The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-13
FIGHTERS TODAY
BELOW STANDARD
Those of His Regime Knew
the Game as it Should
be Known.

II have hccn asked to discus the
boxing game and its champions. but
as have mt been able TO see tho lat
est champions in action / mo 20
far into the subject of individuals"
SAYS John L. Sullivan. Il can say.
however-for ] feel that l know
that the present day boxers are far be-
low the standard Of the boxers who
made the game in my day. The fight
ers Of years & were far superior in
every class and distinction.
The boxers in the game today arc
Just in it from the commercial point
of view.
That is wl1a: spoils the game. as
the boxers go into the ring knowing
what they arc to receive for their
services and it is inlmaterial to them
whether it is a slow hout or one full
of action. Generally when the boxers
are given a certain sum the public
fails to get a run for its money.
THAT is why We do not see 50 many
bouts today filled with action as we
saw years ago. Formerly the box
ers fought for a percentage Of the
purse. a winners and a losers end.
The extra dollar that would go to the
winner acted like magic and some
wonderful bouts were seen.
1T is the public that supports the
boxing game. and unless o please
the public the boxing game is injured.
When the boxers go into the ring and
mix il up to please the public then
the game will be given a decided
boost.
Boxing should be as popular AS
baseball. and can be made SO when
the men in the business work on the
square.
Honesty is a wonderful thing. 1t
is simple. Vet so many boxers of the
present day get into the ring and play
tag and other such amc
Fighters Can UpIift Game.
1t is up to- tho boxers to uplift the
game. 1t can be done Just by honesty
When a boxer goes into the ring.
fights hard. gives the people attend
ing a fine performance. and earns
what he receives. then hat boxer is
doing something for tho uplift Of the
game. On the other hand. if "a boxer
o e into a ring and sidestcps and
fails to mix things, he is the one who
hurts the I'M
Nothing is decided in the 10 and
~ round bouts Of the present day.
When a decision is given it is usually
awarded to the man who has landed
the clean blows, hut this does
not prove the true ability of the DON.
er.
championship should be award
cd in a bout Of short rounds The
only way to decide a championship is
to let the men go the distance. This
is generally prohibited at the present
time, under the rule that this kind
of bout is prize fighting. 1t may be
so. but that is the way the former
champions won their titles.
Il rave read lately about several
bouts that were pulled off in the south
that We're tcrmed fakes.
This is the worst thing in the
world that could be done. 1t kills
the boxing game. and ] will say that
the men who take part in this kind Of
bouts should be barred from the ring.
Fake Bouts Ruin Sport.
"One or two of these bouts can
ruin boxing in the biggest inc best
cities. The public will lose interest
and will not attend when the promot-
CIR puts on a good show.
I'm my days n V heard of q
champion setting up a fake fight. No:
Every man who was in the ring years
was "a fighter and the public was
given q lot for it's money.
cent McGoorty-G ihbons bout in New
York and l drew the conclusions that
they were afraid of each other.
IF a man considers himself a box
er and goes into the prize ring. he
sl,ould not be afraid Of any other
man. Slow bouts like this McGoorty.
Gibbons fray hurt the game.
among the heavyweights today
there Is not a man that could stand
the pace set by the men of my day.
Jack Johnson is a lead issue, and
consider him out of the game. Among
the present heavies Luther McCarty
looks the best to me.
THE boxers in the middleweight
n welterweight classes are only
mediocre.
II noticed that Nd Wolgast lost the
lightweight championship on s: foul.
From what I could learn from the
newspapers. it looked as if the Michi-
gan boy deliberately fouled Ritchic.
as he was on the losing end of the
hout and would rather lose the title
by a foul that have the decision given
against him.
In The old days a championship