The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-18
IN TIP-TOP SHAPE
Jack Curley Says johnson Has
Been Training Hard.
He Will Be Well Primed When
He Reaches Juarex.

Ell Paso. Tex, Feb. 1S.-Jack John
son will arrive in Juarez next Monday
and the day he arrives he will be In
shape to step into the ring with Jess
willard. according to Jack Curley,
promoter of the fight. johnson, ac-
cording to Curley. is today close to
the Mexican coast. Where he will
land and what route he will take to
reach Juarez, Curley now has, and
says he will continue to keep absolute
1y secret. AL he will say is that John
son has touched at Cuba and is now
on the ocean.
Both johnson and willard will
step into the ring on March g. said
Curley today. There is no possibility
OF the fight being postponed. john
son. since he left England, has had
three trainers with him. He has been
in constant training while on ship
board and will arrive in Juarez almost
ready to enter the ring the hour he
arrives. He Will not ask any post
ponement for training"
johnson when he arrives in Juarez
will be more deliberately guarded than
General Pancho Villa. In a state
ment made to Curley brother OF
Villa stated he had arranged for a
personal guard of ten picked men.
who would constantly be with the big
negro.
Quarters Reserved.
A large house in Juarez next to the
one in which Villa lives when he is
in Juarez. which is the same house.
by the way, in which the Engl1shman.
William S. Benton, Was murdered. has
been reserved for the champion. The
extra precautions are being taken, ac-
cording to the Juarez military author
tiles, to prevent JohnsOn's being kid
mapped. Under no circumstances will
the big fighter be turned over to
United States authorities. This state
ment is made on authority of General
Villas brother, who says he is au-
thorzed by the general and the mill
tary and municipal authorities of
Juarez.
Work on The big arena for the fight
which is to be located on the course
# the Juarez race track. will begin
ten days before the fight. The plans
the contract for the erection Of the
arena let. Construction will not be-
gin until as late as possible as races
are being run daily at the track.
Willard is IN splendid shape for
the fight and his condition is rapidly
shortening the odds that at first all
favored the negro. Willard is guard
ed night and day at his camp and for
weeks has been putting in regular
gruelling training. When he first ar
IlNcu TIE UiSu altitude DOtHeIoQ MIN
and his training was cut short but he
has now become entirely acclimated
and is in the best of trim. Many who
had heavily backed the negro when
Willard first began training are now
hedging.
Missouri University Fl: X. S. A. C. ~.
Manhattan, Kan, Feb. 1S.-The
Missouri university won it's fourth
consecutive Missouri valley confer
ence game at basketball here We'd
nesday night by defeating K. S. A. @.
II to 10. The game was close
throughout, being won only by a free
throw in the last two minutes of play
Another Star Quits Baseball,
New York, Feb. 1S.-Arthur Shafer
former third baseman of the New
York National League team, Wednes-
day informed President Hampstead
he was through with professional
baseball for all time. He said the
ruTnnrS that "a would n ia