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THE SIOUX CITY JOURNAL
TUESDAY, MORNING, APRIL 6, 1915
JACK JOHNSON vs JESS WILLARD

Jess Willard Knocks Out
Jack Johnson in
Twenty-sixth Round

JESS WILLARD
NEW CHAMPION

KNOCKS OUT JACK JOHNSON IN
TWENTY-SIXTH ROUND

WALLOP TO JAW TURNS TRICK
NEGRO SINKS UNDER ROPES
AND TAKES THE COUNT

WILLARD TAKES PUNISHMENT
For Twenty Rounds Black Jack Man
Hammers White Hope All Over
the Ring, but the Kansas Cowboy
Comes Back for More - Pace Tells
on Johnson

_ Havana, April 5. - Jack Johnson, exiled
from his own country, lost his claim to
fistic fame as the heavyweight champion
of the world, the title being wrested from
him by Jess Willard, the Kansas cow-
boy, the biggest man who ever entered
the prize ring.
_ Today's fight probably has no parallel
in the history of ring battles.
_ For twenty rounds Johnson punched
and pounded Willard at will, but his
blows grew perceptibly less powerful as
the fight progressed, until at last he
seemed unable or unwilling to go on.
_ Johnson stopped leading and for three
or four rounds the battle between the two
huge men was little more than a series
of plastic poses of white or black gladia-
tors.
_ So it was until the twenty-fifth round,
when Willard got one of his widely
swinging, windmill right hand smashes
to Johnson's heart. This was the be-
ginning of the end.

Tells Wife He's All In.

_ When the round closed, Johnson sent
word to his wife that he was all in and
told her to start for home. She was on
the way out and was passing the ring
in the twenty-sixth round, when a sting-
ing left to the body and a cycled right
to the jaw caused Johnson to crumple
on the floor of the ring, where he lay
partly outside the ropes until the referee
counted ten and held up Willard's hand
in token of his newly won laurels.
_ There is much discussion tonight, and
probably will be for a long time, among
the followers of the fighting game as to
whether Johnson was really knocked out.
_ In the sense of being smashed into un-
consciousness of opinion is that John-
son expected and knew that there was
no hope of winning; so when knocked
down he chose to take the count rather
than rise and stand further punishment.
_ Johnson has often stated that fighting
is a business and he would not foolishly
submit to repeated knock downs when
he found he had met his master. A
second or two after Jack Welsh, the
referee, had counted ten, Johnson quick-
ly got up. It was well that he did so,
for a moment later a rush of spectators
to the fighting platform all but smoth-
ered the pugilist.
_ For an instant it seemed as if trouble
was threatened, but some fifty or more
of the several hundred soldiers stationed
about the fight arena jumped into the
ring and formed circles around the van-
quished and victorious.

Soldiers Rescue Fighters.

_ Under escort of the soldiers Willard
and Johnson left the ring and went to
their dressing rooms, while the crowd
cheered and broke into wild discussion.
_ Willard was out of his dressing room
in a few moments and in an automobile
on his way back to Havana. He was es-
corted half way back to the city from the
Mariano race track, where the fight was
held, by a troop of Cuban cavalry.
_ Crowds lined the streets and narrow
roads, and the new white champion was
loudly cheered. He was decidedly the
favorite of the crowd all through the fight
and tonight is the hero of the island.
_ Automobiles returning to the city from
the fight flew white flags and thus the
news spread far and wide that the white
challenger had beaten the negro cham-
pion. As Willard came along the crowds
in the street waved flags and linen
handkerchiefs tied to sticks. At one
point a group of negro children, who had
evidently heard that Johnson was the
victor, waved black flags at the white
champion, who was much amused.
_ Neither he nor Johnson showed much
evidence of having been engaged in a
heavyweight championship battle. The
new champion's lip, right ear and left
cheek showed slight cuts, but at no time
was there mere than a drop or two of
blood in evidence.

