What Is The Biggest Duck Of All Time?

[Greatest1942]

put up some links to varify your claims... i have read dozens of books on Langford from as far back as when a boy some 45yrs ago and can clearly recall that Johnson gave Sam a terrifying beating and Johnson weighed around 185lbs to Sam's 160lbs the bout was so one-sided that Sam never deserved a shot at the Heavyweight title, Sam would put adverts in newspapers claiming he would fight any fighter with the exception of heavyweight champion of the world Jim Jeffries yet when Johnson became champion some years later Langford and his then manager shouted for Johnson to face Sam and Johnson called their bluff telling them to put up $20,000 but they baulked.

"i have read dozens of books on Langford from as far back as when a boy some 45yrs ago and can clearly recall that Johnson gave Sam a terrifying beating and Johnson weighed around 185lbs to Sam's 160lbs the bout was so one-sided that Sam never deserved a shot at the Heavyweight title, "
I will give you all newspaper cuttings that you care to handle Sonny by today Sonny don't worry.

"beating and Johnson weighed around 185lbs to Sam's 160lbs the bout was so one-sided that Sam never deserved a shot at the Heavyweight title"

For your knowledge champ Johnson was not champ, when they met. Sam was never also a heavy weight contender back then and johnson couldn't even KO him while he was pertering other greats to get a title shot.A heavyweight contender who couldnot even KO a middle weight fighter,who did not even fight many heavies back then. I will post everything that you care to know. But knowledge is something you don't have

LINKS LINKS AND LINKS READ BOOKS ...not everything is on the internet, can't you buy books? Read Clay Moyle's book on Sam read other books from that period, unforgivable darkness etc you will learn something ******.

[Dan Vida]

Tyson ducking Lewis for 6 years.Ignore the Klitlicker above

[sonnyboyx2]

"i have read dozens of books on Langford from as far back as when a boy some 45yrs ago and can clearly recall that Johnson gave Sam a terrifying beating and Johnson weighed around 185lbs to Sam's 160lbs the bout was so one-sided that Sam never deserved a shot at the Heavyweight title, "
I will give you all newspaper cuttings that you care to handle Sonny by today Sonny don't worry.

"beating and Johnson weighed around 185lbs to Sam's 160lbs the bout was so one-sided that Sam never deserved a shot at the Heavyweight title"

For your knowledge champ Johnson was not champ, when they met. Sam was never also a heavy weight contender back then and johnson couldn't even KO him while he was pertering other greats to get a title shot.A heavyweight contender who couldnot even KO a middle weight fighter,who did not even fight many heavies back then. I will post everything that you care to know. But knowledge is something you don't have

LINKS LINKS AND LINKS READ BOOKS ...not everything is on the internet, can't you buy books? Read Clay Moyle's book on Sam read other books from that period, unforgivable darkness etc you will learn something ******.

i never said Johnson was champion when he beat Langford, i said Langford never deserved at rematch with Johnson when Johnson was CHAMP..

there is plenty of links on the internet maybe i should supply you with them.

[The_Demon]

Bowe ducking lewis was pretty big

[Greatest1942]

i never said Johnson was champion when he beat Langford, i said Langford never deserved at rematch with Johnson when Johnson was CHAMP..

there is plenty of links on the internet maybe i should supply you with them.

For your education read this

"In his c1910 French biography ‘Mes Combats’ Johnson had this to say about their right: "I found him (Langford) one of the toughest adversaries I ever met in the ring. I weighed 190 pounds and Langford only 138. In the second round the little negro hit me on the jaw with a terrible right hand and I fell as if upended (or blown away) by a cannon ball. In all my pugilistic career, not before and not afterwards, have I received a blow that struck me with such force. It was all I could do just to get back on my feet just as the referee was about to count "Ten!" I made it, but I assure you that I felt the effects of that punch for the rest of the fight. I recovered but I would have to take my hat off to him if I hadn't had so much science at my comment. In the fifteenth round I was declared the winner on points."

