounds it was noticed that he
! breathed heavily. but in the fourth he
| deliberately thrust his stomach for
/ ward, inviting a blow.
! Wizards blocking was excellent; he
! always seemed to have perfect COM
mand of himself. at times standing On
| tip toe TO make Johnson hit high
Seconds Faces a Study.
The faces Of the seconds on either
side OF the ring were a study through
| out the fight. Jones did all the talk
| ing in Jess corner but this was only
| between rounds so he never shouted
| a word during the fighting. over in
! JohnsOn's corner Armstrong and Nc
| Ney were sombrely silent. McVey oc-
| casionally lifted his lips in grin
! when he watched Johnson.
| The crowd was generous in its ad-
vice To Willard. but Jess might have