Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-29
TWO RING CHAMPIONS MAY BE
DETHRONED BEFORE 1917 YEAR
WAVES; NO CHANGES IN 1916
Passing Season Carries Few Features - Three
Titleholders Each Appear in Only One Bout
With Laures at Stake
BY LOUIS H. JAFFE

= rtNrrn.,,, tt,SDRED AND SEVEN.
IN TEEN should so down into history as
Il far more interesting year than the just
waning season. Hardly an Incident uurlhs
1915 ring activities stands out as len-
ture no marked upsets occurred, and h''
in ALL important matches were sauly Iach-
ing The season may have been n pros
porous one for promoters; that ~ true
If tho boxing attendance In Phiiadel-
phla can be taken as criterion. hct
while many good bouts were staged only
n few of the big battles were to reteree
decisions This proved insurance TO the
crowns Of Mt least two tltleholders' VINO
might have been topplod off their respec-
tive plnnacles They may lose their grip
before 1917 rolls into oblivion
The champions during 1916 are tho same
as the previous year:
HcavyweIEht--Jess willard.
Light thcnvywelEht-Many claimants
MiddleweIght-DItto.
WsIterweight-The same.
LIghtweight-Fred welsh.
Observation-Disclosures Kiibnne.
Dnntnmweight-Kid Williams
I<ilbane is tho only of the four real cham
nIons who wears his crown on an easy
Nend There are slim chances Oh Wll"Iu'
tine big cowboy and circus star from re-
iinnuisbInE his titular hold, unless John
leslie Darcy, now in America, cohtIhues
Getting bigger The Antipodean hash
reached his majority as yet ana IN the last
three wears he has grown from n lehther-
weight to n light heavyweight lie tips the
beam around 10 now ana II nc can gam
seycrnl inches In stature and put on apoGt
forty more pounds Les would have a won
derful opportunity to put Australia ON the
heayyweight map. Billy Mistle IL another
who might develop into n big, dangerous
nan None OF the big felows-Fred Fulton.
Jacls Dillon, Frank Moran, Gunboat smith
carl Norris. Battling Levinsky. Tom Cow
Ter. Joe jeanette or Sam Langtord-eVl-
IDENTIFY is good enough to cope with the mani
moth kansan
One Bout for Jess
The passlng year willard was the most
Idle boxer In the ring. lie hhd one pout'
while Jess jeopardized his title there was
na much chance of losing II as willard has
of meeting the European Allies. Frank
Moran had 20 knock out Jess WITHIN ten
rounds, and as 1t was no-decision auair'
the Pittsburgh Blonde was as far from the
heavyweight throne as he ever was. rms
bout was held in New York at the mnalson
Souora Garden, March 25. Tex Rickafd
was the promoter. willard got Tl,2bO ana
Moran's end was s26.7bO. They were the
record purses Of the season
Georee CLANCY was the only threatening
Contender In the featherweight path, lie
was polished on in iigtime. Chaney was
lsnocked out in three rounds at Cedar
stands alone without opposition kilbanes
only chance to remain before the public Is
10 box lightweights, and Johnny now Is
after Welshs laurels. He has agreed TO
hon Freddy at 1875 pounds. weigh In sew
eral hours before the contest This battle
may be staged early in the new year
Near-Riot Matches
welsh and Williams. the only other leglt-
innate champions also appeared in but one
IL alaHa lNa
championship bout although eaeh mas
number of challengers worthy OF reeog-
nition. on his trail Williams boxed Pete
Herman In New Orleans January I, twenty
rounds 20 a referees decision. II was
called a draw. Welsh was given the ref
eree's verdict In twenty rounds over Char
lev White at Colorado Springs, Col, Labor
pay. Both decisions, according to reports,
were met with dlsapproval. In each case
near-rlots occurred at the Tlngslde follow
ing tho decisions
some OF the leading contenders who prob
ably could take Welsh's title from him In
long bouts are Benny Leonard Johnny
dundee, Richie Mitchell, Johnny kilbane,
charlgv White and several other light
weights OF lesser light Uneasy lies Will
liams's crowned towhead when Pete Her
man. Louisiana and Al Shubert are mem
toned. In 1915 Williams came within a
traction OF a second Of suffering a X. o,
when a Louisiana right hand lodged on his
chin.
As to a light heavyweight champion a
mlddleweight champion, and welterweght
champion there aren't any such birds. Bat
ulng LeyinslSy aud Billy MisSie stand out as
the best 1915 light heavyweight performers
Darcy. although heavier now. and Mike
Gibbons should get the call for middle
weight prestige, and Jack Britton. Ted
Lewis and Steve Latzo are In the picking
Tor the welterweight boss
No Big Star Here
No philadelphia sensation was unearthed
tkls year In 1915 Jimmy Murphy reaped
4 harvest In the lightweight division. but
this year nary single local mlttnan stands
out well enough to be recognized among the
cream Of the worlds boxers. For this
reason most boxers purses from boxofices
"a philadelphia clubs were taken away b
out-of-town mift wieldeFs
Benny Leonard and Johnny Dundee we're
tie principal men aho made short Jumps
10 PhillF loaded up with q sang 81 good
uaItad slRfe9 currency ana took e back
3 NeU york. Leonard appeared q eizat