Little Blood in Evidence

_ In this respect the fight was in great
contrast to the Johnson-Jeffries fight at
Reno, five years ago, when Jeff was cut
to pieces and blood splashed over the
spectators at the ringside. Evidently
thinking that this condition might prevail
again today, Johnson objected to the
presence of a white woman in the seats
just outside the ropes, and she was rele-
gated to a place further back.
_ On the contrary, no fight between
heavyweights that has gone to the finish
was cleaner or less brutal. Johnsons left
eye was partly closed in the early rounds,
but not sufficiently to interfere with his
fighting. His lip was also cut inside, and
his famous golden smile flashed from a
very red setting.
_ The end of the fight came with a sud-
denness that dazed the spectators. It
followed two or three rounds of almost
complete idleness on the part of the con
testants, and the crowd settled down to
a long drawn out struggle, believing
that it would go the full limit of the
forty-five rounds without either being
able to register a knockout.
_ The early rounds were filled with
flashes of Johnson's former wonderful
speed, when he would rain rights and
lefts to Willard's body and face, de-
livering ten blows to one of the big
white challenger's. Through all this
time, Willard was strickly on the defen-
sive, and on occasions Johnson played
with him, once standing with guard
down and letting Willard swing at him,
only to dodge and laugh at the awk-
wardness of his opponent.
_ In many respects, the fight resulted
just as many predicted. Willard and his
friends particularly prophesying that if
the battle lasted twenty rounds, John-
son could not win. This was based
partly on the belief that Willard could
stand all the punishment Johnson could
inflict and partly on the doubt as to
Johnson's condition and his ability at his
age to fight a long battle against the
odds of superior height, weight, reach
and youth.

Willard Expected Beating

_ Willard said before entering the ring
that he expected to take a beating for
ten or fifteen rounds at the hands of his
faster and more skilled opponent and he
had trained to withstand it.
_ As a matter of fact he took twenty
rounds of severe punishment, but laughed
the blows aside and kept standing up
against the rushes of the negro. Several
times in each of the earlier rounds John-
son rushed Willard to the ropes. Wil-
lard's back showed numerous welts raised
by the ropes as he fell into them.
_ In the rushes Johnson would attack
Willard in the body, and when the lat-
ter's hands and arms came down to
guard that part of his anatomy Johnson
would swing rights and lefts to the un-
protected wind and face. After each of
these attacks Willard cheerfully came
back for more.
_ Johnson's continual grin in the earlier
rounds began to change to a look of won-
derment as the battle turned into the
twenties, and it was evident to the spec-
tators, when the negro came to the con-
clusion that it was useless for him to try
to knock out the young western giant.
Johnson also seemed to know that he
was in no condition to fight forty-five
rounds. His blows lacked the force which
sent Jeffries toppling from the topmost
rung of the pugilistic ladder at Reno.
_ It had been the opinion of Johnson and
many of his friends that he did not have
to be in the best condition to whip Wil-
lard, underrating the latter's splendid
condition and youthful stamina.
_ The fight was all Johnson's during the
first twenty rounds, Willard only once
or twice taking the aggressive, and then
swinging clumsily and wildly. Meanwhile
his body was growing pink under the
blows that flashed from Johnson.

Fight Becomes Slower

_ In these rounds Willard took a beating
which would have put an ordinary fight-
er down and out.
_ The crowd got used to seeing him
throw off these slashing blows and ex-
pected to see Johnson do the same thing
when Willard swung his right to the neg-
ro's chin in the fatal twenty-sixth round.
They expected to see Johnson jump up
and continue fighting just as Willard had
came back, but the old champion knew
that he had fought his last championship
fight.
_ From the twentieth round to the final
the fight looked slow and the crowd be-
gan to hoot and ask that somebody do
something. There was a single cry of
"fake!" but it was not taken up by the
spectators.
_ The reason it looked slow was because
Johnson, who had been doing all the
fighting, suddenly stopped and began
sparring for time.
_ It was some time before Willard or his
seconds realized that Johnson was
through and only needed a blow or two
to send him to pugilistic oblivion.
_ During the early part of the fight John-
son carried all his old time confidence and
self assurance. He constantly babied
words with the spectators about the ring
and talked steadily to Willard.
_ Willard's seconds were after Johnson all
the time, warning him to keep away from
Willard's terrific right. It was in the
sixteenth round that one of Willard's
seconds shouted: "Jack, you run into
Jess' right; we will pick you up right
over here."
_ "Be sure you take good care of me,"
said Johnson.
_ It so happened that when Johnson
went down for the count it was in Wil-
lard's corner

Champion Is Flippant.

