THE CHAMPION PUGILIST.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 22 July 1909, Page 3

THE CHAMPION PUGILIST.

JACK JOHNSON TALKS

A Xew York exchange publishes the following on May Ist: —

There have been large doings in Darktown society since Jack Johnson flopped into New York by way of Chicago, Vancouver, Honolulu, etc., fresh from his Australian victory over Tommy Burns. On the day of his arrival, the denizens of the black belt fairly outdid themselves in an effort to honour the first negro heavyweight champion of the world. To say that he was uproariously received by thousands of enthusiastic coloured admirers would be putting it mildly. Johnson, accompanied by his wife, said to be a mulatto; Kid Cutler, his white sparring partner; and Mrs Cutler; G. Little, said to be the negro's backer; and Abe Ahrens, his new business manager, was aboard the Twentieth Century, Limited, which rolled into the Grand Central Depot at 9.30 o'clock in the morning.

For nearly two hours before the train arrived, thousands of negroes, men, and women, gathered in the big waiting room, and in the train shed behind the iron fences, eager to get a glimpse of the big pugilist, who travelled halfway round the world to "win the heavy-weight title from the white race." The special policemen and regular coppers were soon hemmed in by the mob, but as there was no disorder, rough-house methods of preserving the pease were not resorted to. Outside the station were a dozen big sight-see-ing automobiles, jammed tin horns, ing automobiles, jammed with negroes waving flags and carrying tin horns, while in another big car was a brass band of thirty pieces.

Several leading sporting men of colour had the reception in chargej and as soon as Johnson loomed up on the platform the waiting multitude whooped it up in great style.

Johnson wore a grey suit of clothes, a long grey overcoat that reached almost to his ankles, a small .black derby, which perched high on the top of his cone-shaped head, and a big white necktie, in which nestled a diamond as large as a marble. The burly pugilist carried a cane, and swung along easily, until he was within a few yards of the struggling crowd of admirers in the train shed. Then, as he heard the cheers, and the cries of "Oh, you, Johnson!" and, "Oh, you black champion!" Texas Jack began to smile, and incidentally showed so many white and gold molars that the coloured women clapped their Tiands in ecstasy.

The party was escorted to a side door in the station, and was bundled into an automobile. But the crowd became so dense that the chaffeur was afraid to turn on the power for at least five minutes. Johnson stood up, took off his hat, and bowed in all directions, while the band played, "Hail to the Chief," "See, the Conquering Hero Comes," and other appropriate airs. More hats and canes were hurled skywards, and flags were waving everywhere, when the procession started away from the depot.

When the excitement had abated, Johnson lost no time in talking fight almost without limit. He said that it was true that he had backed out of his proposed mill with Langford at the National Sporting Club of London, England, because he had decided to repudiate all contracts made for him by his former manager, Sam Fiizpatrick. He did not seem willing to say much about his split with Fitzpatrick, Avho picked him tip penniless two years ago, and helped him to get the match with Burns, but he was ready a^id anxious to dlScuss the proposed fight with Jeffries.

"I have posted 5000 dollars here," said Jack, "which will go as a forfeit for a fight with Jeffries. If he intends to meet me, whenever it may suit him, he can cover the money as a guarantee of "good faith. I will leave the forfeit up for a short time, and then, if Jeffries does not come to front, I will take on any other man in the world. I fear nobody. I will fight Langford, Ketchell, Kauffman, Corbet, or any heavy-weight who wants to take a crack at my title except Tommy Burns.

"I know I can beat Jeffries, ovon when he is fit, aaid I do not care to fight him tin less he is. I will let him take his own time about setting She date for the mill, and will agree to nny battle ground in 'Frisco, England, France, or any other country. It's up to him to decide the point. If he can get a 50,000dollar purge, I'll agree to a 60 and 40 per cent division, or one of 85 and 15, or even 90 and 10, just so long as the loser can get his expenses. But you can gamble that I'll not be the loser.

"I'm not afraid of Langford or Ketchell. I'll take either or both of them on, if they will cover my 5000 dollars, and let rfc go as a side bet. I'll agree to any fair conditions, and will fight within a few weeks' notice, or as soon as I can train down a bit.

"I weighed 2031b when I beat Burns, and I was never in better trim. I can get in the same condition again, and it wiM not take long. Langford and Ketchell are both good men. Langford may have improved since he fought me in Boston three years ago, but I've improved a lot, too. Ketchell I've never seen, but they tell me he is a wonderful fighter for a middle-weight. If he wants a crack at me, bring him along ; I'll fight anybody anywhere, so long as the coin is in sight."