The Washington times., 1923-01-11

son has yet learned. But Brenna
pep and hitting power. This may
uled last round.
The Iowa heavyweight is being
carefully nursed along as an oppo
nent for Jack Dempsey in a con
test for the championship Of thu
world. After he gets away with
Brennan. he win be matched witt
Luis Firpo. the Argentinian. Then
he win be all set for a big battle
with Dempsey. Anyway. that's tht
plan now being followed.
Johnson began boxing as an anna
teur about three years ago. Since
losing his amateur status he has en-
gagged In forty.three battles with
out once suffering defeat. Indeed
"A thirty-six OF these contests be
won with q knockout.
There isn't much that is remark
able In his record, despite those
thirty-six kayos. Most Of his vic
Tins were ham-and-eggers or former
tough lads sliding along rapidly
into oblivion. But the same may
be told of many another heavy.
weight, not even excepting Jack
Dempsey himself.
johnson created little stir I'm
the fistic world until he admins
tered . terrific beating to Bob
Martin, the A. e. f. champion.
The soldier heavyweight has not
returned to the ring yet, 50 great
was the punishment received.
That bout made johnson. The
promoters began to watch hum.
n was decided that he should
have . real trial. BIN Brennan,
war horse among the heaNies,
was chosen as his opponent, and
both men have been training hard,
according to ali accounts. Tomor-
row the face each other In the ling
nj Madison Square Garden.
Johnson, who has been undergoing
careful training ever since It was dis
covered he had q chance OF climbing
TO the topmost heights Of all Is not
believed to be in much danger OF
being stopped by Brennan. As 2
matter of fact, where he was once
known as Knockout Bill Brennan,
today he is merely Bill Brennan. Inc
Knockout part has disappeared.
It has been found that Brennan.
rugged, tough, game man Jacks the
Iooeeness of muscle to be q ring
rilIer. No shoulder-bound boxer can
hit straight. Frank Klaus was an
example of this. We saw Klaus de-
feak Jimmy Gardner once ana the
hout was well worth seeing.
In his day Gardner had been one
oeIthe best middleweights In the
world. He had trained faithfully Tor
that contest, thinking to snatch some
fIeeting fame, likewise simoleons,
from defeating Klaus, who was then
In his prime.
KLAUS won that bout. He wore
down his classier opponent with
terrific blows to the body. Now
ard then he landed q wicked hook
70 fl,e head or face, but always he
had TO take three lightning like
efahS to the face to do so. HAD
Gardner possessed his former
punch be might have stopped
Klaus.
Few boxers ever had q better LEFT
hand than Jimmy Gardner'g. DE
could do anything with it. For siz
rounds he made Klaus look foollsh
m will most boxers possessed OF good
left hands. But when it came &c
bringing home the bacon with marc
rights, Gardner lacked the strength
His right merely bounced OF thai
iron Jaw that Klaus had. But ne
stayed the limit.
Like Gardner, Floyd Johnson has
the necessary left hand. In add
ton, he has youth, which Gardner
lacked. When he brings up his
right hand against Brennan's jaw
tomorrow night, it will land with
nurging youth.
Klaus was one of the toughest
middleweights ever to hold to the
title. When he fought Gardner he
was at the peak Of his greatness
Brennan, another rugged athlete
has long passed the peak and is
now on the downward path. He
viii be fortunate IL he stays the
limit against johnson.
johnson, in spite of his greenness
IN the ring. is not believed to be in
much danger of being stopped
largely because Brennan has lost
his hitting ability sadly since com
ing East. Against boxers Of any
class whatever his Knockout aver
age has been 900 per cent.
Brennan has faced Dempsey,
Miske, BARLEY Madden, Tom Cow
Ter. Jim COffey. Bob Roper, Harry
Greb, Sailor Petroskey, Willie
Meehan. Battling Levinsky, Hugh
Walker. Dan O'DOwd and Bob
Martin. Some stopped him.
Others OutpOinted him. He out
pointed some of them, but no one
OF them did he stop.
The balIyhoo for the next John
son contest will begin promptly
with the Iowan's victory over
Brennan, allowing that he wins
with anything to spare.
Present plans of the New Yorl
promoters are for johnson to b.
hooked up with Firpo and then fol
the winner to face Dempsey some
time next summer. That's fine
but where do Tom Gibbons. HarrS
In LOANS