_ When a spectator called: "Johnson,
you will get yours today," Johnson re-
plied: "Well, there is good money in
it, isn't there?"
_ Willard probably will take his own time
in accepting any challenge. He already
had announced that if he won he would
not fight another negro. There is no
doubt that the victory will do the new
champion a world of good. Today he
was palpably nervous and at first was
afraid to go at Johnson. He constantly
jabbed or lunged, and then backed away
instead of following up an advantage
when it came to him.
_ It can hardly be said at present that
Willard is a great fighter, but he is a
wonderful specimen of physical manhood
and is likely to develope an aggressiveness
and skill that may make him invincible
for years to come.
_ Willard looked very clumsy against
Johnson today. A more skillful man might
have knocked Johnson out after the
twelfth round, for after that the negro
was going on speed and nerve and skill.
_ Throughout the fight the Cubans kept
shouting words of encouragement to Wil-
lard, such as "Kill the black bear!" and
"Knock him out!" and "Let us go home!"
When one spectator shouted at Johnson
that he was an old man the negro repied:
"You just watch the old man," and with
that he chased Willard twice across the
ring, knocking his head first on the right
and then to the left with a series of cross
blows. Thoughout the twenty-first,
twenty-second, twenty-third and twenty-
fourth rounds Johnson hardly struck a
blow. He kept feinting at Willard, who
was ever ready to break ground. When
Johnson finally went down in the twenty-
sixth round he rolled over on his back.
The sun was beating down with torrid
intensity and his arms drew up as though
to shield his eyes from the glare while
the referee counted him out.
_ There was virtually no big betting here
on the fight. The odds for small wagers
today varied from 8 to 5 and 6 to 5 on
the negro.

"I Told You So."

_ Los Angeles, Cal., April 5. - "I knew all
along that Jess would win," said Mrs.
Jess Willard here today when told of the
outcome of the fight at Havana. She ap-
peared pleased, but not at all surprised.
Her only other comment was made to
Jess Willard, Jr., 16 months old.
_ "Your daddy is champion of the world,"
she said to him and kissed him.

Cubans Much Excited.

_ The crowd which paid to see the fight
would be difficult to estimate, but it
looked to number between 15,000 and
20,000. In addition, fully 5,000 persons
viewed the fight from the distant slopes
and hills.

CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
BY ROUNDS

First Round

_ Johnson feinted and landed his left on
Willard's jaw. Repeated upper cuts with
right to Willard's jaw. The latter was
very nervous. Johnson was laughing.
Willard drove two lefts to the negro's
body. Johnson drove a right to Willard's
body.

Second Round

_ Johnson easily blocked Willard's leads,
feinting him out of position and scoring
right and left to jaw. Willard replied
with a thrashing right to the negro's
body. Johnson then hooked a left to the
stomach. Johnson then landed three lefts
to the body. Willard laughed. Johnson
then drove Willard to the ropes with a
tattoo of lefts to the face.

Third Round

_ After much feinting, Willard missed a
right swing and both laughed. Johnson
rushed and scored a left on the body and
a right to the jaw. Johnson landed left
on body. Willard asked, "Is that the
way you do it?"

Fourth Round

_ Willard lunged ineffectually. Johnson
laughed at his clumsy efforts. There
was much feinting. Johnson landed a
left to the ribs and swung his right and
left to the body and his left to Willard's
face. Willard's lip was bleeding. Wil-
lard scored a left to Johnson's nose.

Fifth Round

_ Johnson poked a light left and right
to Willard's face. The referee ordered
the fighters to break from a clinch. The
negro smashed hard to Willard's ribs and
drove three blows to the cowboy's stom-
ach. The champion rushed Willard to
the ropes, scoring punches to the head
and body. Willard was badly dis-
tressed. The challenger was rattled and
boxed like an amateur.

