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Show JESS W1LLARD lif SURPRISE D0UB1G ONES Some Think Cowboy Has a Chance to Wrest Crown From Johnson, if They Meet. By T. S. ANDREWS. J Special to The Tribune. l MILWAUKEE, Wis., Feb. 27. Will the Jess Willard-Jack Johnson heavyweight heavy-weight championship battle, scheduled for Juarez, Mexico, March 6, but now indefinitely postponed, prove a disappointment disap-pointment to the boxing fans of the country, as did the one between John-sou John-sou and Jim Jeffries at Keno, "ev., July 4, 391U3 or will they have an opportunity op-portunity to celebrate? While there are many who refuse to take the match seriouslv there are others who are convinced con-vinced that Willard really has a good chance to win the title from the colored champion. If youth, strength and grit can win, then "Willard has a splendid chance, for he is certainiy a young giant no doubt the biggest man who nas sought the title since the days of ed O 'Baldwin. If it were under the . old-time London prize ring rules it would be a good bet that Jess would make Mistah Jack hunt his hole, but under the present, up-to-date Marquis of Queensberry rules, things are changed. As a defensive boxer, Johnson is a wonderful performer, but whether he can be just as successful in taking the aggressive end is another question. Heretofore Jack has been able to stand back and let the other fellows carry the fight to him. That was where Tommy Burns made a big mistake and Jim Flvnn did the same thing at Las Vegas tw:o vears ago. When Johnson fought Burns in Australia he had the better of it in everv way, scaling 210, while Tommy was "only "162. Johnson towered tow-ered above the squatty Burns and as the latter tried to carry the fight to Jack it was easy picking. Flynn did the verv thing he was told not to do at Las'Vegas and that is where the colored man had the better of it again, although he seemed to make little impression im-pression on the tough, ex-fireman. Flynn's Mistake. It was Flvnn 's fouls that lost him the contest, "but at that Johnson completely com-pletely outclassed him from a standpoint stand-point "of skill. Jim was in great shape and there was no telling what might have happened had he bided his time. It is no use mentioning the Jeffries Jef-fries battle again, for Jeff wa3 a wreck of his former self when he met Johnson John-son at Eeno. Jack showed in that bat-tie bat-tie that he could be aggressive if he wanted to, but he did not take any-chance, any-chance, even with Jeffries, until he saw that he had his man at his mercy. Then he rushed him and beat him down. Remember, Jack has had but one tight since he beat Flynn at Las Vegas July 4, 1912 (that is, a fight that could be called one), that with Frank Moran in Paris last fall. He had a couple of minor set-tos in Paris, but not eDough to warm him up. Claims have been made that Jack has been dissipating a great deal and is hog fat, but those who know him are aware taat euch I assertions are not true. Johnson is fat, perhaps, but it is oniy natural that a man of his weight and build should take on flesh rapidly at his age. He does love his chicken and good eating, eat-ing, but he does not run riot, as many have said. Jack is now about 33 years of age and it takes a man with a pretty steady life to remain good in an ' athletic way" at that stage of the game. He mav appear just as good as ever from the outside, but it is the inner man that must be considered. His Btomach will not stand the knocks it once would and that is what Mistah Jack will have to watch. fitz and Jeff. Fitzsirnmons was 3-1 when he wou the title from Jam"!- J. Corbett at Carson Car-son City, New, 1S97, but Bob was a well preserved mau and had always taken ta-ken the best of care of himself, and, besides, he was well matured when he took np the boxing game. But Robert lost the championship two years later to Jim Jeffries, at the age of 37, about the same age that Johnson is now going go-ing to battle against Willard. Tf conditions con-ditions were changed and Johnson were meeting Willard five years ago, with Jess at hi;, present age, There would be no question as to who would win ("that ir, not in the minds of the fans) for it would be unanimous that Jack would teat him quickly, but with all thh uncertainty un-certainty as Jo his present condition, hi? age, etc., things look differ" nt. Willard can take a hard wallop: he has demonstrated that much. When arouFed Jess can hand out an awful one. Will Johnson erouo him! Let us hope he doc?. Later developments m he big championship cham-pionship march indicate That a loug T'OS'ponement will he n""e.aary( ov-ioi: to the delav of John-on in rhing the battle ground. John'-on has declared de-clared that he will take no eban'-es in gO'ng through M'wieo to get to Juktc tht i. through the part ontrollr-d by General Carranza and the chances are that he will remain in Havana for 'he time b'ing and endeavor to indm-e Promoter Ja"l: O.-rley to cfage rho event in Cuba in'tend of at .Tmrz. Ritchie After Welsh. TA"jllie TO.Uh'ie, the x-rh& n. fKm li'tt- v-'AgV.1 , is azT to pnt another try nt 'he rha it: M on1; hip and H"n rctiro for a t;me from th ring. 