New Britain herald., 1926-03-04
lRY JOE MILLIAMSl

Tho old ring adage, that they don't come back" was never more ruthlcssly applied than 10 the case of old Jim Jolfrcs when he tried to bring the heavyweight title back 10 the white race at Reno, New, July 4, 1910.
 Jeff had been out of tthe ring since he voluntarily rclinquishcd his title to Marvin Hart seven years before. Friends persuaded him 10 come back when Jack Johnson brought the negro race its only heavyweight title by knocking out Tommy Burns, who had previously taken the title from Hart.
 Boxing men really believed big Jeff could put the negro battler down. The halo of the white mans great ring career, during which he had won 22 championship fights without once going to his knees, still hung over him. Jeffries' strength was prodigious. Few fighters had been able to resist his wrestling tac- tics and his great left hand pushed out like battcrinG ram.
 But it didn't take many rounds for ring experts to sec Jeff was only a shell of the fighter of seven years before. He used none Of his short, bull-like rushes; none of his trip hammer blows to the body.
 Johnson entered the ring enter taining a wholesome fear of Jeffric.s' famed left. He had worked out his own system of defense for if. He laid his right glove on Jcff's left forearm and kept it there virtually throughout the fight.
 As early as the sixth round the crowd scnscd the passing of JeffriCS, The ncgro's persistent left, that kept darting in and out like an angry bee, laid open Big Jime lip and closed his right eye.
 Johnson's confidence increased as Jeffries grew weaker. He accom- panied his blows with sncers.
 "Old man. ifs all over but the EIpullu llG lDIl Jtllll'C'
 That came in the fifteenth round, but it was almost as tumultuous for the game white man, standing up under q mcrcilci3 beating, as for the victorious champion.
 Jcffrics went into q clnch, He looked terribly tired. His right eye was closed to q slit, his left swollen, his nose split and his lips bloody. Johnson broke from the clinch as Jeff backed toward the ropes, and, at the same instant, drove his right to Jeifs body and his left 10 the chin.
 Jeff's hands dropped 10 his sides; | he slowly collapsed to q sitting position. He tried to rise and fell over backward. half in and half out of the ring.
 The arena was in an uproar, Jim Corbett his face ashen. sat speech less in Jcifrics' corner. John l.. Sullivan jumped 10 his feet on the opposite side of the ring. These old fighters have taken it" them selves. They could see the end.
 Jcftrics was pushed back into the ring. Johnson stepped in dcliber- atcly and smashed him on the jaw with a right and left. Jeff went down again.
 The crowd began 10 yell 10 Referee Tex Rickarl "Siop it, Stop it!' Tex himself was yelling, hut John son was too cnEroased in the buSi- ness before him 70 pay attention He waited for Jett to lumber 10 his feet. then began mauing him across the ring, Corbott came running beside the ring with outstrctched arms, shouting; Go back, Don't hit him. Don't put the old fel- low out"
 l Johnson never hcsitated. He beat down Jcftries' pitiful defense and ' planted q right smash and two left hooks 10 the jaw. Jeff went down for the third time. He was trying to get up when Tex raised Johnson. arm, stopping the fight,