JESS WILLARD.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 16 April 1915, Page 1

JESS WILLARD.

THE MEXICAN COWBOY WHO THUMPED JOHNSON. « Willard was born in Kansas on the 29th December, 1887. The fight of which we had the result this week was thus referred to by the 'Mirror of Life': "It is to be a fight of 45 rounds, or practically a 'bout to a finish,' which is a point in Willard's favor if the champion is unable to score a knockout inside 20 or 25 rounds, for no matter how fit Johnson may be we mustn't forget that he is 37, and a strong young fellow like Willard must always stand a chance. -Not that we greatly fancy Willard; but the tall Texas cowboy ought to be able to accomplish something in 45 rounds. It will be a test of physical endurance. If it were one of general ship Johnson could be written down a winner now."

.The same journal oil a later date remarked : "The Mexican cowboy Jess Willard has given out the interesting information that he is hungering for a scrap with any heavy-weight, not barring Sam Langford, and that he really wants to fight a. few times /Before he meets Johneon, but his manager won't let him. Wise fellow! Months ago this same manager eaid that Willard would be matched with several of the best white heavy-weights before the Johnson fight. He told us that big Jess would polish, off the rest of the title-hungry crowd just to get his h;iiii' in for the bis? black, and to show the American public that Willard is a real fighter and the best white heavy-weight that ever drew on a glove. But now—and the reason is a good one—it's this way the manager thinks: If 1 he fights again before he meets Johnson somebody might beat him, and what then? Why, the championship 'go' would b® all off, and the chance of grabbing a nice pile of dollars lost. A failure of Willard, however, isn't the only thing that may cause the fight to fall through, for a telegram to the ' World,' dated 13th January, states that Johnson will be arrested the he lands at any Mexican port- held by General Carranza.. There is no Atlantic port at which Johnson, on his way to Jaurez to fight Willard on March 6 for the world's title, could safely land while thie prohibition is in effect. To reach Juarez by way of some Pacific port held bv "Villa would make the champion and 1 lis party go 2,500 miles out of the way. If Johnson is caught by Carranza froon« he will be deported as an. undesirable alien or turned over to United States authorities on request for extradition^"