Evening journal., 1912-11-02
BOXING CHAMPS
LACK THE PUNCH
Present Title Holders Do Not
Class With the Old
Timers

The textbook OF Theus has not to-
taliod this year and the reason is
that The present batch of boxing
champions lack that which made tho
old masters profitable TO themselves
and the clubs that billed them.
The truth about Johnny lklbane,
the i29-pound king; Ad Wolgast. the
lSs-pound boss; Billy Papke, who
must be reckoned as the l5S-pound
master is that they all are financial
failures kilbano Is a clever lad, but
he seems TO be able TO box any par
ticuiar fighter thousand rounds at
figure that IS almost prohibiuvo,
und the best he does Is 10 out point
thom. He takes little OF no chances.
Yount Corbett and Terry McGovern
used to hammer their men until they
huddled or were blasted out of the
match IN one terrific swing. Even
Abe Aticll finished them up or beat
them Dy a gap that left no room for
doubt as TO the winner. Kilbane, like
Jack johnson. was born at the right
time. and when he faced tho field
there was not tho talent that other
champions had TO whip 10 win a title.
' Before Wolgast beat Battling Mel
Foh he was worth going miles to SEQ
HolNas an ever stingng bee In those
dayb He showed there with Tommy
lahgdon. and finished the Philadel-
plian and then hustled to New Or
loans 20 an another date Then he
beat the great old fighter, Bat Nelson,
and That shifted Wolgast around
Since that time he has appeared here
three times and had never done any
thing that made the critics chime out
chatter claiming him the best Of the
"33' class Knockout Brown fought
him to standstlll Young Jack
O'Drien did the same. and Teddy Ma
lonry QnNc him "a great battle He
dropped O'Brion. an 1S-year-old lad
whilo Brown actually carried the fight
80 him. and Naloucy made him miss
the sroater number Of the punches
hc started Is it any wonder that he
insists on big guarantee He knows
h. WON'T draw It and he plays the
sacc n the hole. and naturally Il
wins for him He boxed here recent
ly or percentage against a local boy,
and report has IL that 80 per cent. OF
the house was little better than a
fuii house az tho Broadway A. G.
Mike Gibbons, of st. Paul. is really
the best attraction Of the lot Mike
has more class than a day school.
und be can peg them with deadly ac
curacy, Young Mccartney told the
writer that Gibbons hit him within
an inch Of the spot he fred at every
time he shot over a punch And this
Mccartney is an awkward boy 90
reach, and he hits hard enough TO
make IL dangerous to try and reach
IA. .. a. I..IN N...a
weight and does not pack enough
pounds 10 meet the middleweights
YoAng lerne fooled Mike but the lat
ier made up for that by lacing Tommy
Hcwoll and Young Mccartney
n''lN papke was a great fighter,
of the old school. who drew them
The mountains and the sands OF
sea, for Billy was a 100 per cent
Time and trade killed him
though l<etchol slew the greater
Of him. and the rest died The
1Rc of today Us shadow Of the
co wonderful fellow who made the
Michigan Lion Ketchol. 80 as he
never was extended The fans know
that Pspi1e is not the Pnpke OF the
past Frank Klaus. Eddie McGoorty
'-70 ssse'iaih " :, n succeed iiiiiiii.
The champions Of today earned
their titles. but they lack the old
drawing ability OF Young Corbett.
Terry McGovern. Joe WOlcOtt. Stanley
kctchol Battling Nelson and Joe
Cans. for they fight for the purse
take as little chance as they can
and dodge anything that looks dam
eerous. This is not a knock: II is a
fact and each and every one of them
l,now II to be the truth ANY time
they are not sure, the feint whereas
Ccrbett ketchell and Nelson swung
60 kill A little less skin and stab
aud a little more swat and sweat and
the ring would regain its own.