JOHNSON-WELLS FIGHT

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1235, 18 September 1911, Page 5

JOHNSON-WELLS FIGHT

•, ; ■ ♦ y IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP IT. fly Telegraph—Press AssociationT-Copyright ,( London, September 15. J In reply to the chairman of the L°n|don County Council, Mr. W. Whitaker (Thompson, who recently wrote to tho (directors of Earle's Court Exhibition, forwarding the protest of tho London Synod .{of the Weslevan Church against the proposed Johnson-Wells fight, tho directors 'of the exhibition state that it is impossible to stop* the contest. It is .understood the kinematograph rights of the fight have been sold for 'Ci'o,ooo. WELLS'S PROSPECTS POOR, i The iESOOO purs© for tho Jack JohnsonBombardier Wells affair, to take place in England "on or before September 30," ,was lodged with a London paper, and only that journal (writes "The Amateur" ■in tho Sydney "Referee") appears to look upon tho thing as a match. London "Sporting Life," continues tho writer, scouts tho idea of it being a match in any sense or meaning of the term, and, judging by what wo know here regarding the lank, lean, and fragile artilleryman, it would not surprise mo a bit if tho big ragged negro put him out of pugilistic existenco for tho time being inside a couple of rounds, flow the "lemons" navo oome for Johnson! Particularly juiey was that one up at Reno last year, and hero is another which .will ripen next month. Tommy Burns was accused of gathering "lemons," but he never plunked 6ufih fruit as Jeffries proved and Bombardier Wells will be. The bombardier is clever and quick, but he is lathy and weak, and' though a drawing-room spar with any of his British contemporaries might bring bouquets for him, a tear in ' rough-up with such a nmn-eater as Johnson will surely leave the poor fellow limp and broken in . very short order. Tho Johnson-Wells display may attract a big crowd, but only of those curious to eeo the black champion shape "for keeps," so to speak. English people have already seen a good deal of him in the showman role. It is. stated that the National Sporting .Club, London, has no sympathy at all ■with the proposed fight. London "Sport•Sng Life" says, regarding tho matter:— "Even' from Wells's paint of view it is absurd. The suggestion is that, as a beaten man, ho will pocket .£2OOO. Even eo. And his career will bo ended. Robbed of his confidence in himself, he will never bo tho same man again, and so ho will have sold what many consider to bo almost his birthright in the world's championship for a mess of pottage in ' the fhape of a paltry .£2000."