The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-24
Prize Ring
RULES FOR BOXING MATCHES.
Should be Revised So as to be Clearly
Understood.

UNDERSTOOD.
New York, Sept. PA new item
states that Manager McCarey, the fight
promoter of Los Angeles, is trying to
bring about general meeting of club
managers and promoters to revise the
different classes and weights. 1t is
about time that something of the kind
was done, and while they are about it
they should agree upon a universal
Interpretation of the rules. Every
club seems to interpret the rules diff
ferently, and many referees take it
upon themselves to say how the men
shall break and whether or not they
may fight in clinches. The fight fans
are the ones who should be consider
ed, as they are the ones who pay the
money at the gate and thereby keep
the game alive. 1t has been proved
a thousand times that they prefer the
clean style of fighting and not the
'hit-and-clinch" brand that some
fighters favor so much. With clean"
hitting there is none of that sickening
pulling and graphing about that so
thoroughly disgusts the spectators.
The rules say clearly and distinctly:
NO wrestling or hugging allowed"
and they should be enforced, no mat
ter whose corns are stepped upon.
With no clinching fight is bound to
be clean and fair and at the same time
a hundred times core interesting. A
fight of such description is never
Kissed or hooted at, while the bouts
that are replete with wrestling and
dragging are. Terry McGovern, Tom
my Ryan, Joe Cans, Spike Robson
and fighters of that ilk box Clearly,
and those who do not should be made
to do so or be disqualified.
The weight question also is of vast
importance and should be gone over
carefully. A contest between cham
pions that might give promise of be-
ing close and interesting can easily
be spoiled by the weight conditions.
The Gans-Nelson bout proved that the
club should have something to say in
regard to the weight and the time of
weighing in. 1t has been pointed out
in these columns many times that
ringside weighing is not fair and even
If the fighters themselves agree to
it, the clubs should not stand for it
under any circumstances. When a
boxer has to run, work, abstain from
food and water and practically sweat
himself out to the very minute of en-
tering the ring, he is not in condition
to do himself justice or put up fight
that will please the spectators. A
limit should be placed on weighing
time and no club, under any imagin-
able conditions, should permit the
men to weigh later than four or pos
sibly six hours before the bell. With
contest scheduled for 10 o'clock,
and the boxers weighing at 4, it would
give them chance to eat good meal,
take little mild exercise and a nap.
After this they could get little fresh
air; good rundown and when it
comes time for action they would be
like race horses. When a boxer is
scrawny, weak, and has an empty
stomach, he naturally is cross and out
of sorts. In that condition he is liable
to give vent to his temper, especial
ly If there is any personal feeling in
the fight and he is more inclined to
fight roughly or foully than if he were
strong and in good spirits. The move
of Manager McCarey is a commendable
one and he should not let it peter out.
Its success would prove a benefit to
every one connected or identified with
boxing. The Gans-Nelson contest is
not the only bout wherein the weight
conditions proved harmful.