New Britain herald., 1915-10-22

busi1y engaged in the act of dis arranging Jim Coffey's frontispiece a
 night or two ago, when a boxing fan at our left kicked in with this re-
 mark: What a change from the
 good old days of Corbett, Fitz and
 Mccoy; what a pair of dubs these two are compared to the best men of the
 past"
 For the time being we had the same
 thought Here were two highly
 touted heavyweights in an elimination
 contest to meet the champion of the
 world.
 One, Coffey, had fair skill, but
 weak jaw and no defense to protect
 this jaw against a slow mover for
 even three rounds. The other, Moran,
 had natural ruggedness and the
 wallop, but no part of speed, nothing
 that resem bled alert agility and cer-
 tainly no keen grip upon boxing science.
 Corbett or Fitz at their best would
 have cut either into crimson ribbons within five cantos. What a drop there
 seemed to be from the old-fashioned
 days of the 90's-from the days of
 Sullivan, Corbett, Fitz and Jeff. And Then Again But after all, there has been no
 vital change. The ring has known one-man rule for many decades.
 There was no one close to John Law
 rerce SulIivan-until Corbett knocked ! him out at New Orleans, twenty-three years ago. Corbett ruled for four vears-until Fitz arrived. Fitz had tnree-vear monarchy-until Jeffries smothered him with the might or bulk.
 Here, if at any stage, came the de- cadence in heavyweight ranks. The California bear was so far beyond all competition that the art or business of being a heavyweight went to seed. For it was a good ten years before | Jeffries toppled before Johnson, and when Johnson came there was the
 same lack of competition for over four seasons-until Johnson, going
 back, passed Jess Willard coming forward.
 Now It's Willard. Now Willard has picked up where
 Jeffries and then Johnson left off.
 Coffey showed with heavy-set effect that he was no match for any man
 with a wallop. And Moran. beating Coffey in three rounds, gave even
 more evidence that he was no part of
 match for the giant Kansan. Moran could never hit Willard as easily as he hit Coffey. And if he did, in place of knocking Willard out, the punch would merely arouse the tall westerner's fighting gore. And Moran would find Willard's punches
 just a bit different from the jabs of Jeems Coffey, the Dublin Giant. Just l a bit.
 Against Willard. Moran is game enough and aggres- ! sive enough. He has the wallop. But
 he has neither the speed nor the
 power to give Willard an even battle,
 or anything approaching an even battle if Willard decided to step out
 end fight.
 The man to beat Willard must know
 more about boxing, more by 700 per
 cent. than any of the challengers | know today. He must have more
 speed and more bulk than any of the
 challengers carry. And he must wait
 at least three years-and, perhaps , five,
 Sizing Willard Up. And yet, while it is generally agreed
 that Willard would pound the padding 1 out of any heavyweight rival now in ] harness, there is keen eagerness to
 see the big Champ face the best test ] at hand-whether it be against Frank Moran or Jack Dillon. For Willard has made the big bunk of his fame in just one fight-and there Is still a wide divergence of opinion as to how good Johnson was
 when he faded out at Havana, back in April.
 The Kansan's fame, therefore needs i further testing. He may be an even
 greater wonder than his supporters
 believe him to be. And then again he
 might not be nearly that good. So his first appearance, wherever
 that may be, will assemble the ca
 racity of any hall he may give battle in.
 October provided an even break for
 the clan of Moran. What Pat dropped at Boston and Philadelphia, Frank gathered back at Madison Square 1 Garden against Coffey. The average ballplayer no longer has any fair charge to make against the average magnate for money lust. After noting the number of these transforming exhibition trips around the landscape, the loudest squawk might we'll come the other way. Any further doubt about the arrival of the Winter league is now dispelled. We see where Judge, Landis is to render that famous decision, which
 came under his Jurisdiction no later | than last February. This Landis de- cjsion is as much the hamburger of winter as the bluebird stands as the harbinger of spring.