Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-12
BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS CAN'T
BE WON ON TECHNICALITIES
Sam MeVey Given the Heavyweight Title
in Australia, Rut Public Re-
fuses to Fall For It.

both boys, and they will probably box
there within the next week or two. Mar
chant is just as anxious to get a crack
at Abe Attell for the title in the feather
weight ranks, and IL Kilbane beats Abe.
why, he can have my boy for a match.
Marchant is a wonderful fighter. and I
brought him over to put him against the
best in your country. Attell spoke about
going over to England to meet Jim Driscoll.
but he might as well save himself the
trip. for Marchant will accommodate him
on his own terms In his own country"
off $1,000 he should lose no time hauling
down the coin. Tom O'Rourke has offered
to bet Jack Johnson that sum that AL
Palzer. his white hope. can defeat Jim
Jack and Jim are matched for next July,
but why not pick up little pin money
before going into active training by send
ing the fireman against the Iowa farmerf
makes his bout with Johnson have a
much better look. Better think il over
Jack!
Probably frankie Coniey will admit
now that the weight he made for Johnny
CoulOn was not exactly to hts liking.
When Conley fought Joe Coster at New
Orleans last spring he told the writer
weight for COulon again, as 1t had weak
ened him too much and took the strength
out of him. Just the same, he matched.
up with the Chicago boy for Los Angeles
and agreed to make the same weight lie
pounds. three or four hours before the
contest. The result was the same az i'm
the first oout-Conley did not have the
strength to go along at his usual speed
and use his boring tactics. He will learn
in time.
The action OF the New York boxing
commission in suspendng Abe AtteiI for
alleged sailing in his bout with Knock
out Brown recently has awakened our
English cousins. and now they are TAX
ing the matter up with the result that a
similar commission may be appointed
before, the end Is reached. The following
letter anent the matter has just been re-
ceived from well known critic of Lon
don: The cabled news OF Abe AtteiI's
suspension by the New York boxing COM
mission Is the main topic this week in
pugilistfc circles here. Until details ar
more than skirt the edge of the business.
but our vtrtuOus promoters are falling
over themselves to get into print with
their views To read the majority OF
their letters on the subject one would
be led to believe that fake contests were
as rare as white blackbirds, but to those
with an inside knowledge OF the game
mere the letters are really humorous
At about the time the New York COM
mission was first inaugurated the idea
was discussed in the sporting press Of
this country. and the general conclusion
arrived at was that the commission could
the cooperation Of the police. The lat
ter force have never displayed any anx-
iety to control the game here, and 1t il
questionable II they will ever be asked
to. When the suggested international
board OF control was put forward some
two years ago by the London Sporting
Life and ably seconded by T.. g. Andrews
of America. the National Sporting Club
of London was asked to cooperate. Had
it consented, there can be no question
that an English board of control would
have started into existence. But, un-
fortunately. the club committee, after
carefully considering the matter. de-
clined to interfere in any boxing bouts
scheme. 50 far as this country was con-,
cerned. was dropped. The New York
state commission was no doubt suggested
by the international scheme and that
istence. II only the scheme could be put
in operation in all states where boxing II
permitted. some tangible good might
come Of it. but as things are now. Attell
has only to go west to get bouts with
ease. And who can possibly stop himf
Not the New York commission. for its
jurisdiction stops at the state border
lines. and the same situation would occur
troll Of the sport. Their power would ex-
tend to all parts Of England, and a sus-
pended boxer would be compelled to bow
20 their rulings or go abroad in search OF
bouts.
There has been a great deal Of con-
troversy over the Langford-McVey de-
cision in Australia. the claim being
made by some that Langford should
have had nothing worse than a draw,
while few thought he earned the de-
cision. l have just received full ac-
counts from Sydney of the big battle.
and after going through the entire list
sion that while draw would not have
been a bad decision. still Referee
Baker, in deciding on points. was right.
There was no infighting, and this gave
McVey a big advantage, for II is in
the American style of infghting that
Sam Langford shines. Tommy Burns
thought Langford won the fight, while
Johnny Thompson was just as sure
draw was the correct verdict. Mr..
Corbett the Referee sporting editor.
who is an authority on the game. was
of the opinion that McVey was entitled
to the decision, and so was Larry
Foley, the one-time great teacher OF
Peter Jackson. The Sydney Herald. =,
very conservative paper. said that Me-
Vey put UP a superb battle, with the
exception of about four rounds. The
Sydney Telegraph. another conservative
paper. was of the same opinion: also
the News and Sun. However. they did
assert that under different rules-that
es-Langford would stand q much bet
ter snow Of defeating his bigger oppo-.
nent. They all agree. too, that II was
a great fight, and that the 10000 peo
pie who witnessed the bout at the
stadium were well satisfied with the