Norwich bulletin., 1912-11-08

 feated several of the second raters and the others took it for the same reason.
 When the battles of each man are considered 1t is found that not one is entitled to the middleweight cham pionship. Stanley Ketchel was the last fighter to hold it and no real title- holder has been established since, al- though all the 158 pounders in the game managed to have the inscription after their names.
 This same trouble existed in the di- O'Brien was in his prime. O'Brien beat beat everybody at his weight and finally claimed the title. But it was disputed by Tommy Ryan, who had quit undefeated. They met and O'Brien won in what was said to have been a questionable affair. But after that O'Brien was recognized as the cham pion.
 It will be long time before a mid dleweight championship is established according to boxing authorities as there are so many fighters and not a vast difference in comparison. The crowd of l5S pounders boxing today Is probably the largest the game has had for a decade or more. Were all of them placed in q tournament to be de- cided within six months 1t would be a dubious task to name, a winner in ad- vance. They all seem to be about evenly matched. and the way they have been battling for the last few years none of them comes up to the class of Tommy Ryan, Bob Fitzsimmons or Jack Dempsey.
 There is one man among the num- ber, however, who might be classed as head of the rank as Stanley Ketchel was. This Is Eddie McGoorty of Osh- kosh, Wis. the cleverest, fastest, hard est puncher and possessing more ring intelligence than any of the other men.
 One who has been connected with the fighting game for many years de- claresN that Tommy Ryan never was much better as a boxer than McGoorty, although the latter lacks Ryan's ag- gressiveness. It was only the latter's ruggedness, 1t is said, his gameness and ability to hit that made him such | Q wonder. as he was not clever. Fight fans declare if McGoorty could absorb some of Knockout Browns fighting l spirit he would be leader of the 158 pound division within a short time. Billy Papke eemst
 Billy Papke seems to be looked up on as being nearer McGooty's class than any other boxer in the game He 1 is not quite as scientific, but is fast | an da rough fighter when rightly con- | ditioHed. Negligence in training is | said to have kept him from leading l the division in the last few years. I However, he seems to have recovered ! from his dormant state and is again l fighting with the same vim that made 1 his bouts with Ketchel and Hugo 1 Kelly memorable. If Papke can train down to 15S pounds and retain his | strength he is the second best candi- date fo rthe laurel wreath.
 | Pittsburgh has three fighters who are 1 keeping the middle weight division en- | livened in the persons of Frank Klaus, George Chip and Buck Grouse. 1 These men have been battling in 1 Pennsylvania for some time with con l siderable success, inasmUch as they | have not permitted any one to come in to thei rterritory and decamp with an easy victory. Klaus is the logical su- perior of the trio and should put in a strong bid for the title If an elimina- tion tournament could be arranged. | Jimmy Clabby, Knockout Brown and Thompson have little chance to annex the championship; so say box ing wiseacres. Clabby is clever and l fast, but does not possess the wallop that a champion needs Brown and Thompson have the bull dog tenacity l and spirit, but not the speed or science.
 Leo Houck of Philadelphia has fought some interesting fights in the ranks, but his luck Is not consistent
 He is a great deal like McGoorty in that he will fight one o rtwo splendid battles and then put up three or four poor ones. However, he is improving and, like Jack Dillon of Indianapolis 1 Is a great trial horse and one who is
 best able to test the strength of a | champion. Dillon is a powerful boxer, but also lacks the necessary qualities looking toward the making a cham pion.
 George Carpentier, who was beaten by Papke, is young and rapidly de-
 veloping, and if he is handled correct | ly is likely to surprise many of the American fighters. His defeat at the l hands of Papke was a surprise to
 the fans, many of whom declare it was due to his undertaking the Kewanee 1 boxer.