Sixth Round

_ The negro was calm at the opening of
this round. He beat Willard to the ropes
with a fusillade of lefts. On the break
Johnson landed a smash to the giant's
jaw. The negro rubbed Willard's un-
protected body. At the bell Johnson was
hammering hard at Willard's body. The
cowboy's left cheek was cut.

Seventh Round

_ Johnson was using every artifice to
force the fighting. He rushed Willard
to the ropes, slugging with both hands
repeatedly. Willard's long left tempo-
rarily blinded the negros left eye. John-
son came back with a series of swings
to Willard's body. It was a very clean
fight so far.

Eighth Round

_ Willard was gaining confidence and
tried his hand at forcing the pace. John-
son accepted his challenge. The pugilists
battered each other across the ring, the
negro having the better of it. Willard
landed on Johnson's mouth. Then John-
son upper cut Willard over the heart.
Willard bounced off the ropes and landed
a left to the jaw. The round ended with
the negro swinging blows to Willard's
head.

Ninth Round

_ Willard assumed the aggressive, John-
son started one of the cowboy's ears
bleeding. The champion landed frequent-
ly, but the blows appeared to lack their
old time power. Amidst feinting, the
crowd shouted, "Kill the black bear."
Johnson immediately started a rally by
driving three hard hooks to Willard's
stomach. A left by Willard started the
negro's mouth bleeding. The latter slug-
ged the white man to the ropes.

Tenth Round

_ Johnson was slow in coming from
his corner. Willard scored two lefts to
the face. Jess was blocking better as
his nervousness wore off. Johnson swung
a left to Willard's ribs and sent half
a dozen blows to Willard's body and jaw.
The negro knocked Willard to the ropes
with right and left swings to the stom-
ach. A hard right chop staggered Wil-
lard.

Eleventh Round

_ The crowd derided Johnson, who was
fighting and answering the sallies at the
same time. Willard drove a left to the
negro's mouth and took a right hook to
the body in return. Johnson smashed
the cowboy with a left to the jaw. Jess
blocked several swings. Johnson then
tried to rattle Willard by talking. The
latter angrily replied in kind. Johnson
tapped the giant's shoulder at the bell.
It was a slow round.

Twelfth Round

_ The negro opened with a left to the
body and a right to the jaw. In a clinch
he smashed Willard three times with his
left. Johnson then drove a right to the
body and a left to the head. His blows
apparently had no effect on Willard.
Johnson drove Willard to his corner with
a swing to the head. Willard's ear and
cheek were bleeding. He walked spryly
to his corner at the bell.

Thirteenth Round

_ Willard's body now was red from the
effects of the punishment. The negro,
ducking under his opponent's leads, con-
tinued to play for the stomach. Willard
drove Johnson into a corner and landed a
straight left to Johnson's face. The ne-
gro jarred Willard with a left hook to
the jaw in return. He next hooked his
left to the white man's body, repeating
this blow a minute later. The champion
landed right and left to the head as the
bell rang.

Fourteenth Round

_ The round open with Willard rush-
ing and missing a right upper cut.The
challenger was the aggressor and tried
to force the fighting. Johnson slammed
Willard on the mouth with a left. Jess
only laughed. The negro was beginning
to miss his leads. Willard drove a hard
right to Johnson's ear. The negro
smashed hard left to the body at the
bell.

Fifteenth Round

_ The crowd kidded Johnson, who rushed
Willard to the ropes and scored five
hard swings, remarking, "What a grand
old man." Willard grinned at the re-
mark and also at the blows accompany-
ing it. The bell found both pugilists
fighting in the center of the ring.

Sixteenth Round

_ Johnson missed a left to the head and
they clinched. The challenger blocked
the negro's rush. Amid much fighting,
the black man said, "Willard is a good
kid," and then rushed Jess to the ropes,
scoring two hard punches to the body.
The negro drove terrific swing to Wil-
lard's side. The challenger was a trifle
unsteady in going to his corner.

Seventeenth Round

_ Johnson hooked a left to his opponent's
jaw and a right upper cut to the same
place. Willard landed a right to John-
son's body and a left to the head. Willard
again scored a right to the body and
blocked the negro's return. Jack drove
Willard to a corner and landed two
swings to the head. Johnson again
hooked a right to the body and followed
it up with two punches to the head.

