Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-02
FIGHT GAME HAS POOR YEAR
Rineside Takes Hammer to Champs
Who Combine to Make 1915
Poor Year for Boxing.
WELSH AND K1LBANE ON FIRE
ny RINGsTDE.

~ AlNGbhDBs
NEW YORK, Jan 1.--Greetings. Here's
hoping the New Year will prove more
beneficial for the boxing game than the
last one. But for Jess willard's victory
over Jack johnson back In April the year
OF 1915 would have been the most dis
astrous In the history OF fistiana.
Several circumstances combined TO make
1915 a poor boxing year. These circum-
stances were Freddy Welsh and Johnny
Kifbsne. Mike Gibbons. the crafty. and
Al Mccoy might also be added to the
circumstances. But the two named first
were chiefly responsible for the almost
decadent state OF ring affairs throughout
the year.
For champions Welsh and Silbane per-
formed miserably all year Welsh did not
put up one commendable fight. while
Kiibane showed championship form I'm
only ono battle. that with Kid Williams.
IL was a six-round affair and Kiibane
showed ali his wares IN these eighteen
minutes.
These eighteen minutes were the sum
total OF his fighting energies for 1915. In
ali his other bouts Kiibane stalled and
etheFwise betrayed the confidence OF fight
devotees. He has been debarred from
boxing in Wisconsin ned came near being
suspended from further competition in
this state.
KiIbane Won't Fight.
What aggravates the feeling against
Kiibane Is the fact that he can fight, but
won't. In Welsh's case II must be borne
In mind that the lightweight champion
can't do much better. He r. the cham
pton among the llghtweghts. even
though he lacks the fighting qualifica-
tons Of a real champion; and Frederick
10 parieying that fact into fortune. He
nrete-s boxing suckers at 1000 per
bout to gathering in $4,000 at one time
for taking on a contender.
Mike 0ibbonS showing in his match
with Packy Mcfarland left stencil that
IS not readily forgotten. Since that fiasco
there has been little or no demand for
Gibbons services In this country. De-
spite Mixes plausible excuse for his
ragged performance against Packey,
local fight fans are not so quick to for
give him. II was disappointing bout, to
say the least, and several thousand
spectators vowed that night never to at
tend another bout until there is a de-
clded uplift in the boxing game
Which leaves Al Mccoy TO pick on. we
think IL advisable to leave Al Mccoy Just
where he is, refuse to disturb him For
a supposed champion he is--awfui that
word best describes his fighting. He has
yet 70 win even q popular decision over
a mediocre middleweight. The mere an
nouncement that Al Mccoy Is going e
fight serves as a warning TO the boxing
fans, and they show their good sense by
staying away. Those who attend do 81
In the hope that they will see Mccoy
knocked out He Is absolutely the poores
apology for a champion the ring hal
ever been inflicted with.
Now. all the circumstances mentioned
retarded the urogress OF boxing durinI
the year OF 1916 Only such a feat as &c
complished by Willard in winning TN
heavyweight championship from John
son could have saved the situation. WI
lard's victory did just that. The memoir.
Of Johnson's downfall makes one forge
the SHORTCOMINGS OF the greedy tangoin
boxers-for the time being at least.
SO here's hoping that 1915 will find box
Ing on the high plane IL deserves.
Heavies Battle Again.
Frank Moran ana Jim Coffey. tn
superdreadnaughts of the heavyweight
Misunderstanding willard. OF course--wil
collide again at Madison Square Garde
next Friday night, January 7. pleas
ant evening is anticipated by all VIII
expect to be present
In their previous meeting several week
ago Moran scored technical knockou
over Coffey in three rounds. Moran hope
20 do better this time; he promises {
batter Big Jim into a comatose stat
before tho fifth round is reached.
Coffey. quite naturally. thinks other
Wise. He contends. that he was In fu
possession Of his faculties when their las
beut was stopped and that he might hav
come back and knocked Moran out ha
the referee not interceded. To back thi
latter statement Coffey cites a numbe
OF Instances where beaten fighter II
covered sufficiently IN the late round
to knock cut the apparent winner.
However, here is Coffey's chance. II
starts again on an even basis wit
Moran and only by flattening bion
Frank for the dolefui ten" can coffe
re-estAblish himself as a contender Il
wfilard's lahrels
The experience gained In the first figl
with Moran should be OF material assls
anca to coffey, II Is quite unlikely thu
Jim will stop Moran. He may outbc
Frank In the ten rounds. coffey has bee
training with clever heavyweIghts al
this would seem 20 indicate that he
planning to outpoint Moran. Coffey ca
not afford TO make a rushing battle OF
forft was while boring into Moran TN
Coffey bumped into the right Jolt tn
laid him low few weeks ago.