San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-04

once as "the mightiest fighting man of
two million fighting men,"
Martin began boxing while in the
army. He is tall, splendidly built fell
low. Champion of tie American Expe-
dictionary Forces, tournament winner,
| be beat his men with terrific right hand
punches. After the war he took up
professional boxing and won many
| fights.
johnson trained fo- the Martin fight
in Stillman's gymnasium, where JACK
! Dempsey was training at the same time,
as he always trains to keep in shape
wherever he stays for a few days.
"AggressiVeness" From Jack.
Jack Dempsey took charge of John
sons boxing for two d.ys, spent hours
! boxing with him and coaching him.
taught him the Dempsey system OF hit
| ting continuously and holding the ag-
gressiye, coached him to use his left
hand to keep the other fellow on the de-
| Tense, and to cross his right only when
he had a good opening. He taught
| FLOYD more in those two days than
Floyd had learned in two years before
| that.
Dempsey had two objects in coaching
johnson. First, he had met him IN the
gymnasium and licked the boy, and,
second, he didn't want to fight and beat
Martin himself because such match
might stir up against the old preJudices
| that died out so slowly after Dempsey
was cleared of the "slacker chaigeS in
a San Francisco court. II Martin had
\ to be kept away from the champion
ship he preferred to have someone else
to do it.
To avoid even the appearance OF be-
ing interested in Martins defeat, Demp'
sey STAYED away from the bout, although
he was in New York and always likes
to see a good fight.
Sitting at the ringside in Madison
Square Garden that night, / saw q
corking battle. Martin was as fine q
specimen of a fighter as l ever looked
at-talI. 1.-THE, intelligent, aggressive ant
determined But beating his opponents
in the army bouts so easily had mad
him contented with his limited knowl
edge Of boxing and dependence upon {
good right swing.
Early in the fight it looked as i
Martin would surely drop johnson witt
the right, but, to the establishment o
the crowd, the smoOth-faced, cool movie
showing any effect whatever.
Jared Him With Let's.
And all through, Johnson presset
Martin hard, hit him continuously wit
Earring lefts and broke up the soldie
champions aggressive attack by keep
ing him on his heels.
Toward the end, when Martin wa
plainly beaten, johnson began throw
ing straight rights over to his chin
Finally Martin was so badly beate
that johnson asked the referee to sto
the bout, and Martins seconds threy
in the towel when it was certain he wa
helpless and had no chance to recover
Floyd johnson beat Brennan in muc
the same way. forcing the fighting re
lentlessly, keeping his left hand pump
ing like a piston, and wearing Brenna
down. But Brennan was tougher tina
Martin. Even in the fifteenth round
WI. he was painting, wobbly and e1
hausted, Brennan stood up against
bad beating.
johnson began stepping around an
hitting fast with both hands, trying
get a right over for a finisher, but th
squirt was too late. 1t was his firs
fight that went the distance, and pei
haps he saved himself too much, nc
knowing how well he would travel aftt
ten rounds.
But Floyd won. and in winnin
eliminated a man who has given DEM
sey tough battle. This puts JOhrisO
next to Dempsey among the white cha
lengerS. He has already challenge
Willard and offered to meet any ma
the promoters match him against, il
Guiding Wills.
johnson Has the Physique.
johnson has qualities that may mai
him one Of the best heavywcights in Il
trade with a little more ring expe
fence.
He is only 90 years old.
He is six feet tall, and a bit over.
He weighs, stripped. 1914 pounds, ]
pounds more than Dempsey weighe
when he won the championship.
= Physical measurements aren't ever.
thing, but strength helps in the rim
/ johnson is very Compactly built. H
legs are not too heavy. His waist
just light enough in proportion. II
chest is extremely deep, denoting el
4 duranCe. His shoulders are wide an
his arms thick. His wrists and hanC
are heavy. johnson has a short, thiC
4 neck, round head, and a well-rounde,
1 wide, strong jaw.