Eighteenth Round

_ After playing a tattoo on Willard's
chest and stomach, the negro drove Wil-
lard to a corner, where the negro
smashed him twice on the jaw. Willard's
leads were easily picked off by the cham-
pion. After several tries, Jess landed a
straight left to Johnson's face and a
right swing to the jaw. At the bell John-
son landed a punch to the body and an-
other to the jaw.

Nineteenth Round

_ Both pugilists slowed up a bit. Willard
now was the aggressor. Johnson stood
in the middle of the ring and blocked
Willard's blows. During the first minute
not a single punch landed, and Johnson
seemed able to devine Willard's every
lead. The negro then started a rally,
landing two lefts to the body and a right
to the jaw.

Twentieth Round

_ Willard opened the round with two light
blows to the negro's face. The latter
laughed and said, "Lead again, kid."
Willard did and smiled also. The crowd
around the ring relled, "Hurry up, we
want to see the races." Willard stabbed
and pawed the air until he landed a swing
on the negro's jaw. The negro immedi-
ately cut loose and they battled across
the ring. The crowd went frantic when
Willard drove a hard right and left to
the negro's body at the bell.

Twenty-first Round

_ After a minute of posing and feinting,
Johnson hooked his left to Willard's
body and sent a right swing to the head.
Willard replied with a straight left to the
negro's face. Jack rushed, but Willard
protected himself well, and they fell into
a clinch. Johnson walked around the
ring. Willard missed a right swing and
they both laughed. Both were fighting
for an opening at the bell.

Twenty-second Round

_ The fight at this point had degenerated
into a slow sparring and clinching battle.
Neither pugilist appeared particularly
tired or injured by the blows of his op-
ponent. Willard tried setting the pace.
In a clich he battered the negro's body
with rights and lefts. Johnson only
grinned. Willard continued working for
the negro's stomach. Jack grinned at
the shrieking crowd. Nevertheless, John-
son was showing the effects of the pace.

Twenty-third Round

_ Willard rushed into a clinch. Johnson
held on until ordered to break by the
referee. The challenger shot two lefts
into the negro's face. They clinched again
and wrestled about the ring. Jess added
two more lefts to Jack's face and
clinched. Up to this point Johnson had
not struck a blow in the round.

Twenty-forth Round

_ The crowd yelled to the fighters in the
ring to fight, but instead they clinched.
Willard laid hid weight on Johnson at
every opportunity in the clinches. John-
son pushed Willard backward in the same
manner as he did Jeffries at Reno. John-
son missed two weak swings. The crowd
howled with disapproval. Willard then
smashed the negro with a left to the
face at the bell.

Twenty-fifth Round

_ Johnson's actions might have indicated
that he thought he could not knock Wil-
lard out and was trying to get the de-
cision on points at the end of the forty-
fifth round. Willard shook the negro with
a right to the heart. He then clipped
Johnson on the jaw with a fast left and
started forcing the pace. Johnson was
conserving every bit of his energy. Wil-
lard again landed a left to the mouth and
then repeated it. Johnson stepped
around backwards at the bell and drop-
ped heavily into his seat.

Twenty-sixth Round

_ Johnson rose slowly from his chair and
Willard met him more than two-thirds of
the way across the ring. Willard stabbed
a long left into the negro's face, sending
his head bobbing back. Before the cham-
pion could recover his position, Willard
swung a smashing right which landed
full on Johnson's stomach. Johnson was
flung against the ropes by the force of
the blow and he clinched on the rebound.
_ The cowboy tried to tear loose, but the
black man held grimly, with eyes closed
and legs shaking. Just before the ref-
eree broke them Johnson looked over
Willard's shoulder toward the box where
his wife had been, his eyes showing a
dazed, tired, puzzled expression.
_ As soon as Welch had broken the clinch
Jess rushed again, forcing the negro into
Willard's corner, where the finish came.
Johnson was slowing up, and his strong,
youthful opponent hooked a swinging left
to the body. The fading champion's legs
quivered and again the towering giant
feinted for the body. Johnson dropped
his guard and Willard won the title with
a quick hard swing to the exact point of
the jaw.
_ The negro's knees folded up under him
and he sank slowing to the floor and
rolled over on his back, partly under the
ropes.
_ Welsh waved Willard back and began
to count. Up and down swung the ref-
eree's hand, but Johnson never moved.
His eyes were glassy, only the whites be-
ing visible.
_ At the count of "ten," Welse turned
and held up Willard's hand and a new
champion replaced Johnson, who was
still stretched on the floor of the ring.
Time of round, 1 munute 26 seconds.

