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Show Johnson Could Defeat the Great Jim Jeffries (By Tad.) New York, Jan. 4 Could Jack Johnson have put Jeffries away as easy as he did Tommy Burns? The sports think not. One thiDg is certain, that Jeffries never was m&de groggy In a bout. He has been cut up, but he never was reeled to the ropes In his career. Billy Madden says that Johnson could lick Jeffries and come out of the battle unmarked. "I picked this black fellow five jears ago," said Billy last night in our offices while talking over the go. "I had Denver Ed Martin out in California Cali-fornia five 5 ears ago," continued Billy, Bil-ly, "and thought he wa9 a world beater. beat-er. This fellow, Johnson, met Ed and defeated him easily In 20 rounds. When they met again he knocked Martin Mar-tin cold In two rounds. I saw then that he was the fastest big man in tb world, and told Gu3 Ruhlln bo when I came back. ' " Gus,' .spld i; 'you'll never bo champion of the world. There's a colored col-ored man out In California who can lick you and Jeffries and the wholo bunch of heavies and you won't lay a glove on him.' Ruhlin laughed. Martin Mar-tin was a baby in his hands the night of tho fight. Johnson was so fast that Ed looked as though ho was nail-ed nail-ed to the floor. "Yes, sir; I think that this fellow could IIck Jeffries at any time. If Jefl didn't think so he'd get out and fight himsolf. Why did he ever draw the color line? Ho fought Peter Jackson, Jack-son, Armstvong and Griffin, but as for Johnson I guess the big fellow knows n thing or two." Well, thafts the opinion of Billy MadQen. Another eld sport thought Jim Jeffries Jef-fries was too much like a bear to hurt. He declared that Jim has two sets of ribs and that it ia simply im-IOh6lble im-IOh6lble to hurt him. "Why, ho shook off the punches thu big fellow landed on him Just llko a human roulette wheel tossed off its freight at Coney Island," said A. O. S. "Jeff was too big for any one to hurt," continued the old sport, 'and. he would have been champion until old Father Time jumped in with a blaru." Another fight fan declares that Jeff was not as dangerous ab roost of tho fans have him painted. "Why, be boxed 25 rounds with Joe Choyiifki, and the best ho got was a draw, while Jim Corbett knocked knock-ed Choynskl out In 27 rounds. Ho went 25 rounds with Sharkey and then later won a 20-round decision, and Sharkey was no terror. Jiui Corbett Cor-bett boxed rings around the big fellow fel-low for 23 rounds and lost ty a lucky ' i-unch. '"It Corbett could win by n big mar-i mar-i gin In 23 rounds, why couldn't John-, John-, yon, who Is stronger, taller and Just as clever, go longer than that and ' beat Jeffries?" Well, it's a question at any rate v.orth settling. |