The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-05-10
PACKEY DOES NOT
LIKE FANCY sIvEE
Chicago Boxing Wonder Ad-
vises Young Mitt Mixers
to Avoid Shifts

Pittsburg, May 1O.-Packey McFar-
land, the great lightweight boxer.
while noted as being a lad of few
words, occasionally opens up and
talks Interestingly on his art.
While watching two New York am
ateurs work out few days ago he
noticed one Of them try shift and
remarked:
II wouldn't use that shift if l were
you, it's the easiest thing to get
away from and most anybody will
beat you to the punch with right
cross.
Shifts and fantastic moves have
no place in boxing" went on Packey.
"As matter of fact, there are only
four punches in pugilism that are ef-
fective. These are the straight jab.
the left hook, the right cross and the
right uppercut. You can count on
your fingers the fighters of today who
know how to use them properly.
Jack johnson does and so does Sam
Langford. They are essentially of the
old school and, after all, l think 1t
is the best"
Pachey seemed to warm up to his
subject and began illustrating. There
is nothing like good old left jab,"
he said. of we're instructing q
young fellow that had the makings
of a promising fighter / would have
him perfect himself in the use of the
straight left. 1t is the hardest punch
to get away from and by landing it
four or five times you can discourage
almost any opponent and that's the
main thing in fighting"
Someone then asked Packey about
the effectiveness of blocking, after
commenting on his wonderful ability
in stopping well-meant blows. Pack
ey admitted that It was largely mat
ter Of quick eyes, and his sparkling
brown orbs indicated. that he wasn't
lacking in that particular.
II just learned that. naturally" he
answered. Someone was good enough
to endow me with my ability, guess,
but Just plain blocking isn't Of much
value in the ring. For instance, a
fighter who will just stand and fold
his arms over his face and stomach
when the punches are coming fast
won't do.
II always try to be aggressive. l
block and punch at the same time,
and If you'll notice. any time I block
a punch my arms are always in po-
sition to deliver a blow. 1 block a
left lead with my right forearm, and
as the blow glides off I let my right
fist continue on till It reaches the
other fellow.
II always aim to keep going"
1t was remarked to Packey at this
point that the general impression
was that he couldn't punch and was
not knockerout.
Packey smiled at this.
Cyclone Johnny Thompson, who
now is claiming the middleweight
championship, told me hit him
harder than anybody" he answered.
But when you think it over, what
would I get by knocking everybody
out-no more money and hardly any
reputation. It makes little difference
out-no more money and hardly any
Well, Mcfarland was a great boxer,
but he couldn't punch Luckily I've
saved what I've earned and I'll have
mine then.
"On second thought" continued
Packey, if were to- knock 'em all
cold, who'd fight me? There are few
enough now willing to take a; chance.
But can punch, and punch hard If
the occasion demands that. If l
punched hard all the time 1 would
have sacrificed speed"
The question Of taking punishment
was then put up to Packey "Can
you take walloping In the stomach
asked Bob Vernon.
"Why not?" asked Packey.
"I've always taken good care Of my
stomach. l never drank nor smoked,
and l never put anything in my
stomach that thought would dis
agree with me. Sure, l can take a
punch in the stomach, but" and Pac-
key was thinking, II don't like them.
Nobody does"