The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, July 5, 1910. THE BIG FIGHT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 861, 5 July 1910, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, July 5, 1910. THE BIG FIGHT.

The big fight, which has caused such tremendous interest and excitement throughout almost the whole world, between the negro Johnson, and his pale - faced brother, James Jeffries, has at last eventuated and honours have gone to the “coloured gentleman.” It would appear from the scanty news at our disposal that Johnson had the best of the contest from the outset. Eater particulars will be read with avidity by followers of the fight. That the result has come as a great disappointment to thousands goes without saying. The whites pinned their faith to the white man. They looked to Jeffries as the only man who could stop Johnson’s golden smile and lower the prestige that he had won from the white race. But he has failed and the negro still wears the smile and carries the approbation of his brethren in the United States. As was pointed out by a writer in this paper some months ago, it was a physical impossibility for Jeffries to get back to the condition he was in prior to his retiring as an unbeaten champion. It would have been far better for Jeffries never to have had this indignity thrust upon him. He answered to the call and has gone down to a better man, and the monetary reward will not compensate him for the drubbing. We have no conception in this country what racial feeling really is, but as a result of this fight we will get a good idea through the cables. We can only draw upon our imagination to furnish a picture of the scenes that are now taking place between partisans in every centre in the United States. We believe this battle will sound the death knell of prize fighting in America.