Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-05
IMMY CLABBY CLAIMS RIGHT
TO THE MIDDLEWEIGTIT TITLE
Says Coming Battle Between Gibbons and
Mcfarland Has Nothing to Do With
the Championship of That Glass.
By r. 8. ANDREWS.

MILWAUKEE,, Wis, September A.
The announcement last week that Mike
Gibbons would claim two titles II he
defeated Packey Mcfarland at New
York, September 1.-The welterweight
and middleweight championships -
brought a hot retort from Jimmy Clab-
by, the Hammond middleweight. before
he left for Australia, where he goes to
battle with Les Darcy. champion OF
that country, for what they term the
worlds title. Said Jeems: Neither
Gibbons nor Mcfarland has any right
to state that they are fighting Tor
title in New York and I doubt whether
either one made such a claim. Mike
may have had a shade on mo when we
boxed in Milwaukee nearly q year ago.
but that would not mako him middle
weight champion. In order to win a
title a fighter must win decision and
where no decisions are given how can
they claim anything Of the kind? Even
where no decision was rendered. that
would not give him the title. It might
have been very different In twenty
round battle. When I claimed the title l
had q right to it. Billy Papke. who was
in line for the title after Stanley
Ketchel's death, lost to Johnny Thomp-
son and later Johnny became near
heavyweight. Neither Papke, Frank
Klaus nor Georges Carpenter weighed
in at the correct poundage when they
fought in France and therefore could
not claim the championship. None OF
them ever made the stipulated weight.
nor did George Chip have any right
to claim the title.
II followed the recognized rules at
that time and deposited $1,000 forfeit
to meet any middleweight in the world
for the championship over the marathon
route. 1t was up for year and no one
covered the money and therefore I had
right to claim the title. I defended
1t at all times. never passing up an
offer for twenty-round battle, where
a decision was given. which cannot be
said Of many of the fighters. I won on
points from Eddie McGoorty. whom I
considered one Of the strongest con-
tenders for the title; beat George Chip
and others. I lost to JEFF Smith on
points in Australia, but should have
easily had draw; and later on de-
feated McGoorty, after he had beaten
jeff Smith. so. taken ali in all, my
claim Is as good as any ones to the
title and 1 am not afraid to defend it.
! have met men all the way from 145
to $50 pounds and never kicked over
few pounds In my life. I am on my
champion. for the worlds title. He is a
great fighter. strong and fairly clever.
He was just developing into a star
when l was In the antipodes last time.
He is no false alarm and know it will
be fight to the finish. If win I will
return to the states and give Mr.. Glib
bons or Packey McFarland-in fact, the
one having the best claim to middle
weight honors-frst call for q twenty
round championship battle at either
New Orleans or Denver. where marathon
battles are permitted. will not ask
exorbitant terms in easel win, so they
can get busy while am away. This
is provided l win and you may rest
assured I will try my hardest to bring
back the title. could always make
the welterweight limit of las pounds,
but kept away from it, as preferred to
fight in the middlewefght ranks. 1 am
under the Australian and European
scale Of 100 pounds, being able to make
I am in favor Of the new scale of
weights, suggested by the new associa-
ton at Cleveland. as think 1t is very
necessary. to bring about a uniform
scale the world over"
The crowd that will ssttend the Mike
Gibbons-Packey Mcfarland ten-round
contest at New York, September IL,
will be very similar to the one that
witnessed the Willie Ritchie-Ad VOL
CAST battle in Milwaukee more than a
year ago. It will bring sprinkling
Of business men, sporting and profess
sional men from all parts of the United
States. There will be a number Of far
west and even Pacific coast men who
will see that they have business in New
York about that time, SO that they may
attend the big match. 1t was the same
when Richie and Wolgast clashed.
There are many people who will want
to be there for the sake of saying they
were present at the big match between
so-and-so and others who would not
miss It because they believe it will be
one of the treats. of the season in a
boxing way.
When two such masters face each
other the crowd expects something un-
usual in the way Of boxing art and
there is every reason to expect that
they will not be disappointed. Nc
surprising thing about his work is the
fact Vt he does not seem to have
lost his Judgment of distance, as most
critics thought he would, after his long
lay-off. If Packey's eye is just as
Michael lot of worry, for he is sure
ly a wonder when the other man is
carrying the fight to him and that is
Just what Gibbons will be expected to
do. Mike will have to take the agrees
stated he intends doing. in which event
he will find Packey at his best. Con-
trary to many prediction, look for
great battle between. the two stars
deserves a lot of credit for the chances
he is taking and here's hoping that he
comes out on top of the heap.
One Of the classiest little fights that
has been arranged in some time is the
one between Kid Williams, champion
bantamweight of the world. and Johnny
Ertle of St. Paul. scheduled to take
place the night of September 10 before
the Capitol City Athletic Club in st.
Paul This match has been hanging
fire for ten months and every fndica-
ton points to a splendid contest be-
tween the two boys. They are to meet
at 118 pounds ringside, although
Ertle's manager, Mike McNulty, has
been endeavoring to get the, weight 11S
pounds ringside. This, Williams man
to unless it was over the twenty-round
route and for the championship. At
the present time Ertle is scaling about
lit pounds and the chances are he
will go into the ring between ia and
116, while Williams will have to scale
at the stipulated notch of 118 pounds
There will not be much difference be-
tween them on that score. Ertle has
made great reputation for himself In
the northwest the past year, owing to
the fact that he has beaten practically
all the bantamweights in that section.
He is a popular little fellow and also
a splendid little fighter. He Is of the
aggressive type, Same as Ad Wolgast.
snd that Is what made him SO popular
with the fans.
williams is very much the same
kind Of fighter, SO that when the two
clash the fur will fly. Williams is
without doubt the harder hitter of the
two, and his long experience In the
ring should give him the advantage.