Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-09
FORMER CHAMPIONS SUPERIOR
Present Day Hesvyweights Lacking
in Glass.
THE OLD WAS THE BEST FIGHTER
Johnson, Kaufman, GanEfOrd and
KetcheI Not Equal in SKIN 90 SAL
livan, COrbett, Fitssimmons,
JeRrIe~, sharSey, Mccoy.

NEW YORK. May SIT seems to me
that johnson, the present big champion
and the challengers who are after his
heavyweight title are far below the old
standards" said the veteran New York
sporting man the other night as he re-
called the days when John L. Sullivan was
the king OF pugilists. Sullivan had a very
easy task when he won the championship
from Paddy Ryan, in 1882. The betting was
ten to eight in favor Of Ryan, and a ma
jority of the pugilistic writers said that
Sullivan was a green, awkward boy who
had never fought without gloves and had
little or no experience under London rules.
Ryan, on the other hand, was hailed as a
Hercules who could endure any amount
OF punishment, possessing great boxing
and wrestling skill. Even learned physl-
clans explained, on purely scientific
grounds, the conspicuous inferiority Of the
Boston strong boy. They waxed enthusiastic
over Ryan's elastic muscular development
and pronounced him a marvel.
81 had seen Ryan take sixty-five rounds
to lick old Joe Goss a couple OF years be-
fore, however, so I made up my mind
that Ryan would meet defeat from the
first really good man ne stacked up
against. And / was correct in my judg-
ment, for Sullivan bored in and had Ryan
whipped in the first round when he landed
a terrific right hand smash that put Paddy
flat upon his back. This was only thirty
seconds after the beginning OF the fight.
and Johns seconds, Billy Madden and
Bob Farrell, had to beg him to let up on
poor Ryan, who was even then on the
verge of being beaten to death. So Sulli-
van let Paddy stay until the ninth round,
when the latter was knocked down and
out.
Sullivan then jumped over the ropes.
as fresh as when he started, and ran like
a d err to his room in a hotel about 100
yards away from the battle ground. l
merely cite this battle to show what an
easy time Sullivan had in winning the
heavyweight title. No big fighter ever
won the championship with so little exer-
ton, not even Johnson when he trimmed
the overrated Burns. Look over SuIli-
vans entire ring career carefully and see
If you can find where he had a really
gruelling fight! When asked which was
his hardest mill Sullivan always declared
that his seventy-five-round combat with
Jake Kilrain was the one. As I've said
30 often before this, the Sullivan-KiIrain
O1hA ehN LAOAl n " llllHH
between the two back numbers, who had
licked themselves by years Of dissipation.
1t was the most uninteresting mill for a
championship 1 ever saw Why, I've
known a couple Of longshoremen to put
up a better argument in every way.
Sullivan came out of this long-winded
affair with only a few scratches. He didn't
receive any severe punishment to speak of.
yet he considers that this mill resulted in
the most glorious victory OF his career.
But let me tell you that Sullivan received
moro gruelling punishment and was in
greater danger when he faced Charley
Mitchell in France in 1888. 1t will be re-
called that John agreed to a draw after
the thirty-ninth round because he had in
Jured his arm on the game Englishman's
elbow. At least this was one reason. The
other may be told some day by several
persons who we're on the inside at that
time.
Let us go over Sullivan's other battles
briefly. He had a cinch with Big John
Flood, whom he walloped in eight rounds.
His fight with Jimmy Elliott was a three
round picnic. Herbert Slade, the Maori,
was another easy mark in three rounds In
Madison Square Garden. II John NJ. Laflln
had possessed some heart and sand when
he tackled John l.. in the same place there
might nave been another story to tell, but
Sullivan just walked in again in three
rounds. Those two affairs with All Green
field were like finding money. In a bout
with Patsy Cardiff Sullivan broke his
arm and the decision was a draw. When
John was defeated by Corbett in 1892 Billy
Smith and other middleweights could have
done Me job probably in half the time, for
John was a physical wreck and couldn't
hold up his hands to defend himself.
Knockout Tour.