BOXING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144668, 30 April 1915, Page 7

BOXING.

JOHNSON v. WILLARD. (Cables in the Australian Press.) VANCOUVER, April o. Willard knocked out Johnson in the twenty-sixth round. Johnson incautiously looked over his shoulder towards his wife’s seat, and Willard whipped in a sudden right to Johnson’s jaw. tie wont to the boards and was counted out. (The details of the contest prove conclusively that the knock-out was not by a chance blow, but was brought about by Willard having completely worn nut 1 lie negro.) With CUi.OnO worth of advance sales and only the 12s .seats-to be stld at the turnstiles, sunrise found thousands of people wailing in the lino. It was estimated that there were then 1.7.000 on the spot, including throngs of natives, who seemed to he secure in the belief that Johnson would retain the laurels. The negro was confident, and said that he was fit. to go any distance. Willard's backers, on the oilier band, were certain that he would win if he could last beyond the tenth round. Johnson was favourite at 8 to 5 on, and then 6 to 5 on. The ringside box-seats wore sold at £5. The ring was 18ft. square, and 'the platform 22ft. square. The heavy ropes were wrapped twice round with black tyre tape, and great care was taken in protecting the floor, a score rf red blankets being placed underneath the canvas. LONDON, April 6. Interviewed after his tight with Willard. ut Havana, yesterday, Johnson admitted that a younger and a better fighter was entitled to tha championship.

In the early rounds- of the contest Johnson displayed characteristic tactics, wearing a huge smile, and constantly chalFmg hi? opponent, while pounding him on the body, which was soon rod. Johnson was hardly marked, but he failed in an exhausting effort to bring tho contest to a sudden conclusion. Willard assumed the offensive jn the twentieth round, when lie had Johnson at his mercy. The Mach was clinching continually, and ho was knocked out with a terrific right swing to the jaw. The crowd was disorderly, and yelled. ■'Kill tho black bear!” Soldiers acre called out to disperse the disorderly element.

VANCOUVER. April fi. Later details from Havana show that the suggestion that the knockingnnt of Jack Johnson was duo to a chance opportunity is an injustice to Willard. The consensus of opinion 5s that up to ihe end of the twentieth round tho black would have been entitled to a verdict. Then he showed signs of wilting under tho torrilic strain, and thereafter “the contest was tame. The collapse of flic negro was com* pi Me at the cud of the twenty-fourth round, when he turned to Tom Flanagan, who was sitting with Mrs. Johnson. and remarked. I can't go much further; tell the wife to leave/’ Willard decking that the decisive punch was a right to the body early in tho last round. Johnson was limp in the next clinch, and while it is true that ho looked to see if hi? wife, had loft, it is not substantiated that Willard chose that moment for the knockout. When the referee broke tho clinch the cowboy rushed in and forced Johnson into b;s (Willard's) corner. Jack was slow, and was guarding against a swinging left hook which found tho body. His log? quivered. The towering while giant again feinted fur the body. Johnson dropped his guard, and the title was won by a quick, hard swing, exactly on tho point. Johnson declares that ho proved lie was in condition by going LH) rounds. He tried his host, but ho was up against a man who refused to crumple up when hit. There has been a hot argument ns :o whether Johnson was knocked unconscious. The first man who entered the ring says most emphatically that ho was.

It is generally believed that the black knew that he had no chance of winning, and chose to take no more punishment. h\ tho seventh round ho ail but stopped Willard with a. blow on the midriff, and at least half a dozen times rocked tile Kansas champion with fierce jaw-punches. It is not expected that Willard''will risk the titlo lor twelve months. His manager, Tom Jones, says that tho new champion hopes to is.it Australia. Tito Havana correspondent of tho United Press Agency states that Jack Johnson and his wife are on their way to Martinique to take boat for France. On arrival there it is their intention to start chicken-farming.

EON DON, April 6. Dick Burge, the well-known boxing promoter, has cabled to Joss Willard’, the new world’s champion, offering him substantial inducements to meet a heavy-weight in England. VANCOUVER, Anvil 7. A message from Havana states that tim promotors of the contest have announced that Hie receipts were £22,000 and the attendance £32,000.