South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-30
DECISION BOUTS
WILL Be BOOST
To FIGHT CAME
Rule Should be Universal or
Otherwise Sections That
Adopted II Would Kill
the Sport.
BY Frank &. Mcnkc.


NEW YORK. sept. 3O.-Decision
fights over the 10 round route in New
York state probably would Kill the
boxing game here unless a similar law
were passed i'm all states. That's un-
doubtedly the reason why the state
boxing commission has ignored the
hundreds OF thousands Of requests
that referees be permitted 10 render
decisions
None Of the present day champions
would risk his title BY appearing in "A
New York ring for 10 rounds only
II the decision rule were in force Even
the leading aspirants for champion
ships would balk at offers for SHuts.
and the only fights that would 5e
staged here would be between Cub
pugilists
Jess Willard probably wouldn't run
the chance Of losing his crown by
lighting in a 10 round decision bout.
Willard Is not a boxer He rarely
shows up well in q 10 round bout A
smaller, inferior man might be able
10 keep out of Wizards way for 10
rounds and if he outpOinted him
would win the championship. although
Willard might be the far better fighter
in "a long bout.
Freddie Welsh would stay away
from these parts If decision fights
were permitted because Freddie prob
ably would lose his lightweight title
in his very first bout here. Since he
won the championship. Welsh has en-
gagged in nO-decision bouts with Willie
Richie, Charles White and others
and each time ne was decisively bea-
ten. But because decisions were bar
red. and Freddie still is champion.
The same thing goes concerning
Johnny kilbane. The featherweight
king who has gathered unto himself
some many thousand shekels through
no-decision bouts here and elsew here
would go elsewhere in future. rather
than take chance on losing his title
by points in 10 rounds
Decisions Would Boom Boxing.
There is no denying the fact that
the rendering of decisions would ben
eft the fight game immensely-bu
the adoption of that rule must be uni
versal to prove a boon. If il were
put into operation in New York state
only il would mean the killing of pu-
silism and the booming of it in states
where decisions were barded.
The fight game has been dealt a
crushing blow by those nO-decisiOn
laws The fighters are reaping a rich
harvest-the champions especially.
Ninety times out of a hundred the
champs or near champs. when fight
ing for big guarantees fight merely
a defensive fight Their sole object
is 10 protect the jaw and heart stall
ing through the six, 10 or l. rounds.
as the different state laws provide.
Practically every bout during the
past two years. i'm uo-decision states,
in which a champion participated. was
a huge disappointment. Champions
do not fight in short nO-decisiOn
scraps. why should they? If they
actually fought they would have To
assume the offensive at times. That
would mean that the Vulnera bl e
parts of their heads and bodies would
Ice exposed TO the risk of "a sleep
producing punch.
\ champion has nothing 20 gain
and everything To 1ose--if he actually
nights in "a nO-deCiSiOn bout So why
should nc aght
Rule Must te Universal
IF tie decision rule We're put into
force i'm au states il would he "a great
boon 20 the lighting game. 1t would
force fighters To dght-it would com
Del champions To extend themselves
to their utmost limit. H. would stop
he practice col champions obtaining
money under false pretepces from
the fans 10y putting up joke exhibit
tiOnss
But alas. there is no likelihood of
the state boxing commission univer-
sally adopting the decision rule. And.
as "A esult. the pugilistiC game is he
coming more 3nemiC every day