Then read this I have highlighted what you need to know


April 27, 1906 – Boston Morning Journal – Langford Loses in Game Fight
“Sam Langford was beaten badly by Jack Johnson at Chelsea last night, but earned the cheers of his admirers and many more besides by a superb exhibition of grit and courage that makes other local exhibitions of gameness in the ring fade almost into insignifigance.

He was there all through the fifteen rounds, and saved a lot of money for his friends who had bet that he would last ten rounds, twelve rounds, or stay the limit. But it is a question if he were wise, for the beating he took is enough to seriously impair his strength and health.

Most of the punishment was on the head, and so may not have the injurious effect that a severe drubbing on the body would have. Sam didn’t have a chance on earth to win, for he was outweighed about thirty-five pounds, and Johnson was too clever, too fast, too heavy, too strong and too powerful in punching for him.

Sam went down three times. On the first occasion it looked as if he slipped or stumbled to his knees, as the accompanying punch was not heavy. He was knocked down with a powerful left hook in the middle of the sixth round and lay on his face. He was down just nine seconds according to Timekeeper Murphy, a thoroughly honest man, and the referee, Maffit Flaherty, who says he was on his feet at the call of nine, and according to several watches in the hands of men around the ring.

Later on in the same round he was down again for nine seconds. On the first knockdown it looked as if he couldn’t continue. But he arose within the specified ten seconds. The second time he went to the floor from a right hand smash on the jaw. He wasn’t in such a bad way and arose all right. Johnson tried his best to give him his quietus, but was exhausted and weak from punching and couldn’t land the knockout.

It was a one-sided fight. It was all Johnson all the way. Sam did well on his left stabs and showed at times on inclination to shoot the right over for Jack’s jaw. But he was outclassed too much naturally to make it any kind of an even fight.

Johnson’s showing was commented on by everybody who declared that his challenge to Jeffries was preposterous. He would have been an easy mark for the champion had he been taken on.

Johnson was esquired by Joe Walcott, Kid Murray, Jack McCloskey and Sandy Ferguson and George Dixon gave advice from the corner. George Byers, Andy Watson and other friends were in Sam’s corner.”

[Greatest1942]

Then read what generally people think except you dope

In 1962, McCormack wrote: “Without doubt, Jack Dempsey was the most exciting heavyweight ?if not the most exciting fighter ?the ring ever knew. But I think the best of the big boys must have been Sam Langford. I know that’s taking in a lot of territory, because Dempsey, Louis and Johnson were great, but I have my reasons for liking the Boston Tar Baby.

“First of all, Langford made Lil Arthur (Johnson) run away and hide. Johnson got the decision, by one means or another, when they fought in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1906, but never again could he be lured into the ring with manager Joe Woodman’s squat fighting machine.


"When I would get Johnson near the point of a match with Langford he would stall me off with some excuse. Finally I made things so hot for Johnson that he admitted to me that Langford was too tough a game to tackle and he passed the little fellow up."
Australian promoter, Hugh D. McIntosh


here is more contemporary litrature and what People thought

December 27, 1913 ?The Winnipeg Tribune published quotes from the Director of French Boxing, Mr. Vienne. Mr. Vienne had proclaimed the fight between Jeannette and Langford as a world’s championship contest. He explained his reasoning for doing so as follows:

‘People say to me, ‘If a world’s boxing championship is organized between two qualified men, why is the winner of the title not entitled to hold if forever??I reply, not in words, but with facts, clear and distinct, and then ask the public to judge. The title held by Jack Johnson is held vacant because it is not admissable in sport for a man to legitimately hold all his life, or at least as long as he pleases, a title which he obstinately refuses to defend against qualified aspirants. Nobody can contest that principle. Now, I have repeatedly offered Jack Johnson an opportunity of defending his title in Paris, under the usual conditions of a participation in the receipts, with a guarantee of $25,000, then $30,000. Jack Johnson has always refused.

