Johnson reneged on agreement to fight Langford

I believe Johnson also said he did not consider himself bound by any contract that his then manager Sam Fitzpatrick had signed whilst he stood outside in the corridor not being granted entry into the hallowed offices of the NSC. coming back from " Down Under "as Champion Johnson was without Fitzpatrick I think.

Johnson as the challenger agreed to fight Burns for £1000 later increased to £1500 or $5000 if you prefer ,he would be a bit of a mug to defend his new title for £1000 would he not?
It is said Johnson resented being relegated to the role of "servile ****** "whilst his future was decided in a room from which he was barred access.
Whatever, if he signed the document he should have fulfilled his obligation, but the autocratic Bettinson was notorious for his parsimony regarding fighters purses, strange because in other respects he was a generous man.
As you are well aware,Langford received his career best purse for fighting Iron Hague.
Below
Johnson refuses to fight Langford for £1000 agrees to £6000.

Personally , I think Johnson preferred to knockover Flynn and co ,easier pickings for which only fair condition was needed.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/7225662

 

I totally agree, Johnson should have honoured his agreement.

I also think Bettinson was being less than reasonable with his terms knowing full well that Johnson's bargaining power would be considerably increased as champion.
What is your take on Mullins opinion regarding Johnson v Langford post 1908? It seems to reverse conventional theories of their respective chances.

 

Thanks for your input.:good

 

Question is whether Johnson actually signed. I think Fitzpatrick signed for him. After Johnson won the championship and got paid relatively little in order to do it, and saw that Burns got $30,000 to fight him, it became Johnson's mantra that he wanted 30k just like Burns if he was going to fight a tough foe.

 

Glad you got into this.
I think Johnson was being entirely reasonable putting his asking price for a title defence at $30,000. He made considerably more from other ventures in Aussie than he did from winning the title from Burns, but you know this already.

 

When you consider that Jeffries received $27,056 for challenging Fitzsimmons,in 1899 ,and Fitz walked away with $35,581.The NSC's offer
of£1,000 [approximately $3000,] looks rather paltry, especially given the inflation over those years.

Below a porky looking Langford in 1913, Sam McVey is in the background, two behind Sam. That looks like Wills with his arms folded on the left.

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If he signed it he should have kept his word , but he isn't the first person to have broken it, and he wont be the last.

No one said he was a paragon of virtue, I'm more concerned with his ability as a boxer than his probity as an upstanding citizen.

 

If he did sign why not not take him to court? That'd be standard business practise

 

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

 

You'd wager? You mean you aren't positive? I thought you were certain he signed it? Here are your comments from an earlier post on CBZ.

"Johnson maintained that the money offered by the club was insufficient and that his manager had signed the agreement without his approval. The National Sporting Club countered by producing the document that Johnson himself had signed. It was to no avail: Johnson had other plans. Over the ensuing years Langford and his manager, Joe Woodman, hounded Johnson in futile pursuit of an opportunity to fight for the heavyweight championship.
“Nobody will pay to see two black men fight for the title,” Johnson rationalized"


I'm confused now, do you have definitive proof he signed the contract or not? :huh