The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-12
Fight To MAKE
OR BREAK N. Y.
Willard-Moran Battle Must
Be Real Thing or Governor
VIII Step In.
EXIT Mr.. LEACH CROSS
Gotham's Lightweight. Who Met All
the Tough Ones, Retires
From the Game.
BY RINGsIDE.

New York, March 1.-THE Jess willard
Frank Moran fight, scheduled for Madi-
son Square Garden on the 18th of this
month, will make or break the boxing
game in this State. An Indifferent exhi-
bition by the champion will put the
sport here into disrepute for so long that
there will be a general exodus Of rnitt
wielders, and once the metropolis is
stripped Of its boxing talent it will take
years to cajole them into returning
We have it on excellent authority that
Gov. Whitman himself will make drastic
changes in the boxing law, if not revoke
It altogether, should the bout prove I'M
satisfactory. The legislature will be in
session until May J, and the lawmakers,
at the governors behest, will be ready
to jam through a measure killing boxing
In New York $50 We are informed, II the
battle is not on the up-an-up.
So, lit is up to Willard and Moran to
preserve the ancient diversion OF mItt
singing to New Workers.
At the present moment interest in the
match is not so great as was anticipated
The cloud of uncertainty still hovers
over the impending struggle and not I'M
I'll there is reasonable certainty of the
match taking place will great interest
be manifested. And the hght-loving
populace Of this tight little isle is not to
be censured for its apparent lack of in
terest. Wizards physical condition Is
not an open book. He forced two
changes from the original date; so what
is to prevent another?
The claim Of some so-caIIed exports
mat Wizards cold is In his feet not in
mis- head. is ridiculous. Surely, Big Jess
with all the natural advantages he en-
joys in height, weight reach and vigor,
does not fear man who was defeated
by his victim, Jack johnson. Moran
really has shown no exceptional ability
in the ring. even if he is the most
formidable Of the Willard Challengers-
at present
Aside from his two Knockout defeats
OF Jim Coaey, MOran's record is not brill
liant. True. he knocked out AL Palzer
and Bombardier Wells; but PaIzer was
unht TO enter the ring that evening, and
Wells was previously stopped twice by
Georges Carpenter. who falls short of
Moran weight by twenty-five pounds
Yet Moran is the logical first opponent
Tor Willard, these facts Notwithstanding.
Hark, from the tomb CpugilIstic, of
COurseD. n mournGul sound. 1t il the
dirge for Leachie Cross, gamest of New
York's veteran lIght-weights; for
LeaCnie IS through with the ring game.
1t took Milburn Saylor, a mediocre
battler. to put the terminus to Leach's
honorable boxing career OF ten years
duration. SaylOr accomplished Cross
downfall in five rounds the other day.
II was not the first Knockout for Leach.
but it was the first defeat by the X. o.
route he suffered since 1909, when he
was stopped by Dick HyIand in forty
one rounds.
Previous to that in 1906, his first year
In the game, Cross was knocked out
by ia, Doyle in two rounds and by
FRANKIE Madden in one Leach cvened
up the Madden score two years later,
knocking out the Bowery champion in
five rounds
In his time Cross fought the best light
Veights in the game, including Champion
Welsh, Willie Richie when the Cali
'fornian was champion), Joe Shugrue
Joe Rivers. Joe Mandot Battling Nelson
tshOrtly after the Dane was dethroned
by Wolgast. Ad WolEast Cwhom he
stopped in five rounds, Matt Wells,
Tommy Murphy. Packey Mcfarland,
Jem Dr!sCOlI and sores of others
None of the above mentioned even
floored Leach. while nc out-fought a
number of them.