'A'UJio wai in-rnre in-rnre wh'in d i f 1 1 ?! i u 2 tho rmHT tbi othr da 7 In Chicago, srid T I o hfiln jf-ame has boon thn m'-H ni of rna': i m o a ri'h rn;i n, kivl want to t r7 and t i uy t ho 'n.'jinpiorj'ihit) t-a'; to th Htrifr--, for vorj Wjott J Iot it to a f-,r u i'ri-- -wh'-n i t would vp 1 n iTi.;--rj r.i-Mt-r to hnvi; h.'td ji m .fr;'-r'i run w : n it f rf n i in, f I ) r, tJ'at, in p.'i-if., -'in v.-hut, I v,;i nt, r,oi. H r'hkrin". to it l:c i'.. ft ; t mo t h:i t terf';t-r t.i y.wr, , f,r rnv h.'ttfh; v. 1 1 !i i r-. I t-.n vVf.J-.ii. t. 1 h.if, V. ;i '. tri y fiJ- (;ut At th.'it, tjrr,". J.'ito ! I ! been bigr, Welsh would have been j well paid, too, but it was not and he got nothing. I have offered to ! guarantee him $15,000 for his end and a $10,000 side bet- if he will arrange a championship bout with uie for next July at Denver. I want the contest to go Torty-five rounds, but if that would be impossible im-possible we might compromise on thirty rounds, which would no doubt be long enough for a decisive deci-sive wiuner. If I should win then I would retire and turn the title over to an American. I do not expect any decisive verdict iu our ten round bout in Xew York. I am also willing to give Charlie White a chance to win the American Ameri-can title, which I still hold; or X will fight him ten round ugain if he wishes. After this season 1 hope to retire for good- Two Claim Title, Frank Moran, who fought Jack Johnson John-son in Paris last fail, is advertising himself as the white heavyweight champion cham-pion of the world and Bombardier Well?, who lost to Carpectier, is also putting in a claim for recognition as a champion. If there is any such a thing as a white heavyweight champion, then the title belongs to Georges Carpen-cier. Carpen-cier. the French boy, who is now at the front in the big European war. "Gun-oat" "Gun-oat" Smith has been recognized as the champion white hope" in America, Ameri-ca, and the Frenchman defeated the Gunboat1' in London on a foul, which .jives him the crown. Moran may return to the states soon and meet Jess Willard or some of the other white hoves, including big Carl Morris, whom Billie Me Carney savs is the best of the entire bunch. Billy is now managing Carl and has improved his style of fighting a lot. It might be mentioned, too. that Jim Coffey, the Irish giant, must be considered again. Jim defeated Jack (Twin) Sullivan Sul-livan in six rounds, the old-timer going down before youth and strensih. It will be a boost for Coffey at the expense ex-pense of a good old-timer. New Yorkers Surprised. Two s'e-iv York 'boys were given a surprise the past week Harry toue, the welterweight, and Joe Shugrue, contender con-tender for the lightweight crown. Both met tartars. At Buffalo, Harry Stone fought ten rounds with Jimmy Duffy, the Lockport boy. and, according to accounts ac-counts from the Bison city, Jimmy had all the best of the contest. Duffy, when he is right, is a hard man to beat, as he demonstrated when he fought Johnny Dundee in Milwaukee some time ago. At Akron, Ohio, Johnny Griffiths, according ac-cording to the reports sent outj had the shade on .Shugrue, which is going some for the Ohio lad. Griffiths has a wonderful won-derful left hand, and Shugrue could not beat him to it. After the contest, both ! managers claimed a victory, but the Associated Press stuck to the Griffiths end. From the various accounts it is evident that Griffiths kept Shugrue i mighty busy, which moans that Joe ""ill have to m'-et Johnny again if ho wants to settle the question of superiority. Matty MoCuf the Racine lightweight, who looked very good less than two j years ago, and whom Tom Jones took; in hand as tbe-probable successor of Ad j Wolgast, has gone back. Mattv fought l Sammy Trott, the Columbus "boy. the j other night in Milwaukee and, while he 1 .-ou, he'fiiik'd to impress the fans the j 'vfiy h formerly did. Trott proved him- ?') i a game Jit It fallow -and, aftrr be-I ing put do'n for the nice count in the i fourth round, came back strong and fin- J i hed in good shape. McCue is only a 'youngster, however, and should be ablo 1 to overcome his present shortcomings. j Welsh and Mandot. Tommv Burn, ex-hn vyweight rham- I pion. who is promoting boxing shows ; ?t ? -.w Orleans, has ofVemd J Vddy -I W!sh a guarante-0 of .400'i, Tiith a' privilege ot' 4t per cent of the- gro:-s ; receipt,, for a 20-round battlo with , j Ja"k" Brittort. but it h:s hen turned , down. Thj chanci aro that Vel"h will be matched with Jo Man dot before ; Dnminick Tortnrih V club pome t:mn in I April, as the latter hai made a sub tan ; t:al ofjer for the mntrh, and both Welsh land h.i mnn;ieerf Harrv Pollok, are in-1 dined to necjpt it. YvVlah intnns to i "ail for Cuba after Mh match with Wil- he TUt'-hin iu .ew Yo'-k and meet some : liiht v. --;ght bfor the club operating : in Ha n ii a. Then he wi I) ret urn via. N'-w O'le.'iri and be refidy fnr tho M-'in-j dot match or any other that may ho arranged. |