Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-15
TAKES FORTUNE
TO TEMPT JESS
Willard Announces Conditions Which
Night Lead Him to Fight for
Worlds Title.
TELLS OPINIONS OF RIVALS
Il Am Willing to Meet Brennan.
Moran or Anybody Who Wants
to Fight States Champ.

Chicago Jan. l5.-Jess Willard OF
circus and ring fame tossed bomb
into the boxing world yesterday by
announcing the conditions under
which he would fight. the men he
thought would make good opponents
for him and the amount of money-a
fortune-that would tempt him back
into battling toys.
The first surprise that Willard I'M
corked during the way was when he
walked. unheralded, into a loop gym
nasium and looked over the gang
This is the first time this has hap
pened since Jess climbed out of the
dub" class and no longer had to
haunt the gyms for matches and eat
ing money
For several days Jack Kearns, man
ager OF Jack Dempsey, youngest Of
heavyweight hopes. has been express
ing a desire to meet Willard and pin
him down to some sort of agreement
that would eventually develop into a
WillardDempsey match. Jess has
been reading kearns' comment, so he
took it upon himself to look up the
coast manager.
Il am willing to fight your man,
Fulton, Brennan. Moran or, in fact,
anybody the public imagines has a
chance to win the heavyweight title,
Willard said to kearns. Don't pay
any attention to this bunk about my
quitting the ring l am going to hold
my title and defend it as long as !
stay on my feet, and right at this time
I've got an idea that ! could trim
Fulton. Brennan. Dempsey and Moran
in one ring on the same night. ! may
be mistaken, but that's how | feel.
You want me to meet Dempsey
Willard went on. You know as well
as | do that the public would not give
dime for such meeting right now
| am not taking anything away from
Dempsey; he may be a wonder, but il
till remains for him to prove this to
Q boxing fans. They know about me
'-'G up 10 you to show the fans how
sood Dempsey is. Fight Brennan, Full
ton, Moran; take on all Corners Il
You finish that mob with a clean rec
ord you will not have to hunt me. The
public will force us into champion
ship battle.
Doesn't Like Fulton.
Right now it looks as if Fulton is
the logical contender for the title.
don't think much of his fighting abil
ity, but the people do, and they pa,
the bills. He has been beating every
thing they put in front of him. so i
looks as if it's up to me to settle hi
hash. | am ready any time he is, bu
I've got a sneaking suspicion that h
prefers talking to fighting. That's tn
way with a lot of these fellows. AM
they keep panning me for not fight
inc."
This ended Wizards speech, one 0
the longest he has ever made. Afte
shaking hands with few old ac
quaintances and standing for a toucl
or two, Jess passed on, leaving it u
TO his rivals to clear up the heavy
weight situation.
From another source a tip was re
ceived that the stage is all set one
more for the long delayed Willard
Fulton bout The plasterer clashe
with Billy Miswe in St Paul Frida
night. but Fred's hackers expect littl
trouble from Billy-he is working I'm
der 40-pound weight disadvantage
After that Fulton is supposed t
ningle with Frank Moran in New Or
leans, but Frank has been out of tn
ring so long that he will not be a
his best for the Minnesota giant. The
comes Willard Milwaukee is SEIZED
uled to get them first in 10 rounds an
then the town offering the bigges
purse will be the scene of the 20
round clash