["The Great Fight", The West Australian, Wednesday 6 July 1910, page 7]
THE GREAT FIGHT.
JOHNSON STILL CHAMPION.
JEFFRIES COMPLETELY OUT-CLASSED.
CONTEST LASTS FIFTEEN ROUNDS.
THE COMBATANTS INTERVIEWED.
INTENSE FEELING IN AMERICA.
TWO NEGROES KILLED.
Reno, July 4.
The fight between Jeffries and Johnson for the world's heavyweight championship took place at Reno this afternoon, and resulted in a decisive victory for the negro after a contest which lasted for 15 rounds.
THE FIGHT BY ROUNDS.
...
JOHNSON'S FINAL RALLY.
London, July 4. Johnson went at Jeffries savagely in the fifteenth round, and in quick succession delivered three knock-downs, Jeffries each time falling against or into the ropes. As Jeffries staggered for a foothold after the third time he had been sent to the floor Johnson sprang at him like a tiger, and with a succession of lefts to the jaw sent Jeffries down and out.
A PATHETIC SCENE.
London, July 4.
As Jeffries was helped to his corner he said, "I am not a good fighter any longer. I could not come back, boys; I could not come back. Ask Johnson if he will give me his gloves." As Jeffries hung over the ropes a hundred friends rushed close in, crying out, "Don't let the old man get knocked out." but the timekeeper was inexorable, and the count went on. When the count reached seven it was evident that Jeffries was finished. A hundred persons then broke through the ropes, and timekeeper Harting was screened from the ring by the crowd. Jeffries was picked up by his brother and Corbett and hurried to his corner in a dazed condition.
JOHNSON CONGRATULATED.
London, July 4. Johnson stood in the centre of the ring and received the congratulations of his friends. He did not appear to be fatigued. At first Johnson would not shake hands with Jeffries, but later on he went over to the old champion's corner. Corbett, however, waved him away. J. L. Sullivan was the first to congratulate Johnson in his corner. After the fight Jeffries was taken to his training camp at Moina Springs.
A ONE-SIDED FIGHT.
London, July 4.
The fight was one-sided from the start. The negro blocked the old champion's blows at every stage of the game, and during the last five rounds punished him severely.
EXPERTS' OPINIONS.
London, July 4.
At the beginning of the thirteenth round experts at the ringside passed the verdict that Jeffries must simply stay and not fight if he hoped for a chance to last out the limit.
EFFECT OF THE BATTLE.
THE FIGHTERS' VIEWS.
JOHNSON PRAISES HIS ADVERSARY.
Reno, July 4.
The whites are glum over Johnson's victory. Many had wagered much at heavy odds. Their losses and the feeling of race prejudice angered the lower classes and many riots took place between the negroes and the whites in the south-east. Seven riots occurred in New York, and the negro tenement was ignited. Three riots are reported from Pittsburgh, and others occurred at St. Louis, Pueblo, Atlanta, Boston, and Fort Worth. Frequent troubles occurred throughout the black belt, but only two fatalities are reported. Two negroes were killed at Little Rock, and one was wounded at Illinois. The negroes are jubilant, and gathered at their churches and prayed for Johnson's success. Experts agree that Johnson is the greatest fighter known. Twenty thousand people saw the battle, 500 women being included in the attendance. The crowd was not demonstrative over Jeffries' defeat. They were sorrowful, and did not complain. The seat sale amounted to 250,000 dollars (about £50,000). The purse was worth 121,000 dollars (about £24,200), and a bonus of 10,000 dollars (about £2,000) was added for each fighter. Johnson goes to Chicago immediately and Jeffries to California.
A physician who attended Jeffries after the fight says his injuries are not serious. He has cuts on the lips and forehead and his right eye is closed.
Johnson says he won because he out-classed Jeffries in every department. Before entering the ring, he felt certain of success, and never changed his mind. Jeffries' blows, he said, lacked steam. "How could he hope to win?" he added. With the exception of a slight cut on the lower lip really caused by an old wound being struck, Johnson is unmarked. No body punches caused discomfiture, and he is in a position to do battle again tomorrow.
"Jeffries ', the champion declared, "deserves credit for the game battle he fought. He is at heart a true fighter, and none can say he did not do his best."
Both fought squarely and there was nothing of a rough nature in the contest. Johnson said he jokingly told Jeffries he was a bear and Jeffries replied that he (Johnson) was a gorilla, and he would defeat him. For the next few weeks Johnson will appear on the Vaudeville stage, and will then go to Chicago for a rest. He will not fight for several months, as he considers there is no-one able to give him a good battle. Johnson has not attended to Langford's challenge, as he says the fight would not draw.
Jeffries says:--"I lost because my youth was not there. I believed that I had my former dash, but when the fight started the speed and youthful speed were lacking. My old methods were impossible. My tight body punches, which never before failed, were mere love taps on Monday. My trainers will say that I did not box enough, but it would not have been different if I had sparred a dozen times more. I was simply not there. That is all. False pride got the better of judgment. Six years ago it would have been different. I guess it would have been politic to leave it all alone."
