Norwich bulletin., 1916-08-04
DECISIONS WOULD
 REFORM BOXING.
Fight Managers Kick Over Suggestion to Protect Second Rate BattIers.

Fred Wenckes plan to bring about decision bouts in the Empire state has struck a responsive chCrd in the bO- SOms of the majority of the fight fans. The public, bUnked so long and so of ten by the nO-decisiOn fights, years for the day that will bring decision bouts; the time when fighters really will fight again.
 Some few persons are opposing the radical reform which the chairman of the boxing commission wants to bring about. But an analysis of the protests shows that the bulk of them come from managers of fighters who naturally would suffer 2 decrease in revenue if decisions were permitted.
 The nSht game has come upon evil days since nO-decisiOn bouts have been the rule; declares rWenck. Champions and r-chartpiOns have made a farce of fighting in New York state during the past few years by their stalIing tactics Boxing bouts have degenerated into little more than hugging matches.
 This is due almost entirely to the fact that nC-deCiSiOnS are rendered. In New York state now a chairman can not be dethrOned unless 9 knockout rounds No matter. how much an as piTant for the crown OutpOintS the champion he cannot win the title ex- cept with q sleep producing punch. e. T. fights on the defensive. His sole thought during the 10 rounds is to save himself from a knockout.
 "But f decisions were permitted all would be changed. The champion
 would have to fight or lose his title. He wouldn't do any stalling then. He'd put forth the best that is in him and give the fans a run for their money.
 Ever since the nO-dccisiOn rule has been in force the public which makes big purses possible for fighters has been cheated. It pays to see two men fight and usually one of them does the work. The othcr-the champion or top notcher-dOesn't risk a knockout punch. He keeps covering up all the time. What if he is beaten on points? That doesn't harm him because he is pro tected from official defeat by the no- decision rule.
 Some of those, persons who oppose arc making the absurd and malic- ious charge that decision bouts will kill the game. They hint that gamblers would reap a harvest by tampering with the referees and influence them with money-to throw the fights
 Those who make such charges in dict as crooked every man that is refereering in New York state today. Such an indictment is a contemDtible piece of business. Charley White, Billy Roche, Billy J0h and the others have been refereering fights in New York state for many years. No smudge ever has come on their records, they arc honest and square as any man living. NO one could buy their decision, yet the blanket indictment seems to cover them, these honest men are branded as probable crooks.
 "The majority of those who are fight ing my plan are managers of fighters. No one has noticed the fans opposing me. They are with me They know, what deplOra hIc conditions have been brought about by no-decision bouts They remember vividly the scores of times they have paid big prices to see a fight and then have been treated to joke contests.
 why shouldn't some Of the man agers oppose me? Decision fights would end the soft picking for some of them. Those who are handling fighters who are fuke champions are loudest in their protests. Why? Simply because their men, if forced to fight decision battles. undoubtedly would be out would mean smaller purses for those fighters in the future and, of course, smaller splits for the managers.
 "T'he fight game has fallen into de- cay during the past few years. The men no longer battle as they used to. They get three and four times the money that the old timer did, but in return for it they do 10 rounds of fancy dancing, alternating with the latest approved hugs. And the public is bunted into paying. big money for it.
 "But if decisions are permitted by licensed referees of unquestfoned hon. ssty the fight game will come back; l lighters will fight again and earn their l money and the New York public will I cease to be the goat, as it has been for ! these many years.