Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1915-04-05
TWO GIANTS IN
THE PRIZE RING
Jack johnson and Jess Will
lard Are Battling for
the Championship.
EACH EXPECTS TO WIN
II is the Old Story of Skill and
Strength Against Youth
and Strength.
EACH EXPECTS TO WIN
AssncInted press plspatcn py specIaI VIE

the morning saw thOusanus ON the way
to the Mariana race course, where the
fight was staged.
Neither the black pugilist nor the cow
boy fighter changed over night their
onfimistic fore ,asts of the outcome. Each
man was sure he would win. Johnson
said he was in good shape and did not
care if the fight we're hard one as he
was fit to 90 any distance. Willard's
hackers were certain that their man would
win if the fight went beyond 10 rounds.
Willard asserted that he was not IN the
least nervous over the result. 1t was the
old story of skill and strength against
youth and strength with the betting odds
at 6 to 3 on JohnsOn's skill. johnson, one
of the largest men who ever stepped into
a prize ring, faced an opponent measura-
bly, larger and lOyears younger than hlm-
self. The negro is 3S years old, and Willard
is 2S. Willard weighs normally 20 pounds
more than Johnson and tops him five
and one-half inches, being six feet, six
inches tall Not within the history Of the
prize ring had two such giants been
brought together before.
The scene of the fight was the
race track, 10 miles from the city. Thous-
ands were at the track hours before the
time set for the encounter. Tickets to the
amount of $4,000 had been sold in adj
vance. but the So seats were to be sold at
the turnstiles at the four gates today.
Sunrise found men waiting in line Some
of them had been there all night Forty
five rounds were the scheduled length OF
the fight, but few of the thousands who
gathered entertained even passing be-
lief that it would 90 that long. That would
mean three hours fighting, allowing for
the one-minute rest between rounds. lex
ORourke, one Of Willard's advisers,
thought that in the first rounds the ad-
vantage would be with johnson be-
cause of his superior skill. Alter this,
ORourke said, Willard would wear the
champion down. In 30 rounds or less, he
thought. Willard would win.
Jess Willard popped out of bed with the
rising sun today and after a light arm
stretching exercise partoOk Of his break
fast. He next prepared himself for a short
turn on the road, after which he said he
would loaf until time to go to the ring.
'I am fit," said Willard to a crowd OF
admirers, who came over to his training
quarters to look the cowboy giant over
s'Whv shouldn't be ready? l have work
ed hard for several weeks and am down tC
my proper ring weight of 245 pounds.
have left lust enough fat on me TO burn of
during the fight. have studied Johnson S
stvle. understand his methods and have
planned my ring campaign accordingly
! rather expect the fight TO run about u
rounds at least. JohnsOn's condition will
enable him to carry a fast pace for that
distance. Then the strain will tell and
will push him to the limit"
johnson smiled at his headquarters
this morning while he idled away the
time before the fight. The negro took a
stroll before breakfast, but beyond that
did nothing in the line Of exercise. johnson
Is undoubtedly over his best ring weight
and though he said he would enter the
ring at 225 he appeared to be several
pounds heavier. 81,
'I'n be right there all the way" said
johnson this morning. ~ know when
have reached my best condition. All this
talk of my having lost my punching
ability is nonsense. Just you ask my
sparring partners. They will tell you
AS TO Willard know he is a strong boy
but YOU know what old FitzsimmonI
once said, the bigger they are the harder
they fall I'll get him with a series o
blows that will put him under before many
rounds have been run off. Just love thaI
championship, and am not going to lost
It,"
Willard thought he would start for the
ring about ii o'clock, while the champion
said he would 60 over to the arena al
noon.
There has been little preliminary bet
ting, but there were indications that wag
ering would become more brisk as a,
day wore on. Almost everyone witt
money TO place apparently waited fol
an eleventh-hour shift in the odds n the
hope of better terms. johnson was favor
ite with the odds at to and 6 to 5
These were the figures obtained today
at the Miramar Hotel, where the lat'
arrivals from Key West and New Orleans
focked before the fight Uncertainty a
to Johnson's real condition and Willardl
ability are the factors which have KEEP
down the betting, and there was as mucl
speculation regarding these questions thu
morning as there was a week ago IL j
Johnsons skill and experience agains
Willard's youth, the experts said.
Jack Welsh, the referee, said he antlci
pated no trouble refereeing the match.
"There will be no technical champion
if can help it," he said. "The WHINE
will have TO earn his laurels. have talke'
the rules over with the fighters, and the.
know what is expected of them"
Early estimates of the crowd, whicl
began to gather with the sunrise, place,
the number at 1900. They came iron
everywhere The hotels emptied afte
an early breakfast Most of them wer
filed with Americans who had been her
several days in anticipation Of the bi
event. The last boats from Key Wes
brought many others. From the inter-
or of the island came men Of all station
from wealthy planters to natives, VIII
stood in line for the So seats Before day
break crowds of natives, secure in the be
lief and hope that johnson would retail
his laurels, began pouring into the city
The streets were filed with a mOtle
throng, and the training quarters of tn
pugilists were the centre of admirin
throngs. Hours before the two giants ster
ped into the ring the stands were blac
with spectators. They went to the trac
by automobile by trolley, on every avail
able bicycle in Havana and on foot. Pres
dent MenOcal and his cabinet. the Cor
gress of Cuba, the governor Of Havan
province, the mayor of the city, foreig
Ministers and hundreds of women weI
among the spectators The electric line
were unable to handle the crowds, an
many persons walked the 10 miles frol
Havana.
The promoters during the /mornir