BOXING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12750, 22 April 1909, Page 6

BOXING.

THE NEGRO BOXER.

FIGHTER. AND BIBLE CHRISTIAN

LONDON, March 12. It is stated that big Jim Jeff ri«. the world's undefeated heavy-weight, is being idly harasaed in New lorkby a constant Accession of challenges from the negro Johnson. Tho latter arrived at Vainer, 8.C., on his return from Australia, a few days ago, and ever since landing baleen &nt challenges by means ot _ post and telegraph and even special luessengers. Jefffie/ has succeeded m reducing his weight sufficiently to undertake most lucrative music-hall engagements worth £500 per week, but he is still much too fat for a fight to the finish with the black pugiUst. Boy messengers bring Johnson s Sen-es, couched in slighting terms, to Jeffries'at all hours of the day and night and Jeffries, if he is to retain the -espect of American sportsmen, must either meet Johnson or allow judgment to go by defa Meanwhile the big negro is greatly worried because- the hotelkeepers, despite his pugilistic laurels, persistently draw the "colouf line," and refuse hjm admission. Johnson feels this discrimination very bitterly, all the more, we are told, because while in Australia he married a white woman. The latter was an American girl from Philadelphia, who said she would inarrv Johnson on condition that he licked" tommy Bums. Johnson's feelings are shared by 10,000,000 other American citizens of African descent, who declare that he should also draw the colour line, and refuse to meet white men desirous ot wresting the championship from him. Johnson goes to New York shortly to see Jeffries personally, and possibly there will be some hot words. Since leaving Australia, Johnson announces that he has become a Bible Christian. He has been booked already to preach in a euburban chapel to a negro congregation.