"FAKE FIGHT," CLAIM
OF JOHNSON'S SISTER
"Jack Never Would Have Lost Un-
less He Wanted To," Says -
Riot in "Black Belt."

_ Chicago, April 5. - Some white men in
that part of Chicago known as the "black
belt," which was the home of Jack John-
son before he became a fugitive from
justice, taunted a crowd of negros to-
night by cheering Willard. A general
fight ensued and riot calls brought po-
lice from three stations. Several arrests
were made. No one was injured serious-
ly. The police stopped several other
fights between white and blacks.
_ At the home of Johnson's mother, Mrs.
Tiny Johnson, who the former champion's
sister, met all queries with the statement
"It was a fake fight and everyone knows
it. Jack never would have lost unless he
wanted to."

SHORT SKETCH OF
FIGHTERS

JESS WILLARD

_ Born in Pottawatomie county, Kan.,
December 29, 1887.
_ Father is a ranchman
_ Is the youngest of three brothers. No
sisters.
_ Father a native of Ohio; mother from
Kentucky.
_ Never fought a preliminary.
_ First fight at Sapulpa, Okla., in 1911.
_ Broke bronchos until he became too
heavy.
_ Is 6 feet 6 inches; weighs 230
_ Wears 10 shoe.
_ Can run 100 yards in :11
_ Is an expert swimmer.
_ Crack rifle and pistol shot.
_ Never drank, smoked or chewed.

JACK JOHNSON

_ Born in Galveston, Tex., March 31, 1878.
_ Son of southern slaves.
_ knocked out only once in his life, Joe
Choynski turning the trick in February,
1901.
_ Has participated in seventy-seven
fights.
_ Won the championship from Tommy
Burns in 14 round at Sydney, Australia,
in 1908.
_ Knocked out Jim Jeffries in 15 rounds
at Reno, nev., in 1910. Largest purse
fought for, $101,000, with Jeffries. John-
son received 60 per cent, $60,600; a bonus
of $10,000 and $50,000 for the picture priv-
ileges; total, $120,000.

FACTS ABOUT THE FIGHT

_ Principals - Jack Johnson vs. Jess Wil-
lard.
_ Length of Battle - Fourty-five rounds.
_ Purse - Johnson receives $30,000, win
lose or draw, with one-third of picture
privileges. Willard receives 25 per cent
of total receipts and one-third of picture
privileges.

CROWDS POUR INTO HAVANA
CUBAN CAPITAL GOES WILD
OVER FIGHT
START EARLY FOR THE ARENA
Many Hundreds in Line at Sunrise
to Purchase General Admission
Seats - Ringside Odds Favored
Johnson, 6 to 5

