BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 255, 7 April 1915, Page 7

BOXING.

JACK JOHNSON KNOCKED OUT,

JESS WILLARD, WORLD'S

CHAMPION.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGHT.

By Cable—Press Association —Copyright.

Havana, April Jess Wilhird knocked <jut. Jack Job sou at Havana ii) the 2(ith round.

I'ilcre was a crowd 'of fifteen thoi;

and present. The day broke due .but the sun was shining brightly ivhei the fight commenced, ,„lioth fighters >-e ceivod prolonged applause. The ivi'.ii was postponed for half an hour, owin; to forgetting the gong.

Round one. —Johnson feinted, landed a left on Willard's jaw and repeated upper cuts with the. right on Willard's jaw, Willard drove two lefts to the negro's body, and Johnson drove a right to Willard's body. Round two.—Johnson neatly blocked Willard's leads scoring a right and lei"!, on the jaw- and hooked a left to his stomach at which Willard laughed. lie drove Willard to the ropes and played a tattoo with his left on his face. Round three.—Johnson rushed and scored a left on the body and a right on the jaw. Willard's lip was bleeding. Willard scored a left on Johnson's, nose.

Round four.—The negro smashed bard at Willard's ribs and drove three hard blows to his stomach. Tlie champion rushed Willard to the ropes, scoring on liia head and body. Willard was badly distressed and looked like an amateur. Round six.—The negro beat Willard to the ropes with a fusilade of lefts, iaiibed Willard's cut lip at every opportunity, and landed three blows "on Willard's unprotected body. At the bell Johnson was-hammering hard at his body. Willard's left cheek was cut. Round seven.—Johnson was using every artifice to force the fighting. He rushed Willard to the ropes, slogging with both hands repeatedly. Willard'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.

Round o.—Willard, gaining confidence, tried forcing the pace and Jolinsbn accepted the challenge. Both battered each other across the ring, neither getting the better. Willard landed on Johnson's mouth, and Johnson placed an upperont over Willard's heart. Willard bounc.'d to the ropes and landed a Jeft on <he jaw. As the round ended the ne'"-o swung blows to Willard's head.

Round o.—Willard assumed the aggressive. The champion landed frequently, but his blows appeared to laek his old-time force. Johnson started to rally, driving three hard blows to Vi" stomach with his left. Willard started the negro's mouth bleeding, but biter lie drove the while '-lu.n to the ropes. Round 10.—Johnson was slow in coming from his corner. Willard scored t>vo with his left on the face. The negro swung his left to his opponent's rips, and half a dozen blows on the body and jaw hard with his right staggered W<llard.

Round 11.—The crowd derided Johnson, who went on fighting and answered the sallies at the same time. Willard drove his left to the mouth and took a right hook to the body. In return J >h,'ison tried to annov Willard by talkin" loudly. "

Round 12 consisted chiefly of clinches, in which Johnson drove heavy smashes to his opponent's l>ody with apparently little result. Willard's ear and check were bleeding. In Round 13 Johnson played contiguously on Willard's stomach. Willanl drove Johnson to the corner and lamied blows, repeated)!- on his face.

In round 14 Johnson was beginning t" miss.his leads in some good exchanges. Willard laughed at Johnson's efforts. Roumf 15.—Johnson rushed Willard to the ropes with heavy body blows. Rtfiwd I(l.—Johnson again scored, beating Willard to the ropes. Bound 17.—Willard's lead was getting liomte heavily on Johnson's body. " Round 18. —The negfo smashed bis opponent heavily on the jaw and head. Round lit.—Both wore showing the effects of the fighting by slower rallies and light interchanges.

Round 20. —The crowd fj»nticallv cheered Willard when he landed several blows on, the body, obviously distressing Johnson.

The next four rounds degenerated into a slow punching fight, in which little effect was achieved. In the twenty-fifth both wore going well, but with weak clinches and slams, a right and left by Willard effectively stopping Johnson's aggressiveness. Finally NYillard smashed Johnson a terrific right swing on tho jaw, and knocked the negro out.

Tlio crowd rushed Hie ring, threatening dohnson, and soldiers were needed to clear the mob and protect the fighters.