El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-06

JEW YORK. Feb. 6.-Mike Glib
M bons is to tackle the heavy
- weights The announcement
made by Jimmy Johnston, matchmaker
for the Madison Square Garden club,
that Mike has agreed to box 'Gunboat'
Smith has created quite STIR IN boxing
circles. And there is very good reason
for it at that Not since the days OF
kid" Mccoy and Joe Wolcott has a
rniddleweiEht tackled the job success
fully Mccoy, while hardly more than
q middleweight. fought heavies, and
WOlcOtt, the "BarbadOes Demon also
took on some of the big fellows. The
latter's most noted Victury was over
Joe Choynski at the Broadway Athletic
club of this city in 1888, II memory
serves me right.
Fitzsimmons has also been given
credit for going out Of his class but 1
doubt if Fitz ever fought at the mid
dleweiEht limit, or near IL, after beat
ing Jack Dempsey for the title in 1881
kid Mccoy was in the middle
weight class and defeated men much
heavier than himself. Although the
kid" had graduated into light
heavyweight before deciding TO go az
ter the good big men, a. number Of his
battles previous had been with heavies,
albeit few possessed any great class.
The Kids record as a heavyweight
killer didn't last when he got mixing
it with big fellows who knew the game
thoroughly.
Good big Men Are Few.
And there is the answer to the ques-
tion regarding Gibbons's ability 10
mingle successfully with the heavies-
A good big man can generally lick
good little one, but the classy big men
are few and far between at present.
None among the whites that we know
OF. and Gibbons. though only a light
mjddleweight, has more real class to
my mind, than any middleweight seen
ia the ring in the last decade. If Nike
confines his attention to such fellows
as "Gunboat' Smith and Battling
LevinsIy I think he will make good.
He may not stop any Of the heavy fell
lows. although il looks like sure
think he can OutpOint most OF them
If he valves the color line and tackles
Langford, Jeanette & Co., he may find
il an altogether different proposition.
Might Avoid willard.
Jess Willard is another gent who
would be pretty tough turkey for the
st. Paul shadow. I imagine, too, that
Gibbons has no desire to mingle with
him. Willard is entirely too big for
Nike to hurt, and in a battlee of any
length the former cowboys weight
and great strength would more than
balance his smaller rivals speed and
cleverness But with such fellows as
Smith and Levinsky I believe Gibbons
over any distance Of ground.
WOIcOtt'H Defent.
Joe WOlcott was a great fighter for
his inches and weight. His freak build
had considerable to do with his sue
cess. added. to his swatting ability
which was very heavy fer a weller. Joe.
however, was beaten number of times
by men Of his own avOrdupOis, and
probably the worst licking he ever
took in his career was given him by
George. kid Lavigne, the lightweight
champion. Of course, Wolcott had an
alibi for that-that he weakened him
self by reducing to meet the weight
conditions. No doubt that did not help
him any, although there are a great
many who are Of the opinion that the
Saginaw Kids gameness under fire
was really what defeated the negro.
Another thing not evidently known
by those who prate about Wolcott, and
especially of his defeat Of Choynski,
Is that the latter was sick man when
he entered the ring with the COON Joe
should never have permitted to box
that night at all, as il was only a
question Of how he could stand on his
feet His pride. though, was too much
afraid OF a man % or 30 pounds lighter
j was one Of the few who advised him
10 call the bout off. but other pressure
brought to bear, in addition to the
confidence he had that no small man |
could beat him, Overruled me and
Choynskt went down to quick defeat ]
Hopes Willard Is Confident
Word comes from EI Paso where Jess J
willard is training for the combat
with Johnson next month. that the big (
boy is very confident he can defeat the /
champion.
However. I hope the big fellow really !
does feel that way about the job he (
def.Il asset in fight and if !