KETCHEL’S OPINION OF JACK JOHNSON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1046, 24 March 1910, Page 12

KETCHEL’S OPINION OF JACK JOHNSON.

In a recent interview, Stanley Ketchel, the famous American middleweight boxer, has the following to say regarding Jack Johnson, the world’s champion boxer: — “ Johnson may be flat footed. If he is I would like to be flat-footed. Don’t worry about his speed. He iswithout doubt the fastest big man I ever saw. When he xunges out with his straight left it carries a force of a pistonrod. He can hit and get out of the way better than any fighter I ever saw. He is a marvel with his hands. He may be flat-footed but he certainly is shifty.” When Ketchel was in Grand Rapids last he showed a decided antipathy for old friends and former supporters, but his last visit has been noticeable for decided tendency to talk. He further said:

“ Last year has been a splendid money-getter for me until I came across Jack Johnson. He stopped me. But I had the satisfaction of landing once on Johnson cleanly and that time the big champion keeled. One of these days they will give me more credit for my bout against Johnson than they do now.” Ketchel warmly denied stories of his western dissipation, claiming that

such statements came from western parties who are in a league against him.

“It.is true I like to dance,” sad Ketchel, “but outside of that tales from the coast have been greatly exaggerated, I pick Johnson to win over Jeffries in less than 12 rounds.” During his stay in Auckland Bob Fitzsimmons spent a good deal of his time in Page’s blacksmith shop, where fie demonstrated to interested spectators that he could still produce shoes in record time.

J.A., Thames. —Though we are not in possession of an official record of Dick Burge’s age, certain information which we have on hand points to him being much younger than your friend would suppose. At the time of his conviction Burge was at the height of his popularity as a boxer, and he was sentenced, in February, 1902, to ten years’ penal servitude, and released on August 10, 1909, after serving years of the term. During his term at Portland his conduct was reported to have been exemplary, and he gained the highest number of marks obtainable which count for remission of sentence. In addition to general good behaviour he obtained a considerable remission of his sentence for an act of gallantry in protecting a warder from a murderous assault while at Portland. From the foregoing it would appear that Burge was well under 40 at the time of his sentence in 1902, as when a boxer reaches the age of 35 he generally becomes a backnumber.