Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-03-26

Jess Willard, $ the fifth worlds champion under the Queensberry rules. >,
 The History of the title begins with the defeat of John l.. Sullivan ry James J.. Ccrbett September [, 1892 Tn Fl rounds at the Olympic club in New orleans. The men fought for a purse of $23000 and $20,000 stake money ahd five-ounce gloves were used. Corbett weighed IFS pounds and Sullivan PIP. ringside. This C. tory gave Corbett the championship of America.
 Charley Mitchell at this time held the championship of England and stood between Corbett and the worlds championship. True, Sullivan and Mitchell had fought th'rty-nine rounds in Chantilly, France, before Corbett beat John L., but this bat. tie ended in draw
 On January 9, 1894, Corbett and Mitchell met before the Duval A. C.. in Jacksonville. Fla, and "Gentlema.1 Jim" was crowned worlds heavy weight champion when he knocked >at :the English champion in the third round.
 Corbett held the title unt. March IT, 1896, when he lost it to Bob Fit zimmons at Carson, New, in the .ou-- teenth round, with the new fa.,.urs solar plexus blow.
 Fftzsin1f6ons wore the crown unti! June 9, 1899, when he was beaten by James J.. Jefferies in the eleventh round at Coney Island A. C., Coney Island Jefferies clinched his claim by Knocking James J. Corbett odt n tWenty-three rounds on May II of he following year and then repeated h., victories over both Fitzsimmons and iCorbett in eight rounds ana len rounds respectively.
 Theysecond fight with Fitzsimrons was held on July 9, 1902, in San Francisco and then the repeater witl4 Corbett took place in San Francisco. on August IA, 1905,
 Jefferles announced his retirement after he had knocked out Jack Munroe in two rounds at San E'can- cisco on August 26, 1904.
 He remained in retirement ..Etii 1910. when he tried to "come hack" and faced Jack Johnson at, Reno, Ncv.. on July 4, of that year.. The ,iy | AASSNO otopPCu JC1l III tue lltSHNtyl round and thus became the fourth worlds champion under the Marquis of Queensberry rules. 4
 On the advent of Jack Johnson as champion, white hopes" cropped up like mushrooms over night. The big gest of these. Jess Willard, finally secured match with the negro, and on April ), 1915 knocked out John- son in the twenty sixth round at Havana. Cuba. F .&
 Some contend that Tommy Burns was entitled to the championships. Burns never had legitimate cla' m to the title any more than Peter Maher It will be remembered that on Novem- Der II. 1895, when Maher knocked out Steve O'DonneH in one minute and three seconds of the first round at the Empire A. C.. Maspeth, l.. l.. Jim Gorbett, then champion, jumped into the ring and announcing his retire. iment, "presenteda the title to Maher. 1 On February 2l, 1896, Ftz flattened iiNaher in one minute and thirty sec onds of fighting in Mexico. just across from Lahgery, Tex. And yet nobody, not even Fitzsimmons himself, imag- ined that his victory gave him the worlds schampionsh'
 When aJeffries announced his re- tirement, he followed Corbett's ex- ample and ;tpresented" the title to| Marvin Hart. Burns beat Hart in l twenty wounds on the referees de- loislon in Los Angeles on February 2s, l 1906. z ssssFSs 8zs
 l The championship title is some- | thing which must be won, not handed about and handed around prom 'scous- ly as a present
 Therefore Burns was no more the champion than Maher Johnson beat Tommy Burns in Australia in four | teen rounds but was never champion until he defeated Jeffries.
 Hence, there have been only five worlds champions under the present rules. &