“If Johnson throwed it, I wish he throwed it sooner. It was hotter than hell down there.” The "Pottawatomie Giant" Jess Willard – at 33 years old – dethroned heavyweight king Jack Johnson #OnThisDay in 1915 beneath a scorching Havana sun one Monday afternoon. The once-invincible Johnson (who hadn't lost in nearly a decade) appeared far older than his 37 years as he was counted out on his back in the 26th round (scheduled for 45 rounds). “Time had done its work,” the Associated Press reported. “It had been the opinion of Johnson and many of his friends that he did not have to be in the best of condition to whip Willard, underrating the latter’s splendid condition and youthful stamina.” Rumours were rife, however, that Johnson had taken a dive, citing the photo of him laying flat shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. Truth is, the heavy-drinking Johnson had been a wandering fugitive since 1913 after being convicted of violating the Mann Act and even before losing to Willard and relinquishing his status as “The Black Avenger”, Johnson had sent a telegram to his mother in Chicago that read in part: “I AM TIRED OF KNOCKING AROUND.” The new champion made only one defence of his crown during his four years as champion, against Frank Moran. Like Willard, Moran was a rough, tough slugger with a heavy right hand. He had given Johnson a decent argument for the title back in 1914 and got his second chance in New York two years later. Because official boxing decisions were outlawed in New York at the time, the fight ended up officially a no-decision after it went the ten round distance. The newspapers reported that Willard had given the better account of himself, though, and deserved the win. Willard's reign came to an end on another blazing afternoon at the bludgeoning fists of a young wildcat named Jack Dempsey. Big Jess outweighed the young challenger by some 60 pounds but the weight advantage only proved to prolong the beating. He was down seven times in a first-round carnage but the tough old cowboy kept getting up before eventually being hauled out after four hellacious sessions. #boxing #BoxingNews #JessWillard #JohnsonWillard (at Oriental Park Racetrack)