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Show Johnson Will Wait for Ketchel to Lead i L (By W. W. Naughton.) San Francisco, June IS. While the average fight fan has been carried off bis feet by Young Ketchel's sensation- al performance with Jack O'Brien, a cautious few prefer to await the issue of the Kotchcl-Papke contest July 5 before attempting to establish the Michigan assassin's rating as a ring- man. . 1 If the affair was "strictly on the-level," the-level," and there's nothing In eitbtr j the ringside reports or the aftermath ro suggest that the men and their man- agers foisted a "Roman chariot race" on the Philadelphlans, It would mean . that Ketchel, who was always a whirl- j wind boxer, has developed Into a per- i feet tornado. Ketchel Getting Better. He seems to have bewildered O'- ! B:lc-n with the vehemence of his attack. at-tack. He did not allow the dapper rhlladelphlan to get set, but Just piled him Into corners and along the hempen hemp-en railing until poor Jack became as fluttered as though he were trying to j dodge a crazy automobile in a narrow roadway. It certainly gives the lie to the rumor ru-mor that life along tho great white way was beginning to dull the edge of Ketchel's fighting temper. According to that showing, he z In great fettle light now, and it surely means that he will be as fi: as the traditional fiddle when he steps Into the ring with Papke.a few weeks hence. There is a rumor abroad already that Jack Johnson Is inclined to withdraw with-draw from his October match with Ketchel. but beyond the fact thai John son Is wanting to arrange a bout with Al Kaufman In the meantime, there is nothing to give color to the report. Johnson's Money Is Up. One thing is certain. The writer Is in possession of $5,000 of Johnson's money, which 1s on deposit as a guarantee guar-antee that Johnson will live up to the articles he signed with Ketchel, and. j as the present world's champion is not ! over-encumbered with coin of the realm i he is not likely to allow that $5,000 to go by defiult Johnson said once that if he were offered a match with Jeff he would think nothing of forfeiting to Ketcliel. He expected of course that since some of the guarantees offered Jeff were so substantial, there would be such corresponding liberality on tho part of tho promoters toward Johnson that ; the loss of $5,000 would bo a mere flea bite. But there is no Jeff match in sight, and In consequence, the Ketchel forfeit for-feit is a serious proposition, and some- thing that Johnson will surely protect Speaking of Johnson, the writer had an experience the other day which brought to mind the old saying anent "sermons In stones." It was in an uptown up-town barber shop where a colored shoeblack, who seemed to divide his time between polishing footwear and , defending Jack Johnson's prestige against the merrv quips of his patrons, pat-rons, gave me a little lecture on up-to-date rlngmanshlp while brushing my coat. Johnson's Style Described. "I believe Johnson's style of fighting is a distinct innovation in pugilism." said the shoe brlghtener. "What I refer to is his practice of withholding his attack until the other man leads. They tried to make Kylo Whitney fight that way against Twin Sullivan, but it was his first attempt and he becamo excited and went back to first principles. i "Johnson does not get ruffled, though. He will stand there all day If necessary until his opponent leads. He will feint and taunt his man into leading. I heard that once at Los Angeles, An-geles, I think, Denver Ed Martin was Johnson's opponent. Jack said to ono of his seconds: 'I'll pay you a dollar for every time I hit at this man and miss him.' "When it was over Johnson owed nothing. "He forced Martin to lead, and he i countered every time. Johnson's style of fighting possesses a dual advantage. ) By drawing the other fellow's fire before be-fore striking out he brings his man within range and can score with more certainty. In addition, it saves energy, ener-gy, which I think should be the first consideration with anyone engaged in ! a fight- The majority of rlngmen whip j thonn1vps vftii mlfrht env hv ln'ilnc I out promlsclously." I have quoted the young negro as , faithfully as possible, albeit I have had to trust to memory, and I want to say that it was one of the sur- I prises of my life to hear such logic and clean-cut argument from a humble "shine artist." i |