In an interview Jack Johnson had in Paris with Victor Breyer, then my associate, and later with Leon See, Director of Boxing and Boxers, he made the same public declaration which remains still without denial. ‘I will not box again, ever for a million.?Since coming to Paris, Jack Johnson refused an engagement to meet with me. He wouldn’t come himself, but his representative came, only to declare to me that Johnson did not wish really to meet a capable adversary in order to maintain his title, but only adversaries of a secondary nature. Under those conditions no one can be expected to submit to Johnson’s fantastic (financial) demands. The sporting public has ever right to rebel and place the title open for public competition that which the holder, because it is too much trouble, does not wish to defend.?br />
Here from Duke Mullins who trained both Jack johnson and Sam Langford


“A more gallant fighter than little Sam Langford, the Nova Scotian light heavyweight, who was known as the Boston Tar Baby, never fought in a roped arena. Little Sambo, as he called himself, commenced fighting professionally in 1902. He gave the game best 21 years later after contesting nearly 240 ring battles, and at the end of that strenuous campaign he was still of the opinion that he could have licked Jack Johnson if the ex-world’s champion had given him a return fight.

Little Sambo admitted that on the only occasion he met Jack Johnson he received the father of a hiding.

Sam Langford had beaten a few heavyweights. He had beaten Joe Jeannette, the roughest heavyweight of my time. A few weeks later he was stacked up against Jack Johnson in the same ring at Boston.

Fancy anyone having the cheek to give away 26 lb. to Jack Johnson. It was like flying in the face of Providence.

Langford knew he was taking on a big job. But Little Sambo felt that he could tie slow big men up in knots. He wanted to get at Johnson before any other fighter got him, realizing that a victory would make him a topliner around Boston.

Jack Johnson was 28 at the time. Sam Langford was a youth of 20.

Sam’s plan of campaign was to tear into the big fellow and not allow him to box. He was of the opinion that Johnson was a boxer, and not a fighter, but he was to learn that Johnson’s punches carried sting.

Langford told me that his shortness of stature had Johnson puzzled for a few rounds. He couldn’t hit straight, but when aiming downward punches at the crouching Langford he missed badly.

Langford’s own worlds about the encounter were: “I’se had the “Big Smoke?on the canvas at the end of the fifth round for the count of nine when the gong saved him. He wasn’t game to mix it with me afterwards.

It seems incredible that Johnson was not game to mix it with a man like Langford, who was so much lighter, but Johnson had great regard for the fact that Langford had a decision over Joe Gans as a lightweight, while he took another great colored fighter, Joe Walcott, to a 15-round draw, conceding Walcott 9 lb. Thoughts of these two great fights prompted Jack Johnson to play safe in his fight with Langford.

It was not Little Sambo’s fault that they never fought again.

I once asked Langford why he and Johnson didn’t get together. I pointed out that a lot of money awaited them. “Dook,?answered Sambo, “the big smoke wouldn’t give me a return fight before he won the world’s championship, and he’s not likely now to give me a chance to nail him to the mast.?br />
Before leaving London for Australia to fight Tommy Burns, Johnson promised the late Mr. “Peggy?Bettinson that he would come back and fight anyone he nominated for a 1,000 pound guarantee. Langford was the man Bettinson had in mind. Johnson, however, had other plans. He went to America, where bigger money awaited him.

Johnson was never anxious to talk about Langford. I tried on many occasions to open him up but he changed the subject quickly.

Just before his fight with Burns for the world’s title on Boxing Day, 1908, I asked Johnson if the punch that put him on the floor in his fight against Langford hurt.

“No, Dook,?he said, “I was caught off my balance.?br />
“How would little Sam go against Burns??I asked.

“It wouldn’t be a match. Langford would finish him off in no time,?remarked the ebony giant, who was to hold the stage until hounded into “taking a dive.?br />
Jack Johnson dismissed Langford from the conversation one day by saying that there were dozens of easy money white men for him (Johnson) to meet without having to fight a tough little guy like Langford.

