Dartford, England: It was not the aging pugilist expected by the fancy that appeared before Gentleman John Jackson but instead the hardtack warrior not seen since his days of glory a decade past. Tom Johnson came to fight and fight he did.
Jackson and his backers arrived late to an adoring crowd gathered to hurrah the English champ. Johnson looked determined and fitter than he has been seen for many a year. The assemblage gasped as Johnson stung the champ with three successive blows to the head a mere minute after coming to scratch. Jackson took a knee and rose at four understanding for perhaps the first time that there would be a fight that day.
As the frames wore on, Johnson gave not an inch continually tying the Champ up and displaying surprising agility in getting away. Despite his Herculean effort, the younger Jackson turned matters round on Johnson by the late rounds and had him on the run. A crushing blow to the midribs sent Johnson to the floor gasping in the thirteenth. He rose unsteadily and managed to stay erect clear through the fifteenth but appeared done for. Much to the surprise of the fancy who favored a Jackson victory, the referee declared the match a draw and instructed the men to re-assemble around eleven the following day at Wilsden Green.
The second go round lacked the drama of the first. Johnson was a spent man but still full of heart as he tussled in vain for twelve rounds. Jackson's blows often found home sending Johnson to the ground five times in ten rounds. A blow to the temple in the twelfth left Johnson bewildered and unable to stand when the official reached his full count of ten. Jackson will fight for the World's title next year but Johnson gave his all and won the respect of many.
Other doings:
Bloomsbury Fields, England: In the first of the qualifying middleweight bouts, Paddington Tom Jones had little trouble taking a fifteen round victory from Bill Wood. While no crimson showed, Wood was a badly beaten man by the end having won not a single round. The Watson / Hooper fight next month will determine who Tom will face for the REC Middleweight crown.
