Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
BY T. S. ANDREWS.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, December :s.-lt
is to be regretted that the New York box
ing commission did not change the weight
in the mddleweight division while they
were revising the scale of weights. Had
they made the weight 16O pounds instead
of 1JS ringside, as at present, it would
have met with general approval, and
would have conformed with most of the
foreign countries as regards that class.
1t would also have made it easy to select
worlds champion. However, the argu-
ments and battles which have been waged
for the past two years by claimants of
the title left vacant by the late Stanley
ketchel are nearing the end and. it is
likely that a champion will be developed
within the next six or eight months All
tn, foreign boxing authorities recognize
the weight for middleweights at l6O
pounds, weighing in at 3 o'clock. while
the American limit is still left at 15S ring
side weighing. Despite this fact the two
foremost claimants to the title in the
states, or we might say three claimants
Eddie McGoorty, Billy Papke and Frank
Klaus-prefer the 16O-pOund mark to 1913;
in fact, both McGoorty and Papke have
declared for 100. although the former has
demonstrated that he can make las
pounds ringside, when he scaled 1o5 for
Mike Gibbons in New York recently AS a
legitimate middleweight for the Ameri-
can title McGoorty has the lead. for he
can make the weight, while Papke has
practically admitted that he cannot, the
Illinois Thunderbolt stating that he will
not change from the British and French
scale, which is 100 pounds at 3 O'Clock.
Papke and Klaus are matched to fight
for the European tltIe Marcn q next III
Paris.
Both of these fighters have beaten Mar
eel Moreau and Georges Carpenter, the
French claimants. and Papke has beaten
Jim Sullivan, the British champion of
two years ago, but who lost his English
crown later to one of his own country
men-Jack Harrison. Eddie McGoorty has
knocked out Harrison, the latest British
champion, and also knocked out Dave
Smith, the Australian middleweight. who
claimed the title, but which in reality be-
longed to Jimmy Clabby. as Smith did
not make the weight limit when they
right to claim the title as Papke. while
Clabby also has look In at the crown,
with Mike Gibbons looking on. There
fore the winner of the Papke- Klaus fight
should by all means meet McGoorty in a
tWenty-rOund battle for the worlds title,
which will be a real worlds champion
ship contest. In the meantime it would
be good idea for the promoters to bring
McGoorty and Clabby together in a ten
or twenty round contest Then if the
holder of the Australian title could show
the proper form against the Oshkosh
wonder, why he would have a right. too.
to figure for the worlds title. There is
no doubt. however, that the boxing world
will accept the winner of the three-cor-
| nered affair between McGoorty, Papke
and Klaus as the real champion. Others
may develop in the meantime, but we
will at least have a recognized champion
to defend the title against all corners.
Talking Of weight changes. as estab-
IiShed by the New York commits ion. re-
calls to mind the light heavy weight class.