Willard Johnson

Well Johnson was 37 and in decline so it isn't beyond the scope of possibility. While Willard wasn't a great boxer, he was incredibly strong and packed a monster punch. Combine that with a guy who's skills had deteriorated, with the right punch and you have an upset.

The shielding of the eyes as proof he thew the fight is a pretty poor argument. When you get knocked out the motor functions can do funny things, like subconsciously trying to continue punching or protecting the head. Jersey Joe Walcott laid in the same position when he was KO'd by Louis but nobody is arguing he was shielding his eyes:

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wNrB_V3PFc

 

Exactly. Johnson figured the best way to throw the fight would be to hit Willard with every Sunday punch he possessed over the first 20 rounds. Then, allow Willard to hit him with lethal, uneducated right hands over and over, for another 6 rounds, and finally make a dive off of a poleaxing right. Because going 26 under the Havana sun is everyone's idea of fun.

 

Jack Johnson is a fighter who divides opinion on these forums, but one thing that both his proponents and detractors seem to agree upon, is that this fight was on the level.

Unless some startling new evidence comes to light, I suggest that you give the idea of it being a dive no further credence.

 

Willard's performance and win should be remembered as a GREAT and EPIC one.

 

Do I detect a note of sarcasm?

Johnson put up a mighty effort,and was in front after 20 rds, then his stamina gave out, and he was kod fair and square.

 

Johnson was a mere shell by that point but I reckon given a 20 round limit he'd have remained champion until Dempsey came along (provided he continued cherry picking that is).

That being said Willard came in and for the job done. He took his beating and outlasted the champ. I'm still unsure on where I stand regarding Johnson's stature at the time. He was letting the top 5 face each other whilst he sat atop his throne. After Jeffries I find it hard thinking of him as the best he in the world, especially considering Langfords run at the same time.

But it was definitely on the level. Johnson kicked his arse for 20 rounds before tiring and taking a deceptively big shot (like Jones v Johnson).

 

A broke Johnson hawked his "confession" around ,Nat Fleischer eventually gave him a couple of hundred $'s for it, but did not publish it because he didn't believe it.

 

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The referee Jack Welch said if the fight had been over 20 rds , he would have awarded Johnson the decision.
This may be heresy, but I would not be suprised if the Willard of the Johnson fight did not beat the Langford of 1915.
N. B. Johnson signed to defend against Jeannette twice, the authorities vetoed the fight. Exiled Johnson offered top defend against the best white hope McCarty with Tommy Burns promoting in Canada.Burns turned him down. The NSC offered Johnson a paltry sum to defend against Langford in the UK, he asked for $30.000 and was refused.
Neither Coffroth or Curley the top promoters were prepared to promote Champion Johnson against black challengers as they said, "two n*****s won't draw."

Once champion, Johnson took full page ads out in papers offering to defend against ANYONE for $30.000, the amount Burns received for defending against him.

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If Johnson could get $30,000 for defending aginst the likes of Jim Flynn,[ whom he had already crucified ,] and no US promoter would take a chance on an "all black title fight " what should he have done, paid his own passage to the UK and take on the most dangerous challenger for peanuts, or take the Flynn fight?

 

My response was slightly damp I think.

 

Haven't seen that .Johnson sold his "confession" in the 30's .

 

You make a decent argument there.

My response would be these guys all fought each other without problems so it seems the obstacle was Johnson.

 

My response is the obvious one, none were the heavyweight champion. America had no problem with two blacks fighting each other, and if push came to shove one of them might be a world's champion, how many black champs were there before Johnson , three?
But if a challenger was going to fight the black heavyweight champion , he damned well better be white.

Why else was there a White Hope era?


Did you ever hear of a white hope challenger for any other division?

PS have a look where," these guys". were fighting each other, and figure out what they were earning .
During Johnson's reign Langford ,and McVey fought each other 8 times , how many were in the US?

NONE.


Jeannette fought McVey twice during that period, once in the US, once in Paris.
If there was a demand for blacks to challenge Johnson in the US, don't you think some enterprising promoter would have filled it?