THE WORLD'S CHAMPION BOXERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9652, 17 November 1909, Page 7

THE WORLD'S CHAMPION BOXERS.

"JEFFRIES WILL SURPRISE • JOHNSON." ! ImvieW' of the cabled information! recently published to the effect that Jim Jeffries and Jack Johnson had : bean matched to fight for the world's heavyweight championship, the following.utterances made by Jeffries' manager, Sam Berger, last month, .are interesting:— "Jim is going to surprise them all .when toe enters the ring. Why, if the ' truth were known, he is fit to enter toe.ring right now for a battle of 10 rounds. Witu a six months' course of training, there will i>e rothing.tp prevent his getting roto shape, and with him in shape you know what chance Johnson or ten Johnsons would have in the rine with him. "At.present he is in London, but will arrive in Carlsbad in a few days, '■ He is going to take a full course a± ' the baths, as he believes that the wafers of that famous resort will do him more good than anything else. After he returns, he will go into the mountains of California, and when the public sees him In the ring against Johnson, they will see the Jeffries of old. Why, Jim is rot 34 years of age, and just in the prime ■of manhood. Why shouldn't he be able to get into shape? "Somewill say he dissipated and smoked cigarettes. What if he did. And, mind you, I know he did not. Tney, one,and ail, seem to forget that Jeffries's constitution is ona Ox a million, and that hp can take lib rties that other men cannot, and still not hurt himself phyaicolK and while,tbey are all talking ab >ut Jeff's dissipation, .what's the matter with ■Johnson?. Since he came back to this country, he has gone apace that Jeffries orno other fighter ever went before him. But that's Johnson's business and not mine.

"Jeffries .is the greatest fighter this country ever produced, and no one admiuas him.more than old 800 Fitzsiiriraons, ..who met him twice. Recently, I saw Bob in Ne# York, j and the first .thing he said was { 'Blame me, if Jim is 'aif or onej tent:i as gcod as 'e was when we met Vll 'ave no trouble in beating the ;blatk.' Then.Bob went on for half j an hour explaining why no man had a I chance against Jim. He related ho OT ' he hit Jeff, and cut him on trie cheek . bone, and never even rockid his head, j and ended by saying, 'Johnson never saw the day 'e .could 'it like I could.' "After leaving here it was my intention to stqp.off at Ely, and see Tex Hall, but my time is so limited, i , and I can do whatever business we | may have by letter or vi ire. I understand that Hall will make an offer for the fight, and as.it is open to all, ' Hall's chances][are;as.gcod as the next man's. j "Just before 1 aw rig Chicago, I had I a long distance 'phone message from ! Mr M'lntosh, who says he is ready to stage the battle in .England, and that he will give €B,OOO d.llars in ! the way of a purse» and deposit the entire amount .an# ttime the men i sign for battle. Me .figures, I be- j I lieve, that if he secures the bout, it I will be taken in Londoq, an.) fought 1 ! either in the open or at t:ie Oly tipisi, i which holds countless thou-san;is.

"Of course, Coffroth and M'Cirey will a strong brd fur the battle, and M'lntosh will have <ti nis bid considerable for several *eas ns. Jim prefers to battle in' A,meri .<*; in fact, he has told me that he woUid go nowhere else, but money tion.:* an I inducements often make a man chan,e his mind, and uiay make Jim do so, if the American are too far tebw, those of Mr M'lntosh.

"Thth there ia <he Denver .offer, and I really think that i£ the bout CDUId be brought here, it would outdraw any of tho other places men. tioned. The centrally located spot that Denver occupies, and the eaay manner of reaching it, would bring thousands and thousands over, But let me tell you right now, it is going to take more than a thousand dollars to land t>iat pugilistic prize."