The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-02
WILLARD NOT QUALIFIED TO
 CLASH WITH JACK JOHNSON
Jim Corbett Not Impressed With Gun= boat Smiths Work Against
 McCarty


 exhibition between Gunboat Smith and Jim Coffey recently and recall the fact that Smith has a twenty round verdict over Willard to his credit, can not help wondering what Johnson will do to big Jess when they Ineet-aIWayS providing Jack is anywhere near the form of 181O
 Sam Langford boxed Gunboat Smith. twice. The first time the bout went the limit of twelve rounds and the critics hinted that the affair looked suspicious. The next time Sam stop erting himself very much. While 1t IS doubtful if either Smith or Coffey could beat Willard. it is also the pop ulad opinion that Willard would prove
 quite as easy a victim to I4angford's skill and punching powers.
 While such men as McVey. Lang ford, Jeannette and Wills to say noth- ing of Jack Johnson, remain in the game, the business of white hoping will hardly thrive to any great extent. Unless some youngsrer Of unusual promise flashes on the horizon there is little prospect of a change in the completion Of the 1eigning race in |s1eavyweight pugilism in the near fu@ ture
 The facts of the case are that the white heavyweight class has not de- lveloped a first class fighting man since Jim Jeffries. Barring Tommy Burns. who unfor rtunately was han; dIcapped in size, there hasn't been a white heavyweight before the public in recent years who could be rated anywhere near first class.
 The press agents have been spi11ing a lot Of stuff about GaInboat Smith s .fcorne back in licking young Tommy McCarty. the western cowboy. who succumbed to the Gunner's wallops last week But if Gunboat showed anything of a, startling nature in the Iperformance I am at a loss to tels what it was. McCarty is a mere no Evice. a boy who really doesn't know anything about boxing except to rush in with his left hand stuck out and to chop with his right at close quar-. ters. In front of a shifty fighter McCarty would prove the rankest sucker. I doubt if he would lay a. glove on shifty fellow like Mike Gib- bons in forty rounds, if he had the good fortune to last that long in front I of the Iniddleweight wizard. But he did connect with Smith frequently be cause the Gunner knows only one method, which is to meet every head on. But dcCartyss blows did not car the latter did finally get over right, after many abortiye attanpts, Mo carty crumpled quickly.
 Tn time McCarty might be made into a good man-he has a splendid lphysique-but his friends ought to first place him in the hands of a. ca
 pablo boxing instructor for six months Tor so. A man who knows as little l of defense as Tommy boasts can hard Fly be dignIhed by the title of boxer.
 Gunaboat Smith may have come back. Ialthough a great many persons are of
 the opinion that he has not yet arr rived.
 Friends of Willie Ritchie announce that the American 1ightwedght cham
 pionss hat is in the ring again. Will | lie is interested in the hat. business
 now out in San Francisco, so that announcement is not surprising But l if Willie is anxious to resume his trade
 of boxing have not yet heard any
 thing about it outside of a, runor l here and there that Willie would be.
 matched with Freddy Welsh for a ten
 round exhibition some time in Febru- fary.
 According to reports from San Fran lcisco, Ritchie has taken on great
 deal of weight during his idIeness, and now resembles a heavy welter
 more than boy who boxes in the
 neighborhood of 133 pounds. How lever, that is frequently the case with la boxer who lays off for a while and
 Willie is not yet through growing. so that it would not be surprising if The had taken on considerable flesh
 while loadng. But at his age it is no great task ito take the poundage off. and imagine that if proper in
 ducements are made he will be glad to accept a proposition to box some
 where near the lightweight limit For that matter I fancy that in taking on
 weight Ritehfe has nothing on Freddy
 Welsh. When Freddy did actually
 make weight in the bout with Young l Shugrue. which was the first time in
 many months he had really reduced, The fought like wooden man. Welsh l is no longer a, chicken and finds it l no trif1ing matter to reduce and enter the ring fit and strong at the same
 time.
 IRftcllie says he will gladly box Welsh here next month It is to be hoped
 that the match will be made AL 1 though no longer worlds champion
 Ritchie is a warm favorite with the fans and his return to the ring would
 mean a packed house wferewgr he
 elects to appear
 Ritchie,s return will be welcomed by lovers of the sport eyerywys ere He i~ a credit to the profession and the
 pity is we haven't more llz.e him in the game.
 Kid Williams, the bantam champion.
 performed in New York Christmas lDay in ten round bout with the veteran, Johnny Daily. Daily, being, I little. short of an iron man, managed I eo ce<@S SAAo 1AAA41t, OUI 1lS tUOh d4 aW-
 full beating. Daily, while good enough to hold his own with the rank and
 file of bantams, if not better than the
 average, was no match for the little bundle of aggressfveness from Balti-
 more.
 With the single exception of anotb- Ter veteran. Frankie Burns, do not
 know of any bantam who stands a chance with Williams. Burns has | challenged the Kid and I expect to learn any day that match has been arranged Frankie has fought the