A well known sporting columnist and boxing writer in New York published in 1907 that Philadelphia Jack O-Brien, Tommy Burns, Al Kauffman, Stanley Ketchel and Jack Johnson had agreed not to entertain any proposition coming from Langford. Langford at that time was called “the Mankiller.?The boxers named were accused of trying to freeze the Boston Tar Baby out of the fight game. He was putting on weight, and was becoming more and more a menace.

Johnson was glad that a match was not arranged between Burns and Langford. On paper it looked as though they were an ideal match, but had they met, with Langford successful, Johnson would have had to meet one of his own color, or give up his long cherished idea of becoming champion of the world.

My opinion is that Langford had an even money chance with Johnson up to the year before Johnson became champion.

As Langford’s weight increased his pace lessened, whereas Johnson improved out of sight in pace and skill after he fought Langford in 1906.

I think that if Langford had been Johnson’s opponent on the memorable Boxing Day of 1908 there would not have been any need for police intervention. Johnson no doubt would have given the little fellow a beating but I think Langford was too tough to be put down for 10 seconds.

It will surprise many to know that although Langford was 5 ft. 6 1/2 in. high, and Johnson 6 ft, 0 ?in., there was only a half inch difference in their reach; and that half inch was in Langford’s favor.

Langford was proud of the fact that he was the only fighter that ever knocked Joe Jeannette for the count. Johnson, McVey and others met Jeannette many times without knocking him. Jeannette had 150 fights. It was indeed a feather in Langford’s cap.

Jack Johnson said Joe Jeannette was the toughest man he ever saw; he also said that Sam Langford was the most dangerous."

[sonnyboyx2]

For your education dumbo read this

"In his c1910 French biography ‘Mes Combats?Johnson had this to say about their right: "I found him (Langford) one of the toughest adversaries I ever met in the ring. I weighed 190 pounds and Langford only 138. In the second round the little negro hit me on the jaw with a terrible right hand and I fell as if upended (or blown away) by a cannon ball. In all my pugilistic career, not before and not afterwards, have I received a blow that struck me with such force. It was all I could do just to get back on my feet just as the referee was about to count "Ten!" I made it, but I assure you that I felt the effects of that punch for the rest of the fight. I recovered but I would have to take my hat off to him if I hadn't had so much science at my comment. In the fifteenth round I was declared the winner on points."

Then read this I have highlighted what you need to know


April 27, 1906 ?Boston Morning Journal ?Langford Loses in Game Fight
?b>Sam Langford was beaten badly by Jack Johnson at Chelsea last night, but earned the cheers of his admirers and many more besides by a superb exhibition of grit and courage that makes other local exhibitions of gameness in the ring fade almost into insignifigance.

He was there all through the fifteen rounds, and saved a lot of money for his friends who had bet that he would last ten rounds, twelve rounds, or stay the limit. But it is a question if he were wise, for the beating he took is enough to seriously impair his strength and health.

Most of the punishment was on the head, and so may not have the injurious effect that a severe drubbing on the body would have. Sam didn’t have a chance on earth to win, for he was outweighed about thirty-five pounds, and Johnson was too clever, too fast, too heavy, too strong and too powerful in punching for him.

Sam went down three times. On the first occasion it looked as if he slipped or stumbled to his knees, as the accompanying punch was not heavy. He was knocked down with a powerful left hook in the middle of the sixth round and lay on his face. He was down just nine seconds according to Timekeeper Murphy, a thoroughly honest man, and the referee, Maffit Flaherty, who says he was on his feet at the call of nine, and according to several watches in the hands of men around the ring.

Later on in the same round he was down again for nine seconds. On the first knockdown it looked as if he couldn’t continue. But he arose within the specified ten seconds. The second time he went to the floor from a right hand smash on the jaw. He wasn’t in such a bad way and arose all right. Johnson tried his best to give him his quietus, but was exhausted and weak from punching and couldn’t land the knockout.

It was a one-sided fight. It was all Johnson all the way. Sam did well on his left stabs and showed at times on inclination to shoot the right over for Jack’s jaw. But he was outclassed too much naturally to make it any kind of an even fight.

