THE JOHNS0N-WELLS FIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 83, 28 September 1911, Page 7

THE JOHNSON-WELLS FIGHT

RUNNING A RISK FOR £2OOO London, August 12. ''l should say that no good sportsman would go and see such a match," Mr Eustace Miles, the famous tenuis player, said discussing the boxing contest which is to take place next month between Johnson, the champion of the world, and Bombardier Wells.

•"There is nothing to prevent Wells fighting Johnson, if he wishes to light him," Mr Miles added, "just as there would be nothing to prevent me iightiig him if I wanted and Johnson were willing. But 1 do not think many persons would pay for the fun of seeing Jack Johnson knock me out, and, in my opinioH, sportsmen ought not to encourage Wells to stand up and be knocked down by a man who is so much his superior as a fighting machine. "There can be no doubt on that' point. Wells can, of course, claim that as they have not yet fought, no one is entitled to say he is certain to be beaten, but I saw Johnson in his back garden the other day, and 1 feel convinced that he can knock Wells out whenever he chooses to do it.

"He may like to knock him out in the first round, or he may like to give the spectators a show for their money and knock him out after a number of rounds but I think there can be no doubt that he will suffer much damage even if he gives Wells a good many rounds. "Fighting Johnson is like fighting a man in an iron mask. You can go on hitting his head—thump, thump, thump —that is if you can get there— and it makes no impression, lie just smiles. THICK SKULL. "The negro skull is so thick that the ordinary boxing blow does not affect it. The negro comes of a race which is used to being thumped on the head, and has developed a skull t» meet such emergencies. Johnson has this kind of skull, and it is no use hitting it. You only hurt yourself. "Wells, no doubt, has plenty of pluck —a man needs pluck to stand up to Johnson—'but if he has no chance then he ought not to be offered £2OOO to go through the fight simply to gratify the morbid l gladatorial appetite of men who will go anywhere to see somebody battered. That is what such a light means. "It is not that Wells is to light merely to try and win honor, or defend the honor of himself or sonic one else. He is to be paid £2OOO whether he wins or loses, and Johnson is to be paid £6OOO whether he wins or loses.

"It comes to this: that certain persons are willing to pay Wells £2OOO to be knocked out by Johnson. That is not sport. Irt my opinion, it damages the interests of real sport, and I think that all good sportsmen ought to show their disapproval by. staying away from the match. The only way to prevent sucli matches is fori people to refuse to go neair them.

"There are many people nowadays who have merely the spectatorial instinct for seeing other people perforin, and the match may be intended to appeal to them, but 1 should say they would probably be disappointed, and I should advise them simply to stop away." Mr Saadow, the great physical culture expert, is also of opinion that Johnson is bound to win. ">'■ ! "I do not tsniflk .Wells is sufficiently developed to" meet' Johnson," Mr Sandow said. '.■•:■