Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-28
JOHNSON HAS HIS TITLE
At STAKE FOURTH Time
Zig Smoke Meets Largest Opponent
When He Faces Willard Next
Sunday.
JESS is FAR sTRON GER
hhnsan Outmeasures Cinder in Every
observation-disclosures Recognized ns
Ono OF Ablest Ring Generals in
Fighting History.


NEW YORK, March :1.-For the
fourth time since he won the heavy
weight championship from jim Jcnrics
IN 1910, Jack Johnson will defend his
buSilistic title at Havana. Cuba. next
sunday. On that date Jess willard.
az" most formidable among the white
'spirantS for the worlds premier ing
honor. will meet the negro in what is
scheduled as Il forty -;v"-round battle
Tor the championship. In his long ca
rr"sr as pugilst, Johnson has n"ver
faced an opponent OF vhc huge physical
Proportions of willard. because OF
mas advantage in weight. height ana
EACH az well as the ten years differ
,HIe IN their ages. ,.e followers "f
Willard hope to see his youth ana en-
duranCe triumph over the superior
boNlng Skill and ring experience Of III"
champion. 1t Is this meeting between
me master pugi!ist AM gigantic movie"
mat lends interest and uncertainty 30
mo battle. willard. shogn o. nis phH
seal advantages. would be- but a maui
h!n In the hands Of the negro who has
learned every trick OF boxing Iluotyn
In expert ring strategy during his many
ears In the squared circle.
Although Johnson'S ring career ante
oates the present century by f"w
months. his prowcss as II tighter did
heavyweight division until ten years
ago. 4 then his standing did not give
mucl .romise Of championship posi-
b!liti AT that tim" h" began meeting
men his own color such as sam Me
veg. e Jcanucttc. Black bUl. walter
Johns . and others whom hc defeated.
IN SO .ral instances dccisiV-!y. His
Two winning battles with Joe icanucjtc
Chelsea. Mass. in 1906. however. dem
"nstrated that he would have 10 he
teckoned with by the best Of the tight
"ts, white or colorcd, with champion
snip prctcnsions in the heavy weight
class.
Jcnrics Passed title on.
A, that time Jeffr!es had retired from
ne ring. having handed the TIKI. to
ing the latter, and also Jack . Biiem.
who claimed the championship. as
sumed the worlds Title IN 1907.
Johnson meanwhile was ploddiug
along, Incidentally knocking out FeiiX
ana Lang In Australia. and ending the
come back propensitics OF BOB Fit"-
simmons In two rounds at philadelphia
aud an clcvc;-rouud knOCkOu, 81 Jim
Flynn AT san Francisco tn" same year
1907. In December, l.oS. Johnson had
the better OF romms Burns Al sgd
the bout In the fourteenth round. This
placed the big Galveston negro right
~ The TOP OF his class. and while no
one WAS willing to recognize him a.
the worlds title holder. Johnson vent
right on lighting successfully. nnishtug
up with the Knockout OF the late stan
a. q,
cal. on October 10. 1909
II was then that the Negroes pro-
bounced ability and recognized ClcV-
.!ness stung Lcnrlcs into action. The
m"nr ended abruptly, an! Jcilri"s re-
uttered The nati" nreua t" again de-
t"nd the title This seemed To suit
Johnson perfectly, and tho rr.a, match
for' the worlds ChamuionHhip was
quickly arranged with the result that
Johnson scored 81 decisive victory over
that time TO the present Johnson mas
been the uudiSputed champion heavy
weisht Of me world during the past
ttrc" times 10 defend the ,i,l.
His fight with Jim Flynn. at Las
vegas New Mexico. was stopped in
the ninth round by the authorities, and
Johnson was declared the winner. In
l'aris, France. the bout between the
champion and Battling linn johnson.
vas calico = draw. and last Year he
gained the referees decision oyer
Frank Moran ia a twcn;y-rouud bout.
which also took place in the l'sench
capital.
Willard IL n knnsnn
Jess willard. who was born ia Pot
tawaiomic County. Kansas. twenty
light years ago, is a giant In stature,
standing fully six feel SIX inches
without shoes, and when IN good con
dnon for a bout. turns The scale at
80 pounds. -Four years a-o hc Was
hrst seen, In a ring nrh, when ho lost
rcund Qf "a bout at Sapulpa. okla, but
with!n six weeks from that time lie
knocked out Fink In tire rounds at
oklahoma CITY. He followed up win
ave knockouts and Two t.n-round WIN
ming brackets. on points. during his
first year OF nrhtinG IN public, 1911,
Five knockouts ana two nu-dcciSion
contests gave him a clear record FOR
1912. The TWO no-dccision bouts We're
with Arthur r.lky and Luther Nc
Car,y In New York City. and IN each
ls.t
cnts. The big KanSnn also scored two
OF his I'VE knockouts in the r.as, ut
Now York and buffalo, his victims be
out Of eleven fights. which lac took
par, in during 1912. willard lost only
one This was TO ''Gunboat' Smith in
was tho best man that Willard has met
in his ring career. with the possible en-
ception of Carl Morris, whor he de-
feaied In n ten-round 20 at New York
Last year Willard met Tom Mcmahon
In tonround no-decision bout and
scored knockouts over Dan Daily in
nine rounds. at Buffalo. aud George
Rodel In SIX rounds. at Atlanta. Ga
willard Has Grcnt Endurance.
Wizards powers OF endurance arc
unIuestioned; but he lacks aggressive
| however. may have been re,ncdicd by
| strict attention to the coaching OF his
handlers ana what he has learned from
his sparring partners in training. lie
/ has three distinct advantages over
| Johnson in youth. height and reach,
| III" possession of which. combined with
| q splendid constitution. make willard
! ~" most formidable opponcn, that has
i been matched against Johnson during
his entire. career In the prize ring
Il Tho following table shows the rela-
Il tive measurements Of the champion
Il and challenger:
n johnson. willard.
Ss............. Age .. oS
II 2l4 .....t:.... Weight :. 235
r. n IN. Height ..... 6 II 6 in.
III - IN. Reach ...... SO u in.
II in.....'.... Neck II !. in.
II - H.. BicepS 49,. l6 in
N al.