Evening journal., 1916-01-03
Williams SET Good
example last YEAR
Only Boxing Champion
Who Actually Put Title
at Stake In 1915
TO BE FIRST
AGAIN THIS YEAR

"A
Ing world during the year 1915 brings
10 light just two important facts
Kid Williams is the only champion
who actually put his title at stake and
that three of the four real leaders
start their names with wv" While
lhis may be hunch for tho supersti-
tlous. Il also has struck many fol-
lowers OF boxing as strange.
Inasmuch as there is no acknowl-
edged champion among the welters or
middlcwoights, there are only four
classes left bantam, feather light
aud heavy Tho titleholders In order
arc Williams. Kilbane. Welsh and VIII
lard.
The BaltimOrcan is the only man
who has not hesitatod TO risk his title
M the ring with the best boxers of
hia division He won his laurels
from Johnny COulon, June 9. 1914, IN
California and has kept busy since
then meeting the very best talent the
promoters can dig up He has boxed
mpny no-decision bouts, IL is true, but
ho also placed his title in the bal
ancc wherever there was sufficient
money In sight 10 warrant H. Incl
dcntally. ne will be the first champion
10 take a chance in 1916
Dutch Brandt. regarded as the next
hest bantam I'm the country. went TO
Baltimore and was defeated by Will
liams. Jimmy Taylor, another pretty
fair boy also tried his hand. but fail
cd. and then Williams went to New
Orleans. where ed Smith. Of Chicago,
gave frankie Burns a draw with the
champion after 20 rounds Of hard
milling. much to the digust OF many
of the spectators.
Now Williams IS matched TO defend
his title again. He Will leave We'd
nesday with his manager, Sam Har-
ris and his sparring partner for New
Orleans to begin training for 20
round bout with Pete Herman on
February Z.
Kilbane. while now matched 10 box
George Chaney in Baltimore for the
fcatherweicht championship Of the
world on March II. has not figured
in decision bout since December z
1914. He is scheduled TO go Is
rounds with CLANCY and he has not
travelled such a distance but once
since winning the title from Abe At
tel The exception was his battle
with Johnny Dundee, which resulted
in draw April 20, 1913.
Welsh has not figured in a decision
bout since November "a. 1914 whicl
was Just four months after he cap.
tured the championship on points in a
20-round bout, with Willie Ritchie in
London.
Willard has done nothing since h
won the laurels from Jack johnson
April last. II cannot be said tina
Willard has been picking up sof
dough IN the tcn-round things, but h
has done just as bad, for he has trot
ted over the country all the while de
mandmg enormous guarantees ever
time a promoter tried TO match hiu
with some one. But Kilhane an
Welsh have played the no-decisior
stunt right of the boards They 500
will be called upon, however, 10 shoN
their class. for Welsh is losing pres
tige and Kilbane. as previously stated
has finally agreed to box TO a decision
Nineteen hundred and fifteen was
year of remarkable activity among tn
boxers. particularly those OF th
United States and Australia.
Considering all classes of bouts
whether short and decisionless or 20
fhish. the records show that grou
of some fifty Of the leading pugilisl
. fought close to 600 ring battles durin
the twelve months just completed.
A peculiar feature of the record
that the lists show the boxers in Il
intermediate classes were the one
that fought most frequently. Battlr
Levinslxy and Jack Dillon, light heav
weights. participated in 50-odd ba
ties, with the "Battler" having a ma
gin Of four bouts over Dillon. In q
lightweight class Charles White. Ere
die Welsh, Ted Lewis, Johnny pund
and Eddie Wallace were the leaders
number Of contests fought Amor
the heavyweights. Sam Langford Sa
Mcvey. Fred Fulton. Gunboat smit
Al Reich and Jim Flynn we're Il
busiest boxers.
Henry Bletzer. manager of Geor
CLANCY. at last has decided 20 mot
his protege with Packey Homm
over the ten-round route The bat
will be staged January II by Je
Mcmahon, OF New York. This W
mark the first appearance Of Chan
IN. a New York ring for nearly thr
years.