The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-25
siBy James J. Corbett, Former Heavy- weight Champion of the Worid.l
 Especial to the Farmer.)

New York. April 25.-Mike Gibbons has again declared himself in the race for the niddle-weight title, accoroins to reports from St. Paul, the spnan- tor1;ss', home town Mike begins his campaign next Tuesday night at tho Broadway Sporting Club-the same place, by the way. where George Chip met his Water1oo-with Johnny HOW ard. the Jersey middle or light heavy as his opponent.
 Gibbons is said to be worrying now because Al MeCoy refuses to ack- nowledge receipt of his commun1ca- tions requesting a match at the ear lest convenience of the Brooklyn man. Mike had Al in the ring with him several months ago and though he did not put the k. Q. over those who saw the mill agreed that it was only through Kindness on his part that Mo Coy stayed the limit.
 Gibbons must realize now that he has been altogether too shy in press ing his championship claims. I have contended right along that Gib- bons on all form outclasses the rest of the aspiring bunch of middle weights, and Mike probably feels that way about it himself just about this time. McCoy's knockout of Chip was the convincer.
 This will not be the first time Gib- bons has ssdeclared'' himself in on the championship thing Mike has sew eraI times intimated that hesswas go- ing right after the title. but some Eddie McGoorty is the only man Mike has boxed in recent years who appeared to have anything like a chance with the St. Paul expert, and considering his remarkable fighting ability Mikes retiring disposition where the question of the title is con cerned has a1wayssbeen a mystery to ring followers, the majority of whom regard him as the class of the di- vision .fs 4 a sSssfs4s F While Howard lis considered aesec- ond rater. so was All Mccoy. and it recently earned the popular verdict in l "a ten round bout with Bob Moha- Howard is not especially clever; in | fact, if he had been boxing a. decade ago he would not be mention ed in the same breath with the middle weight stars of that day, but barring Gib- bons, McA1Hsters and MeGoorty he icompares favorably with the rest of | the middIe-weights in that respect. l It is to be hoped that Gibbons will profit by his experiences and assume a
 more aggressive attitude es1 in the fs1- ture As a championship possi btl- \ ity he appears to- fill the bill and would unquestionably prove a, title holder the public would respect and have confidence in-Whichs 1t certain | ly has not in the McCoys, Chips, Mo- has and the rest. Mike is a clever, I two handed fighter and represents the highest standard of ring craft as it is
 understood to-day.
 Those who are attempting to pick flaws in Willie Ritchie,s claim to the ligIt-weight title just because tn champion did not stop Tommy MuF- phy are taking the, wrong stand II ever a boxer was completely out l chased it was Murphy in the bout last week. That he stayed the linn | it is tribute to Tommy's gameness and powers of endurance From re | ports of the battle which have been sent me by eye-witnesses, men who know the game backwards, I gather that Tommy gave one of the greatest
 exhibitions of egameness ever seen iF ! the ring.
 Tommy Murphy has been in the game a long time and is no easy
 mark for any light-w eight-chan1- pion or near-champion- He took 2 terrible 1acing from Ritchie and only his experience coupled with his nev- l er-say-die spirit enabled him to as
 simulate the punishment for twenty. Irounds. A loss experienced fighter would probably have succumbed 1one before the limit. But Tommy knows every angle of the game and wher the gam came too steadily he would
 
 CTS know what a few seconds respite | grabbed here and there, means in g long bout to a nah on the receiving end.
 Murphy is entitled to praise for hi. exhibition of gameness and endur.
 ance, and Ritchie for his splendid vic tory. Murphy was fit to fight his bes l the other night. Whether he wil ever be able to come back after the beating he took is doubtful He i! about thirty years of age, and tha, ' is getting along pretty well from ar athletic standpoint.
 Leach Cross fought ten terrific round rounds with Ritchie at Madi son Square Garden last Fall, and tool l a fierce lacing. But Leach has fail ed to accomplish very much since tha; \ time. And reckon the future vii prove that last weeks battle exhaust I ed much of Murphy's store of stam ina and endourance.
 I Willie Ritchie has proved himself 2 T real champion. Since winning tn, title he has defended the honors il battles with four of the acknowledged best boys in the American light II weight division Of all the other le
 gftimate Hght-weights there appear
 to be only two who might make tn, champion extend himself. One is tn, veteran Jack Britton, and the othel
 Young Joe Shugrue. at present on tn, ! way to Australia.
 I Freddy Welsh, the English title
 holder, might outpoint Ritchie. but
 doubt very much if even his grea
 skill would avail in a twenty rount
 bout with the champion.
 Joe Rivers vaunted strength an< punching powers proved unequal t. |i the task of humiliating Freddy Welsh
 Leach Cross believes that his wa1Iol
 can accomplish what Rivers failed t,
 do. Any way next Tuesday nigh \ Freddy and Leach are to meet in
 twenty round bout, and even if Leach \ ie does lose he will draw down a mic, piece of change And the probabil fty is that he will have to be satisfied |l with the losers end.
 Il Rivers is better boxer than Cross |l He has several times proved that Fl Isl,a.afcr.zz # 4s za1affHr ga fla <z,a m