The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-03

'Is Willard in fighting shape?"
 After months of preliminary training in the west, followed by a month of it minds of even the stanchest Willard ites as to whether the giant champion is in form necessary for him to follow the pace that the 1.-the and superbly conditioned Dempsey will set
 Willard insists that he never was in better condition in his career; claims that he is fit to fight score of rounds at top speed instead of merely 12 But those men who worked with him in Ha- vana, or who saw him when he battled the negro, claim that he is far removed from the form of that era
 Willard is flabby inside and out, '' they say. His muscles haven't hard ened and are streaked with fattay tissue. lie will go into the fight tomorrow lack ing the oncetime speed and stamina because of two reasons, first, age has made it's indelible impress upon him, and second, he has not trained properly"
 If their judgment concerning Willard is true, then it is likely that before sunset of July 4 the name of a new champion will be written on the records of pugilism-unless Willard happens to slip over chance knockout before Dempsey can batter him to pulp
 CONDITION COUNTS
 For after all is said and done, condition is more than half the battle whether the fight is for 10 rounds, 12 rounds, 20 rounds or to a finish. A warrior who is not tuned to concert pitch is a war rior who flirts with defeat in case he conclusions a ftJI fectly trained and wonderful opponent such as is Jack Dempsey.
 Lack of condition and age have whipped more fighters than anything else in the world.
 John L. Sullivan wasn't in the pink when he met me in New Orleans-and John L. was 34 then. The mighty Bos- tonian didn't hold me in high regard He figured it would be simple matter to topple me with one or two blows He never reasoned it out that my youth, nimbleness and condition might make it possible for me to keep out of the way of his smashing wallops until such time as I had jabbed him to point where he was robbed of his powers.
 Sullivan had the same old man-killing punch when he faced me as he had in the earlier years. And he was possessed of the same amazing courage. But John l.. wasn't trained to the minute and it wasn't bong before I was able to burn up his energy by turing him into fu- tile rushes and swings. And from then on it was only a question of time as to when I would get him.
 Bob Fitzsimmons looked upon Jim Jeff fries as a joke. He trained but little for that contest in 1899. The great Corn ishman never was keen about noutine work and saw no reason to devote weeks to a monotony of conditioning himself for right against "a duffer." So Bob hardened not to the pleadings of his friends. He just loafed through few weeks in training camp and then went out and tackled Jeffries
 The fight hadn't gone many rounds be- fore Fitz realized his terrible folly Splendidly conditioned, it probably would have been rather easy victory. But he was in only fair shape. And Jeff, a marvel of physical perfection, wore down Fitz gradually and finally in the elev- enth round dropped him for the count.
 JEFFRIES IN BAD SHAPE
 Jeff was in woefu1 condition when he met Jack Johnson in Reno in 1910. He had trained hard, yes. But worry had offset it. Jeff's whole nervous structure was upset and that had disastrous re