The Washington herald., 1915-12-05
|St. Paul Phantom Can Come
Back in Eyes Of Fistic Fans
by Fighting Ahearn Toe
to Toe.
OTHER PUGlISTIC NEWS


ring steps and cutting. as demon
strated by Packey Mcfarland and
Mike Gibbons. will induce some 10000
New Workers. to pay out over $ss.ooo
for the privilege Of watching the DEM
onstration. how much will q modified
form Of this skit. with Gibbons and
Young Ahearn as the headliners. draw
from the family wallets of conserva-
tive St Paul fans?
Promoters at the SANITY city. who
will stage the bout between Gibbons
and Ahearn next Friday night. are
predicting that the receipts will total
$4,000. but as ring followers at the
Twin Cities are a canny lot II is prob
able that this estimate Is about $1o.-
600 in excess of what the pickings
will really be.
Gibbons is such an idol in his baili-
wick however. that he is certain to
prove a big box-office attraction when
he appears. so it will not be surpris-
ing IL the receipts are in the neigh
borhood of the amount forecasted by
the promoters.
The terms of battle are. according
to current report, 40 per cent for
Gibbons and IS per cent for Ahearn.
This will insure a profitable evenings
work for both men.
Will they honestly earn their money
by really fighting. or will the match de-
vefop into an exhibition of fancy foot
work and safety first tactics that will
leave a sour taste In the mouth of the
spectators? The future success of the
game in the Twin Cities hinges on the
answer.
Gibbons still is being lashed by sporting
writers for the miserable efforts he made
in the bout with Mcfarland. and his
protestations that he was weakened be-
cause OF the low weight are falling on
unhearing ears. II he was not In condi-
ton to put up an honest fight he should
not have cheated the fans who paid him
literally for his service. Not only wers
ring followers bunked when they gave
up good money in the expectation of see
ing a real fight. but the bankers of Glib
bons, unaware OF the fact that he was
not in the best Of shape. were helplessly
tricked when they placed their coin on
him
Ring fans are patient and long suf-
fering cusses. however. and they are like
ly to forgive Michael IL he fares forth
and battles earnestly and thoroughly the
next time he starts. His opportunity is
before him for redemption in the pros
pective encounter with Ahean.
That Gibbons will decisively whip
Ahearn Is the majority belief of all close
students Of ring craft When he Is alb
solutely right the equal OF Gibbons over
the ten-round route is not to be found
in the present crop Of middle-weights.
The coming battle will be the sec
ond meeting between the men. Back
in 1913 they fought in New York City
and Gibbons hung a Knockout clout OIL
the chin OF Ahearn. midway in the
fourth round. In defense Of Ahearn.
though. II should be stated that Glib
bcns outweighed him by full fifteen
ponds.
Every follower OF boxing is familiar
with the ring accomplishments of Glib
bons, but the performances of Ahearn
greatest exploit to date was a sin
round point victory that he scored over
Jack Dillon at Philadelphia on the
first day of the presnet year. Accord
ing to press comment following that
match Ahearn made the great Dillon
look like a novice.
In private life Ahearn is known as
Jacob Woodward. He was born at
Preston, England in 1892. and has
been a professional fighter for six
years. His record shows that he has
been knocked out three times. once hv
Packey Mcfarland. in eight rounds At
Albany in 1911: then ny Badoud N
France in eighteen rounds In 1913. and
by Gibbons In the same year.
For the greater part OF the years
1913 and 1914 Ahearn fought In Europe
and there he made such hit with
ring patrons that he was looked upon
rs the greatest boxer they had ever
seen Badoud stopped him in his Partisan
debut but after that battle Ahearn
waded right through the list of French
ard British riddle-wecht%.
Badoud declined absolutely when a re-
match with Ahearn was proposed.