The Washington times., 1915-04-01
Champ Tries to Cover Up Dis
taste for Workouts by Over
indulgence in Comedy and
Conversation.
subterfuge Tends to Swing
Sentiment Toward Willard,
- Who Appears Ready to Step
.s., ... =.
Into the Ring. - =
HAVANA, April 1.-The effer-'

HAVANA, April. l.-Ihe eHer-
vescent smile and ready wit OF
"Jack" Johnson is being worked
doubly hard by the possessor there
of in these last few days Defore he
will be forced to meet in the ring
"Jess" Willard, giant challenger for
the worlds boxing honors, on April
5. His odds have dropped from z
to 1, to 8 to 5, because he won't take
training seriously.
Johnson is not in condition. He
has not trained as experts say he
should in order to acuire the
strength and speed to carry him
through such a grueling contest ss
the fight Monday promises to be. He
is fat to the point of having
paunch. He appears to breathe heav-
lily and with difficulty after every
light exercise. He tries to conceal
this unfitness by the aforementioned
smile and a steady flow of conver-
sation, but close observers are quick
to remark that johnson Of the pres
ent is not the negro who toyed with
sJim" Jeffries at Reno.
The champion, 1t is true, seems TO
have all his old time cunning and skill.
His punches have direction and speed.
but it Is evident that they lack force.
In his sparring today with Colin Bel.
Bob, Armstrong, and steamboat
Bill Scott he never once made these
inferior fellows back UP. Rather, he
resorted to subterfuge to slow them up
and to make the work easier while 1t
would seem to the outside he was 60
ing at top speed.
johnson, while not lazy, certainly is
not fond of the training grind. one
of his co-workers said that after the
camp is vacated by the visitors John-
son discards his smile, 1orgets his VII,
and enters upon TRADE against the
forces that command him to get INTO
condition If he would save his title.
The champion. this man says, is DIFF
ferent man entirely when he is not
showing off to the crowds, the fol-
lowers, the curious, the hero Worship
pers. who create an atmosphere which
brings out all the spirit and strength,
and who when absent seem to leave
the negro much in the same CONDITION
as a lamp would be IL the Oil was taken
therefrom. Johnson lives on applause.
Without 1t he fades away to nothing
ness.
II will be remembered that Jeffries
before the affair at Reno refused TO
work as his trainers besought him to.
He did no boxing whatever, and he
skipped over the other distasteful work.
leaving it only half done at best. The
result was open condemnation by the
late Mike" Murphy. the veteran
trainer, who openly predicted in the
press the defeat OF Jeffries
Possibly Johnson did not learn les
son from Jeffres. Possibly he Is the
superman, as Jack" London termed
him before that struggle at Reno. But,
at any rate. his refusal to train has
changed the betting sentiment here.
to ! is quoted at s to .. and In some
places even money Is being asked
The massive Kansan Is totally unlike
johnson in personality as we'll as physi-
cal build Where johnson meets witty
remark with rapierlike anrwers. Willard
simple stares at the facetious one. slow
ly assimilates the, point of the jest and
smile to shyly illuminate his face. He.
It can be seen from this. Is slow think
er. plodder. but one who knows what
he Is seeking and one with a dosged
courage, a tenacity that knows no
way but the straight road TO success.
The challenger has not left anything
undone to win this fight. He is trained
to the minute and looks the part. His
skin Is dazzling In Its pureness and
there is not a blemish or pimple on him.
His muscles move freely and easily and
no seems a man machine capable OF
dealing destruction to any who block his
path
Willard did little work today con.
tenting himself with long run or
the road and half an hour of gymnastic
work. He did no sparring whatever
and his manager. Tom Jones, saws thai
In all probability he will not don tho
gloves again. unless he gets stifr. and
then the gloves and a sparring part
ner will only be used Sunday that ht
may loosen up,
johnson cut his training down to &
shadow today as he was celebrating
worry of fighting to cut into any en-
tertainments.
Havana TRANSPORTATION companies
have pra cticallv comnIeted all arrange
ments for handling the big crowd tha
now seems assured. On every line tina
reaches the race track at Mariana
there will be extra cars and automo
biles bv the hundreds will he presse'
into service. The mavor ot Mariana
has completed arrangements to polio
the race track. both on the inside an
outside. and he will also have a Coun
of companies of rurales on hand 70
reserves.
Jack Curlev and Harry y. Frazee
promoters of the fght today announce
that enough reserved seats have bee
sold TO assure the success of the ven
ture,