Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1915 — Fighters Await Gong. [ARTICLE]

Fighters Await Gong.

All is in readiness for the world’s championship battle to be staged in Havana Monday between Jack Johnson and Jess Willard. Reports eminating from Havana state that the big dinge is in poor condition, while Willard is a greatly improved fighter and should be in the pink when the referee calls them to the center for instructions. The report, however, that Johnson is in poor shape is not taken seriously and it is believed that he rises early in the morning and does all of his hard work before the rest of the world is up and merely stalls his way through his training during the test pf the day to make it appear to his onlookers that he is in poor condition in order to affect the betting. This is an old trick of Jack’s and he is probably pulling it again. He is heavier than he has ever been when he stepped into a ring before and will probably encounter a lot of trouble when he attempts to put the big white away. Johnson recently turned his 37th milestone and all records show that no fighter has ever been able to defend his crown successfully that long. At any rate Jack had better win early or he may never win. Willard is the first fighter that Johnson has ever met who has it on him in reach and may find it harder to connect with Willard’t head than some of his other adversaries.