Johnson’s showing was commented on by everybody who declared that his challenge to Jeffries was preposterous. He would have been an easy mark for the champion had he been taken on.

Johnson was esquired by Joe Walcott, Kid Murray, Jack McCloskey and Sandy Ferguson and George Dixon gave advice from the corner. George Byers, Andy Watson and other friends were in Sam’s corner.?br />

this is exactly what i said in that Langford was hammered by Johnson and when Johnson went on to win the title Langford did not deserve a world title fight against Johnson after being beaten so badly by him the first time, also Johnson weighed 185lb to Langfords 156lb...

[Greatest1942]

this is exactly what i said in that Langford was hammered by Johnson and when Johnson went on to win the title Langford did not deserve a world title fight against Johnson after being beaten so badly by him the first time, also Johnson weighed 185lb to Langfords 156lb...

You missed the part

A well known sporting columnist and boxing writer in New York published in 1907 that Philadelphia Jack O-Brien, Tommy Burns, Al Kauffman, Stanley Ketchel and Jack Johnson had agreed not to entertain any proposition coming from Langford. Langford at that time was called “the Mankiller.” The boxers named were accused of trying to freeze the Boston Tar Baby out of the fight game. He was putting on weight, and was becoming more and more a menace.


What you miss was that he hammered a 156 lbs version...by the way hang on. Situations changed post 1908, Sam became campaigning fully at heavy and Johnson ran like a coward.

read now

During Sam’s visit to London, he told Jimmy Butler, “I’m not the champ. Jack Johnson is that guy and he keeps dodging me.”

Butler subsequently wrote: “That, as a matter of fact, was the plain and unvarnished truth. Johnson did dodge a meeting with the Boston Tar Baby after their terrific clash at Chelsea, Massachusetts.

“Johnson just sc****d home on points after fifteen rounds, but I think he learned enough to realise that if he ever got into the same ring with Langford again, those gigantic arms and shoulders would make short work of sweeping him off his throne.”
Well, there is little doubt that Johnson did indeed steer a wide berth of Langford after their one and only confrontation. But did Sam really give Jack such a close call in that Chelsea fight? The rumour persisted for years that Langford had even decked Papa Jack, which offended Johnson greatly and prompted him to issue a series of vehement denials.


When he first won the title Johnson expressed a willingness to fight all comers, but when Langford first put for a challenge in 1909, Johnson had a slight change of mind...

Promoters tried matching them up right after Johnson was finished his business with Jeffries in 1910, the fight was negotiated in London, yet Johnson changed his mind and refused the $20,000 offered to him (an offer was also presented to Johnson in 1914).

In 1911, Johnson signed with Hugh McIntosh and made a big claim that he would fight anybody in the world for a purse of $30,000. A couple of months later (in early 1912) that amount was offered to him to fight Langford in Australia, and yet again, Johnson refused to sign.

A couple of months after that, McIntosh eager to seal the deal offered Johnson $40,000 to fight Langford in Australia, which of course he wouldn't take...well, Johnson chickened out again.

A large sum of money (I've heard from $60,000 to $100,000) was offered to Johnson in late 1912/early 1913 to defend his title three times in Australia, with the trio Langford, McVey, and Jeannette as the challengers. Again, you know the story.He chickened out again.

And so on and forth...MANY different offers were presented to Johnson to fight Langford in both Australia, England and even France during the end of his reign, and Johnson refused every single one of them...It couldn't have been a money issue either, because the promoters met and even exceeded his financial demands. It's also worth noting that the $30,000 that Johnson asked for/demanded in 1911 was the exact purse he recieved when he lost his title to Willard.

Nobody will pay to see two black men fight for the title,” Johnson rationalized. However, when Johnson grew weary of Australian boxing promoter Hugh “Huge Deal”’ McIntosh’s efforts to arrange a match with Langford, he admitted that he had no wish to face Langford again. “I don’t want to fight that little smoke,” said Johnson. “He’s got a chance to win against anyone in the world. I’m the first black champion and I’m going to be the last.”---> very confident huh?

