'Fleischer Tells of Langford Koing Rival "On The Fly"'

From Ring:

"It was in 1913 and Sam Langford was booked to fight John Lester Johnson at the old Atlantic Garderns on the Bowery New York.

Langford was then at the height of his career. He was hitting with devastating power and few of the outstanding white HWs were willing to meet him. Hence, the Boston Tar Baby had to take on men of his own race, and often fought them over and over again.

Johnson was a "new one" on Langford's calling list. Sam had met quite a few of the other Johnson's of the time - notably Jack and Battling Jim - but this was his first meeting with John Lester.

And John Lester apparently didn't think a lot the arrangement. Believing that discretion was the better part of valour, he started scooting around the ring the moment the opening bell clanged. Langford chased him for a while but decided it was wasted effort - John Lester was travelling too fast to be caught. So Sam stood in the center of the ring and watched Johnson scamper around like a scared jack rabbit.

Finally convinced that John Lester wouldn't stand still long enough to make a fight of it, Langford did some rapid mental calculating. He estimated the speed at twhich Johnson was moving, then wound up his right hand and let it go at his fleeting rival.

The punch caught John Lester "on the fly" and halted his flight with dramatic suddeness. Langford's fist landed on the base of Johnsons spine scaredas, and John Lester went crashing to the canvas. His head was clear but the clout had paralyzed his legs and he was counted out."



Knowing old Nat could be given to hyperbole, I dug out the NY Times report also:

Langford bout fiasco: Negro HW stops Lester Johnson in less than a round​

What was the greatest fiasco seen hereabouts in boxing since the Frawley law became effective was the outcome of the much-heralded Sam Lanagford-John Lester Johnson bout last night...Langford scaled 185lbs to his opponents 170...at the gong Johnson immediately began prancing and stamping about the ring like a horse with the blind staggers. Langford was compelled to make long-distance swings at his man, and the only spot he could reach was his opponent's left kidney, which he walloped so effectively three times while the pair were in a neutral corner that Johnson went down for the count just getting to his feet as the referee cried ten seconds.​

The all but defeated man continued to try to evade Langford, who belabored him again on what appeared to be a vital spot, and, after Johnson had gone down through the effects of the punch as well as because of the apparent weakness the referee helped the beaten man to his feet and waved Langford to his corner...​

The semi-final brought together a mute called Silent Marcus and Battling Larry Ryan.​

I swear to Christ I am not making Silent Marcus and Battling Larry Ryan up. The "mute" won a six round decision according to the Times. Jesus.​

Anyway, this is funny but it has a serious point. Lester Johnson was no world beater (40-30-6) but he had already been ten rounds with the Bigger Jeanette, would beat Bill Tate a year later, and would go the distance with Demspey, Wills (20 rounds at one point) and Jeanette again. ​

But such was Langford's aura that Johnson was too terrified to even remain competitive. He must have been a sight in his prime. Johnson seems terrified off him, and can't make it even a meaningful fight, but he would carry Wills 20 and draw with Jack Dempsey, showing apparent durability and bravery in the process. ​

Sam dispatches him with a single shot.​

I think I underate him, maybe. ​

 

If anyone has the Moyle book to hand, let me know what he made of it all? I'll do it tomorrow if nobody can dig it out, I don't have it to hand just now.

 

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Better than writing "bump" I guess.