Jack Johnson Fought The 44 Year Old Ex-Champion FitzsimmonsApril 1906 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Jack Johnson fought the another great black fighter, Sam Langford, of Nova Scotia. Johnson, out weighing his opponent by 35 lbs., Johnson easily won a 15 round decision against Langford. July 1907, in Philadelphia, Jack Johnson fought the 44 year old Bob Fitzsimmons. Johnson was declared the winner in the 2nd round after knocking the old ex-champion down three times. Marvin Hart had won a twenty round decision over him, and Joe Choynski had knocked him out in three rounds, these fights were in 1908. After Jack Johnson had suffered two losses, most people began to think that Jack Johnson was not that great as a fighter. Tommy Burns needed the money and promoters had promised Burns would a sum of $35,000 to fight Johnson. Tommy Burns had seen Johnson fight and realized how good a fighter he was and even though Tommy Burns felt that he had no chance of beating Johnson, Burns figured that he could give Jack Johnson the fight of his life. On the 26th December 1908 in Sydney, Australia, Jack Johnson fought Tommy Burns for the World Heavyweight Championship belt. Johnson Wrested World Heavyweight Boxing Title From Tommy Burns Australia was one of the worlds famous boxing centres and unlike the United States. Australia's largest cities welcomed prize fighting. At the outset of the fight, Tommy Burns was the aggressor. He rushed Jack Johnson with the hope of a quick knockout. But Johnson's long, quick left jab not only kept Tommy at a distance but jarred him many times. It was estimated that Tommy Burns probably weighed 175 lb and Johnson 200 lb. Jack Johnson was just too big, too strong, too quick, and too good a boxer for the champion. But the slugging at times was terrific and brought many cheers from the 25,000 spectators. Both fighters drew blood from each other. But the fight was pretty much all in the black fighter's favour. In the 14th round Tommy Burns was clearly a beaten fighter, it looked as if he could fall to the canvas at any given time. The Police stopped the fight in the middle of the 14th round, and the referee declared Jack Johnson as the new world champion. Johnson Treated Tommy Burns As If He Was Playing With A Child's Toy Jack London, who was then a popular novelist. He was on hand at ringside to cover the fight for a New York newspaper. Jack London wrote these words: "The battle was between a colossus and a pygmy." Tommy Burns was like a toy to Jack Johnson. After the Tommy Burns and Jack Johnson world championship fight in Australia and Johnson became the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. The white race of America began clamouring for Jim Jeffries to emerge from his alfalfa farm and remove the golden smile from Johnson's face. Jim Jeffries was foolish to listen the those who suggested that he should come out of retirement to fight Jack Johnson. Johnson went on to fight three no decisions against future actor Victor McLaglen, Philadelphia's Jack O'Brien, and Al Kaufman. These were exhibitions where no decisions mean no knockouts. With no real opponents in sight, he agreed to fight a match with Stanley Ketchel, the middle weight champion. It was agreed between the two of them that they would just put on a boxing exhibition with no damage intended. Came the 6th of December 1908 in Colma, California Johnson fought Ketchel for the championship. Jack Johnson Picked out Several of Ketchel's Teeth From His GlovesThey boxed for 11 rounds, but in the 12th round, Ketchel saw an opening and knocked Johnson down with a shot to the head. Jack Johnson got up slowly off his backside, charged the much smaller man and knocked him out with a peach of a right to the jaw. Films show Johnson standing over Ketchel brushing several of Ketchel's teeth from his gloves. In the meantime, Jim Jeffries signed a fight contract with Tex Rickard, a gambler and fight promoter. Tex Rickard orphaned at ten, grew up in the tough border land of Kansas and Missouri. After moving to Texas he became a cowboy, horse wrangler, and later Marshall of Henrietta. After his wife and baby died, Tex went to Alaska to find gold during the gold period. In his time, Tex Rickard tended bar, panned for gold, managed the Northern Saloon in Nome, and lost several fortunes through his habitual gambling habits. He then on to try his luck in the gold fields of South Africa. Upon returning to USA, Rickard opened Northern Saloon in Goldfield, Nevada, that became famous where he began promoting boxing matches of which the gambling Tex Rickard went to become the best boxing match arranger and promoter in the fight promotions business. Tex Rickard promoted the fight between Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries that became the most advertised fight in history of that time period. |
Past Champions Were at Ringside For This Match Jim Jeffries had lost some 65 lbs in preparation for the fight. Jim Jeffries at 35 was even made a hot 10 to 7 odds on favourite before the fight had begun. But he was never more than a shadow of his former self. The 4th of July 1910 in Reno, Nevada: Johnson fought Jeffries. Twenty thousand paying customers saw the fight. Tex Rickard was the referee. John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, and Tommy Burns were all at ring side. Rickard announced before the fight that the purse was $101,000 to be divided 50 per cent to the winner, 40 per cent to the loser. Each man was to receive a bonus of $10,000, making the entire purse $121,000. It was quite a sum of money in those times. | |
