Evening star., 1916-02-27
THREE BOXERS. HAVE LOOK-N
FOR THE WELTERWEIGHT TITLE
Jack Britton, Ted Lewis and Kid Graves Are
Very Close Together in Fighting
Ability in This Glass;

only $4,000 guarantee for his con-
| tract, which Snowy Baker could not
see for moment. Since Gibbons
knocked out Ahearn, it gives the
phantom the edge on all the middles.
Mccoy has avoided matches with Glib
bons OF late, for he has had offers
from western clubs, but always man
aged to steer clear: There is one real
his spurs by fighting over the
marathon route to decisions and for
the title, and that is Les Darcy, the
, Australian. He is the nearest approach
70 world champion we have at the
There should be some rule or law
to prevent boxers and their managers
arranging matches a few days apart,
! trying to fill in series OF dates the
theatrical troupe. It is very different
with boxer, however, as he may sus-
tain an injury to his hand or be in
caracitated otherwise, and then the
club staging the bout for his next ap-
pearance suffers loss because it is
compelled to call the show off or Sc
cure substitute. and usually at a
much greater cost. If boxers and
matches every few days. then they
should be compelled to put up forfeit
for their appearance, the same to pay
for the expenses incurred by the club,
should they fail to &c, through with
their contract. Milwaukee clubs have
been most unfortunate in this respect
the past season. the Cream City A. C..
having had it's show between Richie
Mitchell and Joe Mandot knocked to
pieces when Mandot was put out by
Benny Leonard a few days before the
Milwaukee match, and again when
Mitchell and frankie Callahan were
to meet. the former hurting his ankle.
Callahan also had a previous injury
to his arm. The National A. C. lost
when Soldier Bartfield broke his hand
on Knockout Brennan at Buffalo few
days before the Milwaukee. show. New
York clubs suffer the same way. as do
those at Boston. Philadelphia, Minne-
apolis. st. Paul, New Orleans and other
places. The clubs have to stand the
loss. A boxer should never be per
mitted to engage in a match less than
a week or ten days apart. This would
give the clubs an opportunity to Sc
cure a suitable substitute and re-
advertise the show. 1t is something
that the commission. and also the
A. B. A., might take up for consid-
GRAFTON.
With Jess Willard reported to be
weighing around the 2S0-pound mark.
there are thousands of boxing fans
throughout the country wondering
whether he will be in proper shape for
his ten-round bout with Frank Moran
in New York. March 25. The fact is
Willard will not have to reduce nearly
so much as some fans imagine. When
he fought Jack johnson in Havana for
around gas pounds. The fact is Jess
weighed nearer 245 and was in the finest
condition of his life. He looked
like race horse and carried his weight
bit too fine. His big frame is
deceiving and $50 pounds does not mean
a needless amount of avoirdupois. If
he was q drinking man, like some of
| he oh before ipht he
different matter, but Big Jess does
not care for the alcohol stuff. With
practically four weeks of good train
Ing. the big fellow should be well and
right for the match. As to the fight
itself, 1 would not be a bit surprised
to see knockout. 1t is certain that
Willard will put forth his best efforts
to score a X. D.. as it will mean much
to him in travelling with a wild west
show or circus. Should he lose. it will
kill him as card. so it is easily to
be in shape and win decisively if he
expects to cop off the big coin during
the summer. What surprise it would
be If Moran turned the trick and put
done before, but Tom Jones is too wise
q manager to permit the champion to
enter the ring unless he knows posi-
lively that he is right and fit for the
struggle. And it will have to be real
battle, too, otherwise it would hurt Will
lard as circus card and also help kill
the game in the Empire state. Let us
hope it will be crackerjack of fight
for the good of the game.
Dick Gilbert, better known to west
ern fight fans as Fighting Richard"
is plodding along In his own way. but
getting better as he progresses. Dick
has been in the niddleweight class for
como time. but he is something like
Jack Dillon in one respect-he never
bothered his head about the weight of
his opponent. He met all-comers, light
or heavy. and always put UP a slash