New-York tribune., 1915-03-28
JACK JOHNSONPS
TITLE AGAIN IN
THE BALANCE
Will Meet Jess Willard in
Havana Ring on Easter
Monday.
CHALLENGER HAS
WEIGHT ADVANTAGE
Youth Also in His Favor, but
Giant Negro Is Master OF
Ring Tactics.

heavyweight championship from jim
JeFrlcS IN 1910, Jack Johnson Will
defend his title al Havana. Cuba, on
April 3. On that date Jess Willard
considered the most formidable among
the white aspirants fol the worlds
premier ring honor, will meet the negro
IN what rs scheduled as 40-rounc pat
tie for the championship.
In his long career rs pugiilst John-
son has never faced an opponent OIL the
huge physical proportions OF wizard
Because Of this advantage IN welght
height and reach, as well as the zen
years difference in their ages, the ioi-
lowers OF willard hope TO see S youth
and endurance triumph over the su-
perior boxing skill auC ring experience
Of the champion.
Il IS this meeting between the mas
ter pugilist and gigantic novice tnat
lends interest and uncertainty 10 'h9
battle. Willard, shOrn { his physlcal
advantages, would be but manlkln
IN the hands Ci the negro, VINO mas
learned every trick of boxing known
in expert ring strategy during his many
wears in the squared circle.
Although John5ons ring career ante
dates the present century. by iew
months. his prowess as a fighter did not
bring him into prominence IN the
heavyweight division until ten years
ago. and then his standing did not give
much promise Of Championship possl-
bibties. At that time he began meet
ING men of his own color, such as Sam
NlcVey. Joe Jeanette, BLACK Bill
Walter Johnson and others, whom he
defeated. in several instances deels-
ively. -,
Johnson's two winning battles with
To,. Jeannette. at Baltimore, and sam
I..gford. at Chelsea, Mass, N 1910,
however. demons trated that he would
have TO be reckoned with by the best
Of the fighters, white or colored, with
championship pretenslOns IN the heaVy-
weight class.
Al that time Jeffries had retired from
the ring, havinL handed the title TO
Marvin Hart. Tommy Burns, py ue-
feating the latter, also JACK
O'Rrjen. who elaine the champion
shin. assumed the worlds title IN 1871.
Johnson meanwhile was ploddi- along,
incidentally knocking out Felix ana
Lang I'M Australia, and ending the
comeback pro} ensities of Bob Fltz-
simmons IN two round. a. Philadelphia,
and an cleven-rouud knockout OF jim
Flvun at San Francisco in the same
year--l9J1,
I'm December. 1908. Johnson hsG the
advantage over Tommy Burns at sgd
0ev. Australia, when the police stopped
the bout IN the fourteenth round. as
placed the big GalV. stCn negro Tight
AZ the top of his class, anc: "hlIe 10
on. was willing to recognize him as the
worlds title holder, he vent right on
Irbtina successfully, @nishlng up with
the knockout of the late Stanley
Ketcbel in twelv rounds at Colma,
Cal m oct 0ber l6. 1909.
IL was then that the negro's pro-
uounced ability and recognized clever
ness stung Jcfries into action. Inc
big Caifornan's sef-entorced retlre-
ment ended abruptly and Jefrles re-
entered the arena. This seemed 10
suit Johnson perfectly, and the great
match for the worlds championship
was quickly arranged, with the result
that johnson scored decisive victory
over JcarIes at Reno July 4, 1917.
From that time 70 the present John-
son has been the undisputed champion
Heavyweight of the world. During the
last 1--WE wears he has been called upon
orlv three times TO defend the title:
Ills FIGHT with Jim Flynn at Las
Vegas. y. NJ, was stopped in the ninth
'oInd bv the authorities, and Johnson
was declared the winner. In Paris,
France. the bout between the champion
and Battling" jim Johnson was calleo
q draw, and last year ne gained tne
referee decision over Frank Moran IN
n twenty-round bout, which also tooE
place in the French capital
Jess Willard, who was born IN Pot,
+awatomie County. Kan, twenty-eight
wears ago, is q giant in stature, stand
fnr fulIy 6 feet inches without shoes
and when In good condition for 0ouI
.urns the scale at 235 pounds. -Four
..oars ago he was first seen IN rlng
fcbt when he lost on a foul to LOUIS
Fiuk in the tenth round OF bout al
Serulpa. Okla, hut within SIX weeks
from that time he knocked out Flnk
,p three rounds at Oklahoma City. ht
followed up with five snockouts anc
rwo ten-round winning brackets or
points during 1911, his first year OF
lighting in public.
Five knockouts and two no-declslor
contests gave him clear record foi
1912 The two no-declSlon no9[s wet'
with Arthur Pelky and Luther McCart!
m New York and in each Willard ha'
tbc better of his opponent. The blI
Konegn also scored two Of his hv'
lEDockouts in the East at New York ant
RuFalo. his victims being Soldier
Kearns and "Sailor" White. Out o
aleven fights in which he took par
during 1912 Willard lost only one. I'M
was 10 "Gunboat" Smith III twenty
rounds at San Francisco. 1900,
smith was the best man that Willarc
has met in his ring career, with th'
possible exception of Carl Morris
whom he defeated in en-round e
~ New York Last year Willard me
Tom McNahon ia a ten-round node
cision bout, and scored knockouts ovei
Dan Daily in nine rounds at Buffalo
and George Rodel in six rounds a.
Atlanta.
Willard powers Of endurance are
unouestioned. but be lacks aggressive
ness and skill These Disadvantages
however. may have been remedied by
strict attention 20 the coaching of his
handlers and what he has learned from
his sparring partners in training. He
has three distinct advantages over
Johnson, in youth, height and reach
.be possession Of which, combined with
4 splendid constitution, make Willard
The most formidable opponent that has
been matched against Johnson during
mis- entire career in the prize ring.