El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-20

Johnson to give him battle or lay down
his hand and retire from the game
he newly organized Garden Athletic
club (MadisOn square garden, has an
EOunced next Friday as the day Tor
sthe Packey Merchandising Wells fes-
tivities. 1t has taken year Of dlplO-
matte DegOtiatiOn to bring these boys
together and il viii cost the garden
people q pot Of money to give the
show. Terms as announced include
30 per cent Of the gross receipts for
Wells. also a half interest in the NOV
ing picture privilege, which nowadays
plays an important part In financing
big matches. Out Of his share Wells
guarantees Mcfarland the sum OF
$4,000.
Rather an odd arrangement and I
wonder that PaCkeT consented to Sucn
a split The fight should draw a crowd
that will tax the capacity of the huge
arena and $4,000 is a conservative es-
innate Of the gate And the pic
lures Of an International affair Of the
sort viii go big in England and Can
ada and the United States II Wells
is in on the profits it would appear
he has the best Of the bargain Packey
probably prefers to get his in lump
and believes that dough in kick is
better than taking chance on the
movies
As to the battle itself. it should
prove a splendid exhibition Wells IS
q high-class man Don't let anyone
tell you ne is not worthy OF his title
Of lightweight champion OF Great
in the matter Of speed and boxing
skill. but Wells can boast of far more
than the average degree Of proficiency
with the gloves As to hitting powers
the records Of tie men suggest that il
is a toss up on that score. While
lean towards a Mcfarland victory. II
must be admitted that a man Of Wells
known class always has chance;
hl Hrea
Briton puts one over on the clever Chi
cagOan-
Nike Gibbons has about cleaned up
all the heavy weller and light middle
weights in the east, and viii have to
look elsewhere for worthy rivals from
now on unless he decides to take
hop, skip and jump right into the mid
die division and battle the regular 15S-
Founders. OF the latter species several
express their delight at the prospect
Of battling with the St Paul pie
nom Frank Klaus says the pleasure
viii be all his'n. while Bob MOha init
mates that a jOust with the clever
Michael is exactly what the doctor or
dered-
other night-after he had made the
highly tOuted Jeff Smith look like a
nOvice-and asked If he intended tax
ing on Klaus, MOha and McGOOrty-
Nike replied in the negative and
give a lot OF weight away when he
can get $4,000 guarantees for boxing
men of the Smith variety. All well
and good so long as the supply lasts
but Pm afraid he viii find the avail
able stock about exhausted
Gibbons is a great fighter and to
my mind can hold his own with the
middleweights- do not think IL
would hurt his speed in the least TO
try the building I'D stunt, and a few
extra pounds OF. good hard muscle
would add much to the effectiveness Of
his sharp, snappy sting Klaus viii
make 15S ringside and his rugged az
gressiveness and Mikes wonderful
speed should make nifty entertainment
for the fans Gibbons is head and
shoulders above the average scrapper
of today He has considerable gray
matter stored in his head-piece. and
is one OF the few modern boxers who
knows the art Of feinting. and therein
lies much Of the secret Of his startling
success We're I his manager would
rot hesitate in matching him over the
1C-rOund route with any middleWeight
IN the game today. And furthermore,