The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-02
||FAR|S SAYS FIGHT
/ WILL Be ON LEVEL
After Talk with Johnson, He Says
There's Not Slightest Chance
Of its Being
Thrown.
'sUPREMELY CONFIDENT
Jacks Confidence in Winning yerses
Upon Arrogance and He
Dsrides Wizards
Chances.
sUPREMELY CONFIDENT
by Barry Faris, United Press Staff
Correspondent

[By Barry Faris, United Press Staff
Correspondent
HAVANA, April 2.-The Johnson
Willard fight will be on the level;
certainly as far as johnson is con-
cerned. There isn't the slightest
chance of its being THROWN
make this assertion with conf
dence, following long talk with the
champion today. Also, Johnson Is
utterly, supremely confident that he
cannot lose.
Johnson will not '1ay down" before
Willard It will be stand-up, knock
down, drag-out battle from the dark
win-and quickly.
Jack Talks Frankly.
Johnson's talk with me gave every
sign Of frankness and candor With
him it's question of coin. He real
ICES that retention OF the title means
more than fortune. He feels that II
he lost he'd be dead coon. financial
ly. He realizes fully that if he loses
he wouldn't ever draw a five cent
piece anywhere as an ex-champion.
With the title again tucked firmly
under his belt, Johnson thinks his ex.
cheGuer will never want and that he
will he good for big money any time
and anywhere-except for his en-
forced absence from "the states"
Plans Harvest on Tour.
After tucking away Willard, John
son plans a harvest on tour OF
South America and France.
''I'll admit l haven't worked my
head off," johnson told me today. Il
don't have to. Look me over. Feel
OF my muscles. You won't ind soft
spot anywhere. am ready for the
gong right now For weeks I've train
ed easily but steadily, gradually work
ing back into my present mt condition.
willard is novice. anyway. I'll
admit he is big fellow, young and
strong. But there's nothing to 1t. He
isn't the first big young fellow I've
put away. He hasn't a chance. Put
your money on Lii Artha."
Johnson's confidence of winni1g
verges upon arrogance. He derides
and ridicules Wizards chances.
Betting was still light today; there
were plenty OF jawbone wagers, but
little real money Is being covered.
A new point was raised in the John
son-Willard fight talk today and the
betting element discussed 1t seriously.
It was this: Can Referee Welsh stop
the fight II Willard is badly cut up
and staggering blindly around the
ring?
Both Jack Curley,. Johnson's mana.
ger, and Tom Jones, plotting the white
hope, registered emphatic denials.
They declared Welsh had been Sc
|lected because he had never been
known to stop a fight. There is dan.
ger, according to Curley and Jones,
that Wizards chances OF going the
entire distance will be spoiled by
Welsh If his face is being ribbo1ed BY
Johnson's blows.
Notwithstanding this assurance, the
Willard t.etters were much worried.
They fear that the negro may slash
away at the white man until the Ha-
vana police enter the ring and call a
halt. Curley pointed ont that the Ha-
vaaa police have done bull-fght or
two and never took active interest in
prevention Of bloodshed.
Nevertheless the men putting coin
on Willard to stick the entire dis
lance carried furrowed brows. Rain
caused the abandonment OF road work