The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-04
Bees FOR FIGHT
Little Dillon Wants to Take On
Giant Jess.
Moran's COnquerOr Thinks He
Can Lick Champion.
BY FRANK G. MENKE.

l.
earned the chance to battle against
Jess Willard for the heavyweight
cham pionship of the world. But will
he ever get it? And if he does, what
will he make of that change? Can
he, by his lion-heartedness and his
wonderful ring skill. overcome the
terrific physical handicap he must
give at the outset?
Those are among the moot questions
of pugilism today. Dillon is confident
that he can beat Willard and win in a
way so decisive that there will not be
room for argument. But how many
agree with this whirlwind midget?
How many think that a man measur-
ing 5071s, weighing 169 and with
72-inch reach can outbatter a rival
who towers sos inches. weighs 210
and has an S4-inch reach?
Jack Dillon ranks today az the Sec
ond best man in the world of pugilism.
He is only a notch or so below Jess
Willard. Judged by comparative
showings, against certain fighters, Dill
lon is the better man. But can relative
exhibitions be figured in doping the
outcome of a fight between men so
unevenly matched in a physical way
as are Dillon and willard?
Dillon's Record Better.
The "Giant Killer doled out to
Frank Moran a worse beating than
Willard did. He battered the blond
Pittsburger all around the rinS toward
the latter part of their fight. He MADE
Moran look like a novice Willard
didn't. Gunboat Smith gained a de.
cision over Willard. So did 'Bearcat
Mcmahon. And Dillon beat both these
men.
Therefore, on the face of things,
Dillon is the better fighter. The
dope" suggests that he could beat
willard. But in this particular case cas-;
the dope" is unreliable. Were VIII
lard anywhere near Dillon's siZe-or
vice yersa-Dillon would be an over
whelming betting favorite. But the
disparity in sizes is so great that, Won
derful a fighter though he is, Dillon
seems to face an insurmountable OBJ
stacle.
Having the advantage of exactly one
foot in reach, Willard, if he chose,
could jab Dillon out of the way
just keep pushing him out of range.
Jacks only chance to rip lefts and
bore through the massive Willard
guard The champion, being almost a
foot taller than Dillon, would have
his jaw SO high up that it would seem
that only leap1ng punches could reach
it. With 100-pound edge in weight.
Willard, if he became bit tired, could
clinch and rest himself and then wear
out Dillon by laying on him.
r willard Has Advantage.
Dillon spotted" Moran SO pounds.
is inches in height and almost as many
in reach, yet he beat Moran by thou
sand miles. But handing a man a
handicap twice as great as that, is
something else again. And it must be
remembered, too, that Dillon's victory
over the Pittsburger was due some
what to the fact that he was superior
boxer. Moran never was a boxer.
| That is a slugger Willard, on the
other hand, is a mighty shifter.
Moran swatted Dillon few times
with his Mary Ann" Dillon never
WINGED. Those punches carried 2O4
pounds behind them, but there wasn't
much steam after the fifth round. But
if Dillon is walloped with 270 pounds
punch 1t may be something else again.
Moran is heavy hitter, but Willard
surely can hit harder.
| On the face of things, Dillon don't
seem to have much of a chance. But
| little Jack, who already has fur
nished a score of surprises in the pu-
silistic world, might add another if he