Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-06-25
GIBBONS LACKS THE HEART
Cannot Be Classed as Real First
f. Rater Because Of Many Disap'
pointing Bouts.
Is A WONDER AGAINST A MARX

New York, June 24.-Mike Gibbons
has so many good qualities that ring
followers cannot understand why he
ever makes a poor showing. His
work in the ring is so smooth and it
is so evident in every move he makes
that when he fails to win by wide
margin ringsiders are at loss to
account for it and put him down as
a fake.
Gibbons has been praised so highly
in so many different quarters that
people refuse to believe that he has
been overrated. They say that if he
lacked Glass that fact would have
been discovered long ago. No doubt
it would if Gibbons lacked a wallop,
was a poor boxer or had a poor jaw,
but the thing that keeps him from
being a great fighter is not so easy
to discover as. any of these things.
The whole trouble with Gibbons is
lack of heart, and this does not al
ways show, for when he is opposed
by an opponent whom he does not
fear his work is beyond criticism.
1t is only when in some danger Of
taking punishment, that his weakness
comes to the front and prevents him
from making use of his superior skill.
Each time that happens the cry goes
up that he is pulling again, and so
his prestige remains mistaken.
Not First Rater.
But for his tendency to go to pieces
when he encounters stiff opposition
Gibbons would be remarkable fight
er. However, a chain is no stronger
than its weakest link, and since Glib
bons is unable to show high class
form against high class opponent
he cannot be considered a first rate
fighting man.
While it has been only during the
last year that the trouble with Glib.
bons has become so plain as to leave
no doubt, the symptoms were not
wanting in his early bouts. Looking
back over his record it can be seen
that he never did exhibit any of the
qualities that made Battling Nelson
famous.
Gibbons made his first appearance
in New York in 1911. His first oppo-
nent was Young Sherman, third
class welterweight of no particular
ability. Gibbons knocked him out in
four rounds and showed such good
form word Immediately went around
that a new wonder had been uncov.
cred. He was promptly matched with
Willie Lewis. who was on his last
legs
Gibbons, therefore, had every
reason in the world to win as quickly
and decisively as possible, and in the
second round of the bout it looked
as though he would do it. He clipped
Lewis on the jaw with right cross
and the latter went down for the
count of nine. When he arose he was
so weak that any third-rater would
have polished him off. But although
weak and too groggy to see his oppo-
nent, Lewis lashed out wildly and
right there Gibbons weak heart lost
several beats. He was afraid to go
near the groggy Lewis and the latter
recovered and finished out the bout
although outclassed from every angle
Philly Seribes Scot.
Gibbons then outpointed Walter
Coffey, a slow thinking, deliberate
fellow, who had no great amount Of
class, but carried a heavy wallop in
his right hand. Gibbons had him in
trouble most of the way, but always
was afraid to step in with the finish.
ing punch. Shortly after that Glib
bons jumped to Philadelphia and took
on Young Erne, . heavy lightweight
who was a clever boxer, although no
longer at his best. Erne landed on
Gibbons nose with a hard one in the
first round and Gibbons kept so far
away for the rest of the bout that
Erne's home town writer's awarded
their man the verdict and laughed at
New Workers for sounding the praises
of the man from St. Paul.
Novice Goes Route.
| Jeff Smith, then a novice, went ten
rounds with the man from st. Paul
who outboxed him easily, but failed
to do any real damage. Tommy Con.
nors, an unknown third-rater, also
went the full distance, as did JOE
Stein. The last named took terri.
Bile beating without going to the
floor, although Gibbons nailed him
with every kind of blow he had ii
stock.
| Gibbons knocked out Sid Burns, a
setup, and then met Tommy Malo
ney, whom he outweighed by severa
pounds. Maloney was tough little
fellow without the least trace Of sci
ence. He had nothing to recommend
him except his willingness to fight. HI
tore into the mueh-advertised phan
4 tom as though he were merely fac
ing another second-rater Of his owr
type, and although wide open at al
times he held his own all the way
Gibbons was too frightened to stant
his ground and meet the head OF
rushes Of his smaller opponent, anc
the latter escaped unframed.
Shortly afterward Gibbons met Ed
die McGoorty, then rated as the best
or at least the second best, middle
weight Gibbons being rated as thu
real star of that class. For ten round
the St. Paul ghost ran like fright
, ened rabbit, and the bout proved to b.
the greatest fiasco in years. Gibbons
! pleaded illness and no doubt he wa
not in the best Of shape, but he wa
just as strong at the finish as he wa
when he began, and it was clearly ap
parent that he could have done mucl
better if he had had the nerve to TAX
chance.
The St. Paul mans more recen
bouts are too we'll known to nee,
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