The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-15
TIMELY BOXING TALK.
Little Fellows Taking Up All the Attention
and tho KeasOn for 10.

Al the present time the little fellows are
usurping all of the attention OF followers OF
the prize ring. They are getting all the
matches and are making more money than
the heavyweiEhts The reason for this can
bo explained In fow words-there are no
really good big men in the field. with the
exception OF Jim JefrIes, The champion
Il In class by himself and apparently has
an ironclad mortgage on his title for some
time to come. About as recently as hvo
years ago the small fighters were more or
less neglected by the people in point OF pat
ronaRe. unless they were at the top OF their
divisions Even then the receipts OF the
contests In which they were principals did
not foot up to the amounts that they do now.
5000 house was considered very large Tor
battle between little men. Now. how
ever. the unde rsized boxers are disappointed
II they do not draw from $4,000 10 $4,000
when they appear.
Heavyweights always have & fascination
for ringgoers. 10 matter what their stand
ing as pugiiists may be, Many imagine
that bout between big men IL certain 10
be full Of action: that In view Of the strength
and avoirdupois OF tbs rivals knockout
Is inevitable. Followers OF the roped square
would rather witness q decisive trmina-
ton 10 a mill than have the contest
go the limit. with the possibility OF the de-
cislon being u draw. The lighter men have
learned the art OF checking the ambitious
of their opponents with couple OF so.ld
blows, and IN nine eases out OF ten such battles
are over before three-quarters OF the limit
has expired. Little fellows are speedier
and more scientific than heavyweights.
The lack OF interest by the public ~ not con-
fined alone to the hcayywelf hts. lac middle
wei ghts and tho wcltcrNeightS are more or
less ignored This Is only natural. There
are n o real God men in these classes. Those
who have gained their spurs IN these dlvl-
SONS are either iar superior t. their chIllcne,
ers or else are lakers. tommy Ryan ana
Jack O'Bnen are the most discussed middle
wei hts in the business to-day hyah mas
been accused OF participating IN "A nulnbcr OF
suspicious mills. and. Consequently hrneNrr
he appears the sports are AFRAID that he VIII
fight. There * u lot ol iaklnE going ON pc
tween the little men. It is true hnt on the
whole their Efforts urc genuine lhey cam
not very well AFFORD TO be dishonest, because
thev would soon be- superseded b. the large
army OF rising little men ever ready TO take
The ishtw eight class seems 70 be the most
important division Just nov. There arc any
number OF clever representatives, IN IL. and
they are 4 "A lily increasing. Where there
We're only half a dozen good hghtweghts
a decade 20 there nre at least a dozen or
more now Fighters no start out as feather
weights grow III weight 80 rapidly That they
soon merge INTO the lightweight ranks, Inc
material The same Is true Of the bantams.
but between i22 and l% POUNDS there are
plenty Of candidates wiling to fight, ana
frequently too. in ordcrto game stellar honors
The lghtwei ght- CupIblc OF holding Their
own are Jabea White Of England. Benny
jimmy Gardner, JACK o'Eeele, Maurice
savers, Jimmy Briggs. Jack Blackburn.
sam Langtord Jimmy Britt. Eddie lianlon,
TORY McGovern, Jack O'Neil. Aureha Her
rera the Mexican: Willie Lewis and Joe Cans.
If he may be termed one, although he IS more
OF welterweich than anything else
Buddy RYAN OF Chicago, Mltty Matthews,
Honey Melody, Joe Grim, Fred Douglass
of savannah. sc. Joe Walcott is out OF u
because OF game hand The prominent
ieptherweights IRE Harry Harris OF Chicago
be Attell Tommy Murphy of Harlem.
Hlchev McGovern Ben Jordan of LnEl nd
nnd Frankie Neil, although the latter wishes
70 rose ~ a full felecd bantam Outside
OF rrv Forbes of Chicago. Monty Attell.
Johnny Reagan OF Brooklvn and Joe Bowker
or ENGLAND the bantam elias, j. barren of any
real talent The demand for contests be-
tween little men ia Increasing, and tho lirhtcr
iii visions are sure 10 be augmented hv
capable candidates long as the public
lends tie patronage and announcement to
their efforts