Evening star., 1916-03-12
BY T. S. ANDREWS.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, March 1.-THE
new scale of weights adopted by
the New York boxing commission has
mixed matters worse than ever. Ef-
forts have been made numerous times
to arrange scale of weights that
would be uniform not only in this
country, but also in Europe and Aus
tralia; but 1t seems almost an impoSsi-
bility. The Wisconsin commission tried
to get as close to the New York ruling
as possible-that is, the first ruling
OH weights-and followed in line, but
this latest change will upset matters
completely. The American Boxing AS
ISOLATION, which, by the way, has been
very quiet for some time owing to the
serious illness of President Matt Hin
kel of Cleveland, also tried to keep IN
| touch with the movement for uni
form scale and adopted weights tempo
| rarily to test them before passing final
judgment Practically all the authori-
ties agreed on 112 pounds for the fly
weight class, but now the New York
/ commission has changed IT to 1Os
pounds. The featherweight limit
which was formerly l22 and changed to
| meet the ruling of the European and
Australian authorities at 125, has been
| 1875 or 126 now would be a much better
125 or 126 would be much better
weight. judging from the weights of
many youngsters in that class who
have appeared in the east and west
of late. The lightweight limit is placed
at 1873. but how many real classy boys
in that division can make the weight?
Take Freddy Welsh. the champion;
Charlie White, Johnny Griffith. Milburn
Saylor. Jimmy Duffy and others in that
division and 1t will be found that every
one of them will howl about making
1873. and most of them could not do so
| unless they cut off a leg. There are
very few of the boys of real class who
can make 1873. 1t is the same with the
! welterweights. Formerly the weight
was placed at 142 at o'clock or 145
ringside. The foreign weight was 147
| at B. Now the New York commission
makes it 144 at 3. The middleweights
have the 1853 mark here. but the for
eign weight is 100 at 3. which seems
more natural. for there are few mid
dleweights here of class who can
make 1873. Mike Gibbons is an excep
ton. as is also Young Ahearn. as both
| can do 154 easily. The heavyweight
class remains the same. The Europeans
| have given it much study and they
| really seem to have the best scale of
weights yet produced. The Austral-
| ians have the same scale and they
have had no reason to seek change.
Some day an association VIII be found
i strong enough to compel the observ-
| make champions live up to the rules
and prscedents in the boxing game.
| AS the time draws near for the big
scrap in New York city, when Jess Will
| lard and Frank Moran will meet to
swap punches for period of thirty
minutes, the interest throughout the
country increases and the boxing fans
! naturally select their favorites. No
tmatter how one-sided a match might
+.
fans who would back the long shot
The Americans are natural gamblers to
a certain extent and they would not be
satisfied if they couldn't have few
iron men wagered OH the outcome of
the contest As champion. Willard nat
uraIly will be the favorite and there is
no reason why he should not be. Moran
has never accomplished anything in
the fistic line to place him even with
Willard, and the fact that Jess has
such an advantage In weight and
strength will go a long way toward
making him decided favorite over
the Pittsburgh man. Moran knocked
out Jim Coffey twice, but that does
not make him wonderful fighter.
Many other heavyweights have scored
many more knockouts than Moran and
still are not credited with chance
in the world against Willard. No one
denies that Moran is big. husky man
i with fair amount of cleVerness and
i his performances have been very good,
but according to all the dope from
Paris he never had a chance to beat
Jack johnson in their twenty round
battle, while Willard knocked the col
ored man cold in twenty-six rounds.
Frank is big man. but compared with
Willard he is pigmy. One thing is
certain-Moran is in perfect condition.
| which means much Willard has been
charged with being negligent in his
training, but the big fellow always is
in fair shape and takes pretty good
care of himself at all times. He has
plenty of time to get in proper shape
and the chances are he will be- From
a betting standpoint there is no reason
why Willard should not be a 2-to-1 bet,
or better. OF course it will be a case
of leaving the verdict to the sporting
writers and should the bout go the
full ten rounds there might be many
differences of opinion. If the men go