Years later, Johnson confided to New England Sports Museum trustee Kevin Aylwood, “Sam Langford was the toughest little son of a ***** that ever lived.”

"When I would get Johnson near the point of a match with Langford he would stall me off with some excuse. Finally I made things so hot for Johnson that he admitted to me that Langford was too tough a game to tackle and he passed the little fellow up."
Australian promoter, Hugh D. McIntosh

[Greatest1942]

You missed the part

A well known sporting columnist and boxing writer in New York published in 1907 that Philadelphia Jack O-Brien, Tommy Burns, Al Kauffman, Stanley Ketchel and Jack Johnson had agreed not to entertain any proposition coming from Langford. Langford at that time was called “the Mankiller.?The boxers named were accused of trying to freeze the Boston Tar Baby out of the fight game. He was putting on weight, and was becoming more and more a menace.


What you miss was that he hammered a 156 lbs version...by the way hang on. Situations changed post 1908, Sam became campaigning fully at heavy and Johnson ran like a coward.

read now dumbo

During Sam’s visit to London, he told Jimmy Butler, “I’m not the champ. Jack Johnson is that guy and he keeps dodging me.?br />
Butler subsequently wrote: “That, as a matter of fact, was the plain and unvarnished truth. Johnson did dodge a meeting with the Boston Tar Baby after their terrific clash at Chelsea, Massachusetts.

“Johnson just sc****d home on points after fifteen rounds, but I think he learned enough to realise that if he ever got into the same ring with Langford again, those gigantic arms and shoulders would make short work of sweeping him off his throne.?br /> Well, there is little doubt that Johnson did indeed steer a wide berth of Langford after their one and only confrontation. But did Sam really give Jack such a close call in that Chelsea fight? The rumour persisted for years that Langford had even decked Papa Jack, which offended Johnson greatly and prompted him to issue a series of vehement denials.


When he first won the title Johnson expressed a willingness to fight all comers, but when Langford first put for a challenge in 1909, Johnson had a slight change of mind...

Promoters tried matching them up right after Johnson was finished his business with Jeffries in 1910, the fight was negotiated in London, yet Johnson changed his mind and refused the $20,000 offered to him (an offer was also presented to Johnson in 1914).

In 1911, Johnson signed with Hugh McIntosh and made a big fuss saying that he would fight anybody in the world for a purse of $30,000. A couple of months later (in early 1912) that amount was offered to him to fight Langford in Australia, and yet again, Johnson refused to sign.

A couple of months after that, McIntosh upped the anty and this time offered Johnson $40,000 to fight Langford in Australia, which of course...well, you know.

A huge sum of money (I've heard from $60,000 to $100,000) was offered to Johnson in late 1912/early 1913 to defend his title three times in Australia, with Langford, McVey, and Jeannette as the challengers. Again, you know the story.

And so on, and so on, and so on...MANY different offers were presented to Johnson to fight Langford in both Australia, England and even France during the end of his reign, and Johnson refused every single one of them...It couldn't have been a money issue either, because the promoters met and even exceeded his financial demands. It's also worth noting that the $30,000 that Johnson asked for/demanded in 1911 was the exact purse he recieved when he lost his title to Willard.

Nobody will pay to see two black men fight for the title,?Johnson rationalized. However, when Johnson grew weary of Australian boxing promoter Hugh “Huge Deal”’ McIntosh’s efforts to arrange a match with Langford, he admitted that he had no wish to face Langford again. “I don’t want to fight that little smoke,?said Johnson. “He’s got a chance to win against anyone in the world. I’m the first black champion and I’m going to be the last.?--> very confident huh?

