Omaha daily bee., 1914-06-14
SMITH IN ENGLAND FOR FIGHT
Pug on British Soil Preparing for
Match with Carpenter.
WILL DETERMINE GOOD DEAL
n American wins lie VIII Then Ne
the Champion of Europe ard
stand In Line for Battle
with Jack johnson.

NEW YORK. June i3.-Gunboat Smith
is in England. whore he Is matched TO
do battle with the champion OF Europe
Georges Carpenter. This will be an
other international contest.
Although the Gunner is not TO fight
an Englishman, he is to fight at the
National Sporting club Of London, against
a man who has beaten the best OF
'TAngleterre." Carpenter IL n mighty
good fighter and Smith will have to show
more exertlon than is usually necessary
when battling foreigners.
There is probably no other sport in
which America has held a monopoly such
as It has in the boxing game. There arc
only three defeats marked against Uncle
Sans champions. and they are not with
out their limitations. Frankie Nell, ban
tamwelght champion. lost a close twenty
round decision to Jem Bowker in Lon
don In 1905. George Dixon engaged Billy
Plimmer in a four-round fight and lost
the decision in 1893, but II is said that the
fight was so decided TO enable Plimmer
10 make some money on the theatrical
tour which he had contracted. The only
other instance of an American defeat
happened way back in 1870, when Jem
Mace beat Tom Allen. Allen was an
Engiishman who took out his naturaliEa-
tion papers In this country and claimed
tho American championship the same
year. The year before. 1859, he was
champion OF England and was defeated
by the American champion. Mike McCool.
So. you see. Jem Mace did not beat a
bona fide champion OF this country, but
an Englishman who had assumed the
title
Ritchie and Welsh May Fight.
II is only the matter OF a little time
and money when we shall see Willie
Rltchle In battle with Engiand's great
est little fighter, Freddie Welsh II
seems quite probable that they will get
together this year, despite the high price
OF the American champion. These de-
mands OF Willie have brought upon him
the criticism that he fears the English
man. This Is far from true. and anyone
who will sensibly consider the conditions
will see that Ritchie ls quite within rea-
son in demanding $4,000
The first international fight In which
an American champion took part was
when Heenan fought Sayres in 1860. No
other fight, with the possible exception
Of the Jeffries-Johnson match. created
such general excitement among the Eng
lish-speaking people az did this famous
battle for the championship Of the world
The fight took place on the plains OF
Farnboroush on April n. and the at
tendance was the swellest ever seen at a
prize fight Parliament ADJOURNED and
its members. including dukes. earls,
lords and other titled persons. crowded
the ringside
The fight lasted two hours and twenty
minutes, with Heenan the "Benicla boy"
having far the best OF IT, so much, In
fact. that the ropes we're cut TO save
the Engiishman, who was unable to rise
from his corner. Heenan. in just In
dignation at the outrageous manner in
which the object Of his ambition had been
dishonorably wrested from him. opened
q free fight against all OF Sayres' gang.
The fight was declared draw" and TO
smooth matters over Referee Dowllng
proposed that two copies OF the English
belt be made, and one given to sayres
and the other TO Heenan.
Since then foreigners have Jared
disastrously. True. Bob Fitzsimmons
raised havoc with our champs. but Bob
was not champion OF Australia
How chr nmuio"~ ''~r~I.
The following shows how the champions
Jared in their clashes;
Heenan (American) 'Sayres (English),