Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-03
jess WILLARD IS
KING OF THEM ALL
Champion is in Fit Fettle to
Fight Within Two Weeks
Time.
A FINE HUMAN MACHINE

| Nohoos Wy, WlO'J DCC. 81 cSS
Willard is still heavyweight cham
'pion of the world, and probably will
be for long time to come. He out
classes all his rivals as badly now as
when he proved his titular worth in
that bout with Frank Moran at Madi-
son Square Garden.
There is not man in his division
who compares with him in boxing
skill or physique. Nor is there one
being developed who figures with a
chance of dethroning him in the near
future, He stands alone among the
heavyweights. The day of reckoning
must come, of course, as it did for all
his predecessors, but the dawn of
that day is not yet in sight.
Only fortnight or so ago it was
reported that Jess weighted every
ounce of 800 pounds, if not more.
As Jim Coffroth, former California
promoter, and a man who enjoys a
worlds reputation as Judge of boxers;
their physical condition and ability,
was said to have made this declara-
ton, it was given extensive pub
licity.
Weight is Right
There is not a whit of truth in the
report. Willard is not candidate
for any circus fat mans job. He is
a big fellow, sure enough, and his
weight is in proportion to his height,
but he does not scale three hundred
weight. This statement is made on
personal observation.
Willard closed his circus engage
nent in Fort Worth, and later passed
through Kansas City enroute to his
home in Chicago. On, the invitation
of Tom Jones, who was in town to
confer with Jack Curley, his asso.
ciate manager Of the champion, re.
garding plans for the future, the
writer gave Willard the up and down
and several times over. The cham.
pion exhibited himself for only Il
minutes between trains, but, that time
was ample for the purpose of sub.
Stimulating or disproving the reports
as to his poor condition.
Here | am. How do I look?" in.
quired Jess as he stepped into the
train shed, well, my appearance does
not belle my condition"
Jess grinned and stretched the kinks
out of his frame.
Eyes, | saw that story about my
weight. It's joke
The boyish smile vanished and he
became serious.
Coffroth Misquoted.
I'm the first place, believe Cot
froth was misquoted. He certainly
is too good Judge to be so badly
mistaken. will tell you what I will
do. l have only few minutes, but
if there is scale around here, I will
gladly let you weigh me yourself
That's fair enough. isn't it, Come
on, then, let's hustle"
Being directed to the baggage room
scales, Jess first set the weights at.272
pounds. Then he got on the platform
The beam just wavered.
Make note of the clothes | have
on" he said, "and allow accordingly.
When l last weighed myself stripped,
which was about two weeks ago, l hit
exactly 263. That's only few pounds
more than I weighed for Moran"
Knowing his own weight, and in
order to remove any doubt as to the
accuracy of the scales. the writer then
got on them. The beam balanced
truly. Never mind the exact mark; il
was about half the champions weight
In Great Shape.
II could be ready to fight in two
weeks" Jess continued. "Of, course |
don't want to, as | wish to remain at
home for a while, but if it was neces-
sary 1t wouldn't take longer than
that to get into condition." and Jess
unbuttoned his vest and held it open
1t wasn't necessary to probe into
him to learn that he carried very little
surplus flesh. The stomach, always
the first place for fatty tissue to accu.
mulate, was as fiat as board. A
glance at his belt showed that it had
but one buckle mark way back toward
the last hole. Obviously it was of long
standing.
Jess's cheeks were also thin. They
were not actually drawn, but there
was perceptible depression below
the bones. There was an utter absence
of anything resembling jowls. His
neck rose straight above his collar
without tapping over either in front OF
behind. His eyes were bright and his
spirit fresh and buoyant
Never Weighed 1t.
Il never weighed 800 pounds at any
time" he said, reverting to the sub
| ject as though it annoyed him.
"Once, before l started boxing,
weighed 2S8 pounds. That is the tor
weight of my life. Why, my two per.
formances day with the circus--and
they went on for twenty -nine weeks
remember-precluded all possibility
! of my growing into fat mai.
Twice day | wrestled and scuf-
fled with my sparring partners, and
every afternoon and evening boxed
three rounds with them. | did lot
Of running besides, and then every
night after the show was over l
wrestled and roughed it with some of
the canvas men, | defy any man to
grow fat under the conditions I have
been living while on the road"
Willard certainly appears to be in
excellent condition. He looks far
better than he did when he arrived in
New York to begin training for
Moran. His plans just now are in
definite. He does not propose to dc
any work of any kind until after the
first of the year. He feels that he
deserves vacation after q 10000.
mile jaunt throughout the country