Johnson & Jeannette's Common Opponents

The Johnson v Johnson fight was an intended tune up for Moran as the champion had been out of the ring for a year and a half. Three US promoters stated there was no money in promoting an all black heavyweight title fight, Barney Curley went so far as to say , "it wouldn't draw flies".

McMahon twice was prevented from promoting a Johnson v Jeannette fight by both the commission and the authorities.

If you choose not to believe that there's nothing more to be said about it. I've asked for evidence of concrete offers for Johnson to defend against either Langford or Jeannette, offers that would guarantee Johnson the $30,000 which was his asking price for a title defence, neither you or anyone else has come up with them.Pie in the sky talk of Cuba,Russia,[ how about China? ] surface now and again as prospective venues, but nothing definite ever has.

So we differ on who is to blame for Johnson not defending against Jeannette.
You put the onus squarely on Johnson's shoulders ,I think its a lot more complicated than that.

Johnson concerned about his legacy? I don't think he gave a flying **** about it.

The only opinion about Jack Johnson that he valued was his own.
Of course his legacy is compromised by his failure to defend against the best black men out there.But, unlike Joe Louis who is generally regarded as the best or next best champion of all time,and who missed quite a few prospective black challengers out imo,Johnson had a pretty good excuse for not fighting those challengers.

 

It isnt "my magical figure" it was Johnson's, why the snide?

Below Johnson sings to fight McVey in Australia for McIntosh. McVey had just beaten Langford.

http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC19111230.2.27#

 

Vienne was the guy behind Johnson losing French recognition as champion he then installed the winner of the Langford v Jeannette fight as world champion, billing the fight as the eliminator for the vacant crown, pretty convenient really as he was the promoter. A month afterwards Vienne withdrew recognition of Langford as champion and reverted to recognising Johnson.Vienne also tried to have Johnson deported as an undesirable alien immediately after Johnson had signed a contract to fight Frank Moran ,a fight he did not promote. I would take anything he said with several large blocks of salt.Johnson was 35 had not fought in a year and a half,well overweight, he took Battling Jim as a tune up , shame on him for not taking on Vienne's choice.

 

JJ ,have you anything on the Jeannette V Colin Bell fight? I have one report that says Bell was robbed , but that is just one report,more would possibly be corrroborative.