Johnson reneged on agreement to fight Langford

Oh, ok I'm with you now, the jurys still out as far as I'm concerned.

 

At the end of the day, I don't think Johnson refused to fight Langford. I just think he wanted market price for the fight, a fight which he knew wasn't just a walk in the park. He always figured if Burns could get 30k for a very tough opponent like himself, then fair is fair and he wanted 30k too for a tough foe. Especially since he had to suffer for so long fighting every tough black fighter out there, and for smaller purses than champions were getting, plus he took a very small share of the very large proceeds for the Burns fight. Once he became champion, he felt it was his time to dictate and make the big bucks. Plus, later, after the Jeffries fight made both fighters huge money, that showed Johnson that if a fight was built up enough, he could earn a lot of money. Once you've fought for 60k, fighting a tough guy for 20k or 25k doesn't sound so great, particularly when you don't have to train and can make easy money in vaudeville, and not have to risk the crown, which title was of great economic value to him.

 

Thats my take on it , why fight Langford for a moderate purse when he could get more for defending against the likes of Flynn?


Below a link that states Johnson has agreed to fight Langford for £6000.July 1914


http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cg...140701.2.19.2&cl=&srpos=0&e=-------10--1----0--

 

Flynn was no slouch. He was coming off impressive performances against big strong men in Kaufman (who Johnson had said was the best white)(who had recent victories over Ross, Lang, and O'Brien), and Carl Morris (who was then being highly touted, particularly since he had wins over Schreck and Hart). Flynn was bigger, stronger, and more experienced than when he first fought Johnson, and was on a nice win streak. So it wasn't that easy of a fight in its inception. But Johnson got his asking price, so he took the fight. The promoter, who bankrolled the fight, Jack Curley, really believed in Flynn and was convinced that he would win the championship.

 

Instead of which he was convincingly, and effortlessly outclassed.

 

Johnson was going to fight Langford in Australia but McIntosh pulled the offer after all the Lucille Cameron abduction charges.

 

It appears if anyone can be blamed for Johnson not defending against his black challengers. The US Government is in the frame.

 

CONGRATULATIONS! Yes, he should have honoured his agreement.

 

Adam,


Flynn was a not a top level " white hope " . He was behind Willard, and Smith for sure, and did not have the potential of say McCarty. Flynn was a short journeyman type who's style was made to order for Johnson. His performance was poor.


Out of curiosity, from 1909-1915, who do you think were the top five threats to take Johnson's crown?


I would say Langford, Jeannette, McVey, Smith, And Willard.

 

Flynn went into his second fight with Johnson sporting 1 loss in his last 15 fights and that to Langford, whom he had previously beaten. Nine of the wins were by ko .

He held wins by ko over Bill Squires, Georger Gardner, and Jack Root, the latter both won world titles. Flynn had 2 draws with Jim Barry despite conceding him 20lbs .Barry beat Gunboat Smith twice once by ko[see photo below] ,and drew with Jeannette and Langford. Johnson defended against Flynn because Jack Curley guaranteed him $30,000.

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Flynn a journeyman type?

He went into the 15thrd with Tommy Burns, and has the following wins on his record.

Dempsey
Langford
Root
Gardner
Norton
Kaufman
Sullivan
Papke
Squires
Morris
Flowers [he was 44 when he beat Flowers]. That's victories over 6 world champions ,and another over a p4p ATG.


If Flynn was a journeyman ,I wonder what you would call Jack Munroe, and Jack Finnegan ,both title challengers to Jim Jeffries?:think

 

If he actually signed the contract. This has not been proven.