The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-01
BOXING CHAMPS HAVE NOT
 PUNCH OF OLD TIMERS

The textbook of boxing has not to-
 tailed this year, and the reason is that
 the present batch of boxing cham
 pfons lack that which made the old masters profitable to themselves and the clubs that billed them.
 The truth about Johnny KiIbane. the 122-pound king; Ad Wolgast, the 13S-pound boss; Billy Papke, who must be reckoned as the 158-pound master. is that they all are financial failures. Kilbane is a clever lad, but he seems to be able to box any particular fight CT a thousand rounds, at a figure that is almost prohibitive, and the best he does is to outpoir1t them. He takes little or no chances. Young Corbett and Terry McGovern used to hammer their men until they huddled or were blasted out of the match in one ter rife swing. Even Abe Atte1 finished left no room for doubt as to the win
 ner. Kifbane, like Jack Johnson, was born at the right time, and when he faced the field there was not the tal- ent that other champions had to whip to win a title.
 Before Wolgast beat Battling Nell son he was worth going miles to see. He was ever stinging bee in those days. He showed with Tommy Lang don, and finished the Philadelphian and then hustled to New Orleans to great old fighter. Bat Nelson. and that shifted Wolgast around. Since that time he has appeared in Philadelphia three three tines ana t ma rstie neyer o6n o6i ot chatter claiming him the best of the stSS3'' class. Knockout Brown fought him to a standstill. Young Jack o. ney gave him great battle. He dropped OpBrien, an eighteen-year-old lad, while Brown actually carried the miss the greater number of the punches he started. Is it any wonder that he insists on big guarantes? He knows he won't draw 1t and he plays the lace in the hoEe,' and nat uraIly it wins for him.
 Mike Gibbons, of St. Paul, is really has more class than a day school and he can peg them with deadly accura- cy Young Mccartney told the writer that Gibbons hit him within an inch of the spot he fired at every time he shot over the punch. And this Me Cartney is an awkward boy to reach, and he hits hard enough to make 1t to try and reach him. Still, Gibbons is not a welterweight, and does not pack enough pounds to meet the middleweights.- Young Erne fooled by facing Tommy Howell and Young 
 Billy Papke was a greater fighter. one of the old school, who drew them from the mountains and the sands of the sea, for Billy was a 100 per cent fighter. Time and trade killed him off. though k0fChel slew the greater | part of him. and the rest died. The Papke of today is shadow of the once wonderful fellow who made the l Michigan Lion, Ketchel, go as he nev- sr was extended The fans know that | Papke is not the Papke of the past. l Frank Klaus, Eddie McGoorty or Leo 1 Houck will succeed him.
 The champions of today earned their titles, but they lack the old drawing ability of Young Corbett, Terry Mo Govern, Joe Walcott, Stanley Ketchel, Nelson and Joe Cans, for they fight for the purse, take as little .hanec as they can-and dodge any thing that looks dangerous. This is aot knock; it is fact, and each md every one of them know it to be he truth Any time they are not sure, .hey feint, whereas Corbett, Ketchel md Nelson swung to kill. A little ess skip and stab and a little more wat and sweat and the ring would .egain it's own.