_ Havana, April 5. - The day of the world's
heavyweight championship fight between
Jack Johnson and Jess Willard broke
with overcast skies and a decidedly cool
wind blowing from the sea. When the
sun rose it was behind a solid bank of
clouds, but as the day advanced blue
patches of sky appeared here and there,
bringing in hope of fine weather.
_ _ Havana has been stirred by this event
more than by any other thing in recent
years and dawn found the city fully
awake to the unusual occurrence of the
day. The downtown fight headquartes
were crowded with ticket buyers and
the morning saw the arrival in Havana of
wealthy Cubans from all over the island.
_ Johnson prepared coolly to defend his
title. His only indication of nervousness
was over the exact moment Jack Curly
and other backers of the fight would
arive at his headquarters with the $30,-
000 cash named in the negro's contract
as signed in Paris. This very important
event was set for 11 o'clock.
_ Johnson chatted and laughed with the
men about him during his preparations
for the trip to the ring as if he had not
a care in the world. The supreme self
confidence was rated as one of the cham-
pion's best assets, especially against a
man of nervous temperament.
_ Willard retired early last night and de-
clared this morning he had had a refresh-
ing sleep. He said he was glad the day
of the fight had arrived, as he had been
training nearly nine weeks, first having
got into condition to fight at Juarez
March 6.
_ Willard was loath to discuss his plan of
campain. He did say, however, that he
proposed to go slow and that he expected
to take a good deal of punishment during
the first ten rounds, hoping to wear
Johnson down and get an oportunity to
land a knockout blow. Willard was con-
fident that he could land two or three
rights on Johnson the fight soon would
end. Willard said Johnson's ability as
a boxer would give him a opportunity to
make a better showing in the early
rounds of the fight, but never in his ring
career had Willard felt any discomfort
from any blow delivered on his body, and
he did not fear Johnson's jabs.
_ Willard seemed very fit indeed when he
left his quarters for the park. The in-
flammation to his eye from the splash of
chloroform liniment and it was not be-
lieved it would have any ill effects.

Rush for the Arena

_ Although Johnson and Willard did not
meet till noon for the heavyweight cham-
pionship of the world, the early hours of
the forenoon saw thousands on the way
to Marianao race course, where the fight
was staged.
_ Neither the black champion nor the
cowboy fighter changed over night their
optimistic forecasts of the outcome. Each
man was sure he would win.
_ Johnson said he was in good shape and
did not care if the fight was a hard one,
as he was "fit to go any distance."
Willard's backers were certain that their
man would win if the fight went beyond
ten rounds. Willard himself asserted that
he was not in the least nervous over the
result.
_ It was the old story of skill and
strength against youth and strength with
the betting odds at 6 to 5 on Johnson's
skill. Johnson one of the largest men
who ever stepped into a prize ring, faced
an opponent measurably larger and ten
years younger than himself.

JOURNAL FIGHT
RETURNS POPULAR

_ More than 2,000 fight fans gathered in
front of the Journal building to hear re-
ports from the ringside. Mingled with
the crowd were numerous negroes who,
on hearing dispatches read of rounds in
which the black champion was the favor-
ite, cheered and applauded. When the
reports stated that the Kansas cowboy
had the best of a round, the shouting
and cheering swelled.
_ Men climbed telephone poles and occu-
pied building tops so they could hear
more distinctly the announcements made
from a second story window in The
Journal building. The street in front of
the building was crowded. for more
than a block the fans jostled with each
other trying to get closer to the source
of the information on the fight. An alley
opposite the window from which the re-
ports were hurled was packed with fight
enthusiasts.
_ After the fight had progressed ten
rounds the crowd grew excited and many
predicted that it would go at least twice
that number. Interest was keen after
the fight had reached this point. Reports
were cried out and the proverbial pin
could be heard had it been dropped.
Following each announcement of a blow
given by Willard the crowd broke into
cheers and then quieted to hear further
details.
_ More fight fans gathered in Sioux City
today to hear the reports from The Jour-
nal office than were ever assembled for
any similar event. Pioneers declared that
the crowd was larger than any other that
ever congregated to hear reports on any
outside news. The Johnson-Jeffries bout
attracted many and the world series each
year have brought hundreds to the news-
paper offices to hear results, but the
crowd that gathered in front of The
Journal for the Johnson-Willard fight
outdistanced them all.

Sioux City Journal 1915
THE SIOUX CITY JOURNAL
APRIL 6, 1915

Sioux City Journal 1915
THE SIOUX CITY JOURNAL
APRIL 6, 1915

THE ANACONDA - MONTANA
APRIL 6, 1915
JACK JOHNSON vs JESS WILLARD

TAUNTON DAILY GAZETTE
TUESDAY EVENING APRIL 6, 1915
JACK JOHNSON vs JESS WILLARD

Jess Willard and Jack Johnson Postcard
Historic Postcard of the Jess Willard and
Jack Johnson Heavyweight Title Fight

Historic boxing newspapers and articles.