Years later, Johnson confided to New England Sports Museum trustee Kevin Aylwood, “Sam Langford was the toughest little son of a ***** that ever lived.?br />
"When I would get Johnson near the point of a match with Langford he would stall me off with some excuse. Finally I made things so hot for Johnson that he admitted to me that Langford was too tough a game to tackle and he passed the little fellow up."
Australian promoter, Hugh D. McIntosh

More evidence

December 27, 1913 ?The Winnipeg Tribune published quotes from the Director of French Boxing, Mr. Vienne. Mr. Vienne had proclaimed the fight between Jeannette and Langford as a world’s championship contest. He explained his reasoning for doing so as follows:

‘People say to me, ‘If a world’s boxing championship is organized between two qualified men, why is the winner of the title not entitled to hold if forever??I reply, not in words, but with facts, clear and distinct, and then ask the public to judge. The title held by Jack Johnson is held vacant because it is not admissable in sport for a man to legitimately hold all his life, or at least as long as he pleases, a title which he obstinately refuses to defend against qualified aspirants. Nobody can contest that principle. Now, I have repeatedly offered Jack Johnson an opportunity of defending his title in Paris, under the usual conditions of a participation in the receipts, with a guarantee of $25,000, then $30,000. Jack Johnson has always refused.

In an interview Jack Johnson had in Paris with Victor Breyer, then my associate, and later with Leon See, Director of Boxing and Boxers, he made the same public declaration which remains still without denial. ‘I will not box again, ever for a million.?Since coming to Paris, Jack Johnson refused an engagement to meet with me. He wouldn’t come himself, but his representative came, only to declare to me that Johnson did not wish really to meet a capable adversary in order to maintain his title, but only adversaries of a secondary nature. Under those conditions no one can be expected to submit to Johnson’s fantastic (financial) demands. The sporting public has ever right to rebel and place the title open for public competition that which the holder, because it is too much trouble, does not wish to defend.?

[Greatest1942]

More evidence

December 27, 1913 ?The Winnipeg Tribune published quotes from the Director of French Boxing, Mr. Vienne. Mr. Vienne had proclaimed the fight between Jeannette and Langford as a world’s championship contest. He explained his reasoning for doing so as follows:

‘People say to me, ‘If a world’s boxing championship is organized between two qualified men, why is the winner of the title not entitled to hold if forever??I reply, not in words, but with facts, clear and distinct, and then ask the public to judge. The title held by Jack Johnson is held vacant because it is not admissable in sport for a man to legitimately hold all his life, or at least as long as he pleases, a title which he obstinately refuses to defend against qualified aspirants. Nobody can contest that principle. Now, I have repeatedly offered Jack Johnson an opportunity of defending his title in Paris, under the usual conditions of a participation in the receipts, with a guarantee of $25,000, then $30,000. Jack Johnson has always refused.

In an interview Jack Johnson had in Paris with Victor Breyer, then my associate, and later with Leon See, Director of Boxing and Boxers, he made the same public declaration which remains still without denial. ‘I will not box again, ever for a million.?Since coming to Paris, Jack Johnson refused an engagement to meet with me. He wouldn’t come himself, but his representative came, only to declare to me that Johnson did not wish really to meet a capable adversary in order to maintain his title, but only adversaries of a secondary nature. Under those conditions no one can be expected to submit to Johnson’s fantastic (financial) demands. The sporting public has ever right to rebel and place the title open for public competition that which the holder, because it is too much trouble, does not wish to defend.?/div>

"In his c1910 French biography ‘Mes Combats?Johnson had this to say about their right: "I found him (Langford) one of the toughest adversaries I ever met in the ring. I weighed 190 pounds and Langford only 138. In the second round the little negro hit me on the jaw with a terrible right hand and I fell as if upended (or blown away) by a cannon ball. In all my pugilistic career, not before and not afterwards, have I received a blow that struck me with such force. It was all I could do just to get back on my feet just as the referee was about to count "Ten!" I made it, but I assure you that I felt the effects of that punch for the rest of the fight. I recovered but I would have to take my hat off to him if I hadn't had so much science at my comment. In the fifteenth round I was declared the winner on points."

Johnson lied in his autobiography? What I can do such a fool sonny such a fool? Lies in his own autobiography