WILLARD-JOHNSON FIGHT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 79, 7 April 1915, Page 8

WILLARD-JOHNSON FIGHT

the negro evhiets his match. United Phebb Association. (Received 1.35 p.m.) Havana, April 5. There was a crowd of fifteen thousand. The day broke dull, but the sun was shining brightly when the light commenced, i Roth lighters received prolonged I applause. ( The fight was postponed for an hour 1 owing to the management forgetting the gong. 1 Round No. I—(Johnson feinted and 1 landed his left on Willard’s jaw, and i-got in repeated uppercuts with Ins ! right on Willard’s jaw. Willard 1 drove two lefts to the negro’s body. (Johnson drove his right to Willard’s body. Round 2—Johnson neatly blocked I Willard’s leads, scoring right and left I on the jaw ; hooked his left to stomach. at which "Willard laughed; then Johnson drove W’illard to the ropes and heat a tattoo with his left on his face. Round 3—Johnson rushed in and scored with his lelt to the body, and right to the jaw, Willard’s lip bleeding. Willard scored with his leit on Johnson’s nose. Ronn] -I —-The negro smashed hard on Willard’s ribs and drove three hard blows to the stomach. ’The champion rushed Willard to the ropes scoring on the head and body. Willard was badly distressed, and looked like an amateur.

Round G—The negro heat Willard to the ropes with a iusilade of lefts, and nddied Willard’s cut lip at every opportunity. Ho lauded three blows on Willard’s unprotected body, ami at the bell Johnson was hammering hard at the body. Willard’s left cheek

was cut. Round 7—-Johnson was using every artifice to force the lighting, and he forced Willard to the ropes, slugging with both hands repeatedly. Wi 1- ( lard’s long left temporarily blinded the negro’s left eye. Johnson came back with a series of swings to the body. It was a clean fight so far. 8- Willard, gaining confi- . deuce, tried forcing the pace and Johnson accepted the challenge. Both battered each other across the ring, neither getting the better. Willard landed on Johnson’s month, and Johnson placed an uppercut over Willard’s heart. Willard bounced to the ropes and landed a left on the jaw. As the round ended the negro swung blows to Willard’s head. Round 9 —Willard assumed the aggressive. Idle champion landed frequently, hut his blows appeared to lack his old-time force. Johnson started to rally, driving three hard blows to the stomach with his left. Willard started the negro’s month bleeding, hut later he drove the white man to Hie ropes. Round 10—Johnson was slow in coming from his corner. \\ illard scored two with his left on tin? face. The negro swung his left to his opponent’s ribs, and half a dozen blows on the body and jaw hard with his right staggered Willard. Round ll—-The crowd derided Johnson, who went on lighting ami answered the -sallies at the same time. Willard drove his left to the mouth ami took a right hook to the body. In return Johnson tried to annoy Willard by talking loudly. Round 12 consisted ehietlly of clinches, in which Johnson drove heavy smashes to his opponent’s body with apparently little result. Willard’s ear and cheek were bleeding. In Round 13 Johnson played continuously on Willard’s stomach. Willard drove Johnson to the corner and landed blows repeatedly on his face. In Round It Johnson was beginning to miss bis loads in some good exchanges. Willard laughed at Johnson’s efforts. Round 15- Johnson rushed Willard to the ropes with heavy body blows. Round IG—7-Johnson again stored, heating Willard to the ropes. Round 17—Willard's lead was getting home heavily on Johnson’s body. Round 18--The negro smashed his opponent heavily on the jaw and head. Round 19—Both were showing the effects of the lighting by slower rallies and light interchanges. Round 20- 'The crowd frantically cheered Willard when In' I a tided''several blows on the body, obviously distressing Johnson. The next four rounds -degenerated into a slow punching fight, in which little apparent, effect was achieved. In the tweiilv-lilth both were going , # r-, well, hut with weak clinches and shuns, y right and left by Willard effectively stopping Johnson’s aggressiveness. LiiiaHy Willard smashed Johnson a terrific right swing on the jaw, and knocked the negro out. The crowd rushed the ring, threatening Johnson, and -soldiers were needed to clear the mob and protect the lighters.