The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-12
GUNB0AT SMITH SAYS HE'S
 NOT DOWNCAST BY DEFEAT
Former Champion Corbett Has Praise
 for Young Joe Shu3rue

in the game. On the other hand Smith knows only one system, and that is to depend on round arm punches. He is a mark for a man with 8 good left, and Coffey with his natural advantages ought to beat him to the punch every time. If he gets mixing it with the hard hitting Gun ner the bout it likely to end early.
 Jack Curley is authority for the statement that Jack Johnson will not meet McVey, Langford or any other some time next March. Billy Gibson, the local fight manager claims that Johnson and MvVey will have it out in Havana, first. From the documents Curley has shown to newspaper men he appears to have Johnson tied up so far as that individuals signature binds him to de anything. .But Jack has run out on, signed agreements several times in the past, and Is just as likely to do it again. However, it seems to me that he would prefer to tackle the comparatively inexper- fenced Willard than the dangerous MvVey. especially when the induce ments are every bit as good in a if nanciaI way.
 Tom Jones has promised to show Willard to local fans before long. If the big fellow doesn't show to better advantage than he did the last time he boxed here the big championship aspirant is due for a good banning by the newspapers. Jess last a.p- peared in a ten round bout with Carl Morris and it was the unanimous op- inion of everyone who saw the giants stumble about the ring that it was about the poorest match ever staged in New York. Morris tried to fight, but didn't seem to know how. Willard on the other hand was content to stand still and let Morris try his abor- tive swings, which would always be followed by a clinch from which the referee had Q, time separating them. Only once did Willard show any life and that was long about the seventh round when he met Morris coming in and with right uppercut raised huge swelling on the Oklahoma man's face. But Jess let 1t go at that. instead of trying to follow up the ad- vantage.
 Jones talks of matching Willard with any of the white heavfcs who would make 'ssuitabIe'' opponents for the big fellow. Judging by Jess fight with Morris it shouldn't be a difficult mattre to locate a suitable man.
 If Willard's packers cared anything for public opoion they would not hesa- tate to match the big fellow with Iangford or McVey. If Jess Is all
 they claim him to be they are the only ones who know it. Certainly Willard has never shown enough to
 warrant a nna4ch with Johnson for the
 Championship. and if that pair ever
 do come together the battle will be viewed with suspicion in the event of the white mans. success Everyone interested in the sport realizes that fJohnson's defeat would mean a for tune for everybody interested, includ- ing the champion who would prof5s immensely from the sale of picture rights, and the opinion has already l Inducements have been offered the
 negro to take the count Of course 1 1t is not fair to make such statements
 at this stage as the fight may be
 strictly on the level but with Willard
 constantly refusing to undergo a test I of his alleged Skill before meeting l Johnson the proposed match will be viewed with more or less suspicion, The h-Shugrue bout at the
 Garden last week furnished more evil
 dence of the futility of the no-deci- sion dule in championship matches.
 Had referee Roche been permitted to
 been no alternative than to give the 1 battle to Young Shugrue. While l Welsh was not Knocked out or even l hurt badly he was outboxed and out 1 fought in nearly every round. Only l in the tenth session did Welsh show 1 to any advantage at all and even then
 his squirt was short-lived, Shugrue 1 meeting him at his own game and | quickly put the champion on the de- i fensive again.
 If Governor-elect Whitman had been present there would not now be ! much doubt what his decision will be 1 when the matter of appointing a new I Boxing Commission is brought before l him next month.