Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-21

that good hustler Ike Jim Coffroth,
/ the San Francisco promoter, would
make a big hit in the East and l be-
, lieve such man wou d find a grand
opportunity awaiting right now.
Never before in the history of legal
/ lied boxing in New York has the
class of local attractions been so
: poor as the current season. Some
new blood in the promotion line is
| needed badly, apparently.
Reddy on Mcfarland.
Eddie Reddy, manager for Mike
Gibbons, if correctly quoted, has ac-
cused Packey Mcfarland of de,iber-
ately fiunking out of the proposed
match between the two stars at
Madison Square Garden. In a New
York paper Reddy refers to Packey
as "Cne of the worst takers that ever
got mixed up in the right game" And
in the same paper Reddy says that
'McFar and hasn't made weight for
q fight on the level in years"
Now, l don't know just why the
match fell through. The generally
accepted explanation is that McFar-
land wanted more money than G b.
bons was wiling to concede him.
And without going too far into de-
tails regarding Gibbonss popularity
and his ability to draw the big
money, it is only fair to Mcfarland
to say that figuring on a str city
business basis he is worth more
money to a promoter than his st.
Paul rival.
Mcfarland Has Made Good.
Mcfarland has shown in New York
a dozen times or more, and in every
instance has made good. Altogether
Packey is the most popular boxer
and best boXoffice attraction that has
appeared in New York in many
years. Gibbons has boxed in New
York seven CT eight times probab y.
But he has never broken any capac-
ity records. And in one of his bat
t.es-that with Eddie McGoorty-
Mixes reputation for skill and cour-
age received a hard jolt. In fact.
Gibbons has not been very popular
with local sports since that time.
True, the victory over Bob McAllis-
ter helped to reinstate him in the
good graces of the public, but il
would .take a few more fights with
men Of h 5 own weight and reputa-
ton to wholly re-establish himself.
If Gibbons takes the stand that he
is worth as much money, strictly as
a money drawer, as Mcfarland then
he is in the wrong. Mcfarland
would be the big card in the pro-
posed match. For every man who
would pay to see Gibbons there
would be three or more kicking in
because Packey would be one of the
principals.
Reddy's Language Strong.
Reddy's assertion that Mcfarland
is zone of the worst takers, etc." is
pretty strong language. l doubt very
much If Reddy said 1t, but If he did
then he should be made to prove the
truth of it. Around New York
Packey Mcfarland has never been
suspected of pu. ling anything wrong
in his contests and he has fought
some of his most important battles
here. Mcfarland is not to be cen
sured for demanding a fair return
for his appt arance in a contest W tn
Gibbons in which he would be COM
PEELED to concede weight to an OPP
ponent second only to himself in
point of skill. If Mcfarland is, as
Reddy says, a we,terweight who has
made his reputation by beating light
weights, what about Gibbons? How
many star m id eweights has Mike
met to date? Only Ed McGoorty that
I can think Of And the less said
about that meeting the better for
Mike. Jack Dillon and Frank Klaus
tri d to get Gibbons many times but
Mike always wanted something
softer.
Corbett Admires Gibbons.
Now I am a great admirer of Glib
bons at that / believe he is better
fighter than he himself realizes. I
consider him the class of the m ddle-
weight division despite the fact
that he is at his best few pounds
under the so-cal,ed 15S-pound limit.
Mikes greatest handicap has been
lack of confidence, or over-supply of
caution, really don't know what
one should term it. Something is
wrong with HIM, however, or he
would have been generally acknowl-
edged middleweight champion before
this l believe.
But at las pounds it is a question
II he cou'd Outright Mcfarland over
any distance. Packey is the cleverer
boxer and while he has not the force
behind his punches Gibbons possesses
it is quite probable his greater ex
perience, ring generalship and
science would more than offset any
advantage Gibbons might have in
poundage and hitting ability.