Omaha daily bee., 1915-03-28
GIBBONS SPEAKS FOR SELF
Phantom Steps to the Fore and De-
oIares He is Middleweight
Champ and Can Prove It.
HAVANA FIGHT NEXT SUNDAY
~ RINGsUE.

NEW YORK. March H.-Mike Gibbons
IL on the warpath. The otherwise i'm
porturbabie mill wizard has been aroused
from his lethargy; and his one-time un-
rufflued hair now stands upon end like
the bristles on tainted porcupine. When
Mike Gibbons Is as herewith described.
beware.
Heretofore Michael has been perfectly
angelic when not facing an opponent In
the ring. He was content TO forget the
padded gloves and rosin when outside
the arena. But now he talks shop"
which In ring nomenclature means that
no viii talk about the fighting game on
the slightest provocation And the gist
Of his conversation runs something like
this:
IT'S about time got a hustle on. and
claimed the middleweight championship
for myself. l have beaten every con-
tender that can make the weight. and
the middieweight field is barren. Up 10
the present I have let the so-called ex-
perts claim the title for me. I did not
want to enter a protest until I had
cleared up the list of aspirants for the
championship. Now that have done
that little thing, / wish TO place myself
before the public as the undisputed mid
dleweight champion OF the world. and
am ready to defend my hard earned
laurels against all Corners"
While Gibbons does not make his claim
in so many words. Il Is an ascertained
fact that he has broken his silence as
regards his ring status and has boldly
proclaimed himself the middleweight
champion.
Few 20 Dsspute TITLE.
There viii be few 20 dispute his claim
for Mike has sound basis for such claim
Since Mike has announced himself as the
one and only holder Of the title. he has
gone about his business OF clarifying the
middieweight muddle until today the
situation Is no longer complex.
Up 10 a few weeks ago. when the title
was still ilSabeyance. Mike expressed
decided aversion to engaging In bouts OF
longer duration than ten or twelve
rounds
Said Mike: II fail TO see any reason
why should fight McGoorty. C1abby or
any one else twenty rounds ! sincerely
believe could defeat them Just as
handiy in the longer bout, but in my
entire ring career I have never engaged
In a bout OF twenty rounds. The longest
was twelve rounds"
But few weeks make a world OF
difference. and now Gibbons Is firm IN
his resolve TO take on anybody who
disputes his claim 20 the title over AZ
distance OF twenty rounds or more. He
IA bent on proving 20 the boxing public
that he Is real champion. and az such
Is willing TO give his contemporaries a
fair chance, no favors shown and a
thorough beating promised TO all.
Gibbons has shown his superiority over
all rivals In short bouts. and he Is anx-
ious TO dlsprove the contention that he
cannot fight up 20 his standard IN a
twenty-round bout.
Havana Fight Next Week.
IL plans do not again miscarry. Jack
johnson and Jess Willard will go through
their maneuvers for forty-five rounds nj
Havana. Cuba. next Sunday morning be-
ginning az II q. m The heavyweight
champlcnshlp n involved. However.
there IL stlll some doubt expressed as 60
whether the bout will be permitted by the
island authorities
Nevertheless. despite reports ana coun-
Ter reports that the match win never be
fought. johnson and Willard have been
going through the training routine for
several weeks. IN anticipation OF a griiell-
ing battle.
willard must be commended for his In
duigsnce in the entire affair. lie has
plodded along for months with a view OF
tackiing the maduro marvel. just for the
chance Of winning the championshlp. No
less than four or five times the bout has
been in the uncertain stage. yet willard
showed no signs OF disbursement and
trained hard In the face Of seeming re-
versus.
And may be he win be rewarded for his
painstaking work. The fact that ne can
so along for months. bearing up under
the severe training strain, shows that
the cowpuncher h composed OF more than
mere bone and muscle. and that some
where about his person a COURAGEOUS
heart Is concealed.
Willard has too often. and too readily.
been accused OF having composition OF
saffron in his vertebrae. but II must be
admitted that he has shown a little heart
by keeping up under the training Siege.
As yet he hasn't seen even penny for
the battle. and the chances are that
II he and johnson do not draw as wen "a
expected-that IL. OF course. IL the match
takes place-Jess win not visualize a
cent for all his labors. But he. figures
that a chance II chance. and he ID
Waking Il voluntarily. in the hope shat
he will FnaIte the mat NJ tha ,rr,...t,., a..