The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-31
FIGHTERS MUST
HAVE BRAINS
Modern PuglIists Use intellect
as Well as Muscle.
RING GEEeRALSHl2 COUNTS
PRESENT CHAMPIONS IN CLASS
BY THEMSELVES.

An eastern sporting writer is out with
the vail that unless James Jeffries re-
tires from the ring there viii be no
more heavyweight championship bat
ties. IL is true that the pOnder0us Cal
ifornisn is at the head Of bis class
and appears To be invincible. but there
is no more reason why he should quit
the ring than there is for Young Cor
bett, Tommy Ryan and Joe Walcott to
do so IN their respective classes they
appear 10 have things cinched Just az
tightly SIS Jeffries. COrbett can easily
take care OF all of the little fellows
lighting in the sO-called featherweight
division Who is there at 15S pounds
that can make Tommy Ryan extend
himself in twenty-round battle? AS
for Joe Walcott. he is invincible at AZ
pounds.
It is simply the same old story. When
John L. Sullivan was champion he APP
peaTed even stronger than Jeffries does
a the present day, However, even the
mighty John /. went down TO defeat,
and so viii all of the other champions
if they stick to the game long enough
II is true that at present they appear
to have things their own way, but
sooner or later each is bound to run
up against a snag.
Take the case of Sullivan. for in
stance Who ever thought for mo-
ment that COrbett would have a look
in with the pride of Boston, Even
while # was generally admitted that
Sullivan was inclined 10 bowl rather
freely ana enter the ring unfit for
grueiing battle. he was stiH thought
to have a cinch on the slender Calf
foTnian. But this is ancient history.
The doughty Sullivan looked ferocious
and rushed Corbett around the ring,
.az-1 a
other ring idol was shattered. Suili-
van went down to defeat, and 50 viii
JeHries in the course Of time. There IS
no one at present that appears able 10
even bother Big JIM" but II should
be remembered that when Sullivan was
the whole show nothing doomed up in
the pugilistic horizon that looked good
CROUCH to damage him TO any extent
until Corbett, an outsider IN the BET
ting, sent him down TO defeat.
The lives OF champions are not long,
pugilisticalIy. sullivan was champion
for ten years. but when the
big fellow held the belt times were diff
ferent. Men often fought with bare
knuckIes and devoted bat little time to
training. They did not pretend to do
any boxing. It was simply a case Of
plow in and try for the knockout val
lop.
Now fighters train until they are ct
for a long and grueiing battle, and
they use their heads as well as their
hands. To reach the top these days
/ fighters must be intelligent IS well as
strong and rugged. At the present
/ time McGovern, who was generally
! considered invincible, was at the top
Of his division for three years. He was
/ a young man Of exemplary habits, but
/ he was defeated by youngster who
4 was comparatively unknown. Frank
Erne held the lightweight title less than
/ two years. He WIS another Intelligent
/ boxer who took good care Of himself.
However. when he hit the incline he
proved easy money for second-raters-
Kid IavigRe. undoubtedly the great
! est man Of his weight that ever donned
/ the padded mitts, was lightweight
} champion Cor three years, and then he
! was forced TO retire to 'Hasbeenville.'
I RYAN and WalcOtt are the only ones
: who have stuck for the big show, Ryan
! has been taking down first money for
+ sixteen years. while Walcott appears to
( be as good now as he was ten years
/ ago.
The fighters of years ago held their
! titles because they did not have TO
| compete with brains. George Dixon
was the featherweight champion for
ten wears. but when McGoveTn and 9TH
{ ers OF that class struck the field hs
became a dead one. 1t has been said
that he was all IN before he fought
! McC5ovsrn. but he is still fighting in
/ England. although # is five years sincs
he went. down to defeat before the
-. Brooklyn Hhirlwind.