The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-29
(By James J. Corbett.. For1neF Heavy ~ weight Champion Of the World.
Especial to the .F,armerl

I NG9y OSsH1eS O. OOrDetI. EOf1Hle1E I1edVy-
 weight Champion of the World. 1 Especial to the ,F'armer-)
 New York. Nov. 29.-Funny how
 Same in sports. as in everything else
 Take boxing for example. A short ] while back promoters in this city 1 couldn't afford to do business with the
 heavyweig11ts; it was unprcf1table to
 put two big fellows on as the leading
 and other smaller classes had the call II with the. matchmakers. Now the cards have been shifted. The heav-
 ies are again in favor with the fans, who are clamoring for more bouts be-
 tween big men. To satisfy the latest public demand the larger clubs
 are offering inducements to bring the
 classiest of the white heavy-weights l to this city, and with fair success as may be noted in the advance buI;e- | tins issued by the promoters. More
 matches. between big fellows are l time before in the history of boxing in
 New York. This big stown-with it's several boroughs-supports some
 thing like twenty-five clubs and a
 glance at the matches t'on the fire" l for the next few weeks show the 1 classes.
 1 Until that Reno thing three years or ago the heavies had aIw avs
 maintained a comfortable lead in the
 race for popularity, but the disap- pointing result of that sad affair, and
 the subsequent fruitless efforts of
 nunberless white hopes'' to show anything like the form demanded of first class fighting men turned the tide in favor of the lighter classes. In the smaller divisions a boxing fan can generally be sure of fast and
 scientific action which is not so much
 a part of encounters of big men. Still there is an attractiveness about match between heavies which is lack
 ing in @ contest of little fellows, no
 matter how expert the latter may be. Another thing. the change in the system of governing match es-that of limiting them to six and ten rounds and prohibiting referees decisionS-is
 against the continued popularity of
 the little fellows as it is seldom Tn
 bout of such short duration that there
 is a decisive ending. Two small men
 are pretty nearly a safe bet to go the ten rounds nineteen times out of twenty and when big men clash it is not any cinch bout will go the limit, and, say what you will, the av
 craze fan likes a decisive finish. Un-
 der the present system in New York and other states where official decis- ions are not rendered a decisive bat tie is undeniabIy popular.
 If referees decisions were permit ted I think it would tend to lessen the desire for knockout finishes. Most fans would be satisfied if the fighters were both on their feet. at the end of a bout. if the referee was allowed to name the winner, and in my mind tre rules prohibiting such official acton generates desire in the public mind for knock-outs.
 The more important heavyweight
 matches arranged for the entertain ment of local fans are the Carl Nor ris-Jess Willard bout at Madison Square Garden next Tuesday night (which Matchmaker Billy Gibson as ! sures will positively take place de- spite rumors to the contrary. the Jack Lester-Jim Coffey match at the
 Fairmount A. c. on Friday and the "come back" attempt of Fireman Jim Flynn in a bout with Battling I-ss- vinsky at the Atlantic Garden Tues day week.
 1 Giving this layout the once over, it
 will be observed. that most of the cIas- | sy hopes are here on the job. With the exception of the "Gunboat'' and Pelky, who are to meet in San Fran
 cisco around the holidays, and Frank l Moran, who is still sticking around Paris in the hope of. getting a match
 with Johnson, we have the cream of
 the white heavyweight talent in New York.
 | A hEstIing promoter could corner
 the crop of white heavies and settle l the so-called white heavyweight
 championship right here in Gotham l before the Winter is over.
 Let us hope one of the gentI amen
 who provide f1stic entertainment will arise to the occasion.
 | A word about Battling Levsnsky
 who boxes Jim Flynn next week This young fellow formerly performed un- der the name of Barney =Wi1Hams.''