The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-13
"HE'S A BEAR" IS REPORT OF ENGLISH
 ON MATT" WELLS

Matt Wells, the little English He brew boxer who was, for a time, the lightweight champion of England and the holder of the Lord Lonsdale belt, will be 27 years old tomorrow Wells has lately been fighting in Australia, and at Sydney last September he won the verdict on points over Owen Mo ran, the clever little Britisher, in a
 20 round contest.
 Moran has since loudly declared that he was cheated, and this opinion seems to have been shared by some of the Australian sport writers, who declare that, at the best, Wells was entitled to nothing better than 9, draw. The crowd of 1000 fans in the Sydney Stadium jeered when the verdict was announced. Wells was knocked down in the first round, and was pretty badly mauled in the last round of the contest. A few months prior to the Moran bout Wells won on points from Hughie Mehegan, the Australian lightweight, to whom he had previous iy lost on a foul.
 Wells began his career in the ring as an amateur, winning the amateur championship of Great Britain in 1904, and again in 1905, 1906 and 1907. In the latter year he turned professional and whipped several good English lads. In 1910 he came to America l to assist Jem Driscon in the 1atter's | training quarters at New York, and while on this side took part in sew era1 bouts in New York and Yonkers- He didn't show remarkable class, however, and the sporting world was given a great surprise in February, 1911, when Wells defeated Freddie Welsh for the British lightweight championship.
 Tn that bout, which was pulled off at the National Sporting club in Lon don, Wells out-boxed the clever Welshman both at long range and | infighting. The following June the little Jew again crossed the pond and defeated Leach Cross at New York, Pal Moore at Boston. Fighting Dick | Philadelphia, Knockout Brown and Abe Atten at New York, and Bill Don ovan at Toronto.
 In April, 1912, he was outpointed by Packey Mcfarland at New York, but a little later he defeated Young Brown in Brooklyn. Returning to England, he again. met Freddie Welsh, and lost
 the decision and the championship belt in 20 round bout in which he was clearly outpointed, although he ! finished strong.
 1 Wells is only five feet four inches | in height, three inches under Welsh s stature. He~is an. "odd-1ooking little fellow, and his breast is covered with
 thick black hair which makes him look like a bear
 l TODAY IN PUGILIsTIC ANNALS.
 1S87-Jack Dempsey defeated Johnny Reagan in 45 rounds near New York I The fight was held on the beach ot Long Island Sound, and was governed by London prize ring rules
 ] While the bout was in progress the Il tide came up and drove the spectators
 back but Jack and Johnny fought on Their seconds called them but they
 would not go, because they loved the
 scrapping so. At last, when the
 water was above their knees, the lads
 adjourned to dryer spot and con.
 tinued the affair.
 This spot was unsatisfactory and an.
 other adjournment was taken to z
 stretch of turf back from the Sound Dempsey outc1assed his opponent al
 the way, but Reagan was game aht
 fought on until his seconds tossed tn, sponge into the arena. The victo1 cleared only $1O from the bout 1900-Tes'Ty McGovern knocked ou Joe Cans in second round at Chicago 1891-Yankee Swartz born on thi date.