The Washington herald., 1916-01-02
Downfall Of Negro Heavy
weight Makes Up for
Shortcomings Of Tango
Fighter Of 1915.
GOSSIP OF ROPED ARENA

Several circumstances combined to
make 1915 a poor boxing year. These
circumstances were Freddy Welsh and
Johnny Kilbane, Mike Gibbons, the
crafty. and Al Mccoy might also be add
ed to the circumstances. But the two
named first were chiefly responsible for
the almost decadent state of ring affairs
throughout the year.
For champions, Welsh and Kilbane per-
formed miserably all year. Welsh did not
put up one commendable fight. while XII
bane showed championship form only in
one battle, that with Kid Williams. 1t
was a six-round affair. and Kilbane
showed all his wares in these eighteen
minutes.
These eighteen minutes were the sum
total Of his fighting energies for 1915. In
all his other bouts Kilbsne stalled and
otherwise betrayed the confidence OF fight
devotees. He has been debarred from
boxing in Wisconsin, and came near be-
ing suspended from further competition
In this State
What aEgravates the feeling against
Tilbane is the fact that he can fight
but won't In welsh's case it must be
borne in mind that the lightweight
champion can't do much better. He is
the champion among the light-weishts.
even though he lacks the fighting quail
frations of a real champion, and Fred
erick is parlaying that fact into for
tune. He prefers boxing suckers at
81 ooo per bout than gathering in $4,000
at one time for taking on a contender.
Mike Gibbons showing in his match
with Packey Mcfarland left a stencil
that is not readily forgotten. Since that
fasco there has been little or no demand
for Gibbons services in this country.
Despite Mikes plausible excuse for his
ragged performance against Packey. local
fight fans are not no quick to forgive
Mt
the least and several thousand spects-
tcrs vowed that night never to attend
another bout until there is a decided
uplift in the boxing game.
Which leaves Al Mccoy to pick on.
We think it advisable to leave Al Mccoy
Just where he is; refuse to disturb him.
For a supposed champion he ts-awful;
that word best describes his fighting. He
has yet to win even a popular decision
over a mediocre middle-xeight. The
mere announcement that Al Mccoy Is
going TO fight serves as warning to the
sboxing fans, and they show their good
sense by staying away. Those who at
tend do so in the hope that they will see
Mccoy knocked out. He is absolutely
the poorest apology for champion the
ring has ever been inflicted with.
Now all the circumstances mentioned
retarded the progress Of boxing during
the year Of 1915. Only such a feat as
? heavyweight championship from John
SON could have saved this situation.
willard's victory did just that The
memory Of Johnson's downfall makes
one forget the shortcomings Of the
greedy tangoing boxers-for the time be-
! ing at least.
So here's hoping that 1916 will find box
ing on the high plane 1t deserves.
Frank Moran and Jim CoSey, the su-
per-Dreadnoughts of the heavyweight d.
vision-barring Willard, Of course-wiI
!. collide again at Madison Square Garden
next Friday night, January !. pleas
ant evening is anticipated by all who ex-
pect to be present
In their previous meeting, several
weeks ago Moran scored technical
knockout over Coffey in three rounds
Moran hopes to do better this time; he
promises to batter Big Jim into a coma
tose state before the fifth round is
reached.
Coney. quite naturally, thinks other
wise. He contends that he was in full
n possession of his faculties when their
last bout was stopped and that he might
have come back and knocked Moran cut
had the referee not interceded. To back
this latter statement Coffey cites a num-
ber of Instances where a beaten fighter
recovered sufficiently in the late rounds
However, here is Cofrey's chance. He
starts again on an even basis with
Moran. and only by hattening blond
Frank for the doleful ten can Corey
re-esta blish himself as contender for
willard's laurels.
The experience gained in the first fight
with Moran should be Of material assist
ance to CoIey. 1t Is quite unlikely that
Jim win stop Moran. He may outlook
Erank in the ten rounds. Coffey has
Z bsen training with clever heavy-weights,
and this would seem to indicate that he
b planning to outpoint Moran. Coffey
cannot afford to make rushing battle
of II. for It was while boring into Moran
that Corey bumped into the right jolt
that laid him low q few weeks ago.
When Eddie McGoorty succumbed un-
der the trip hammer blows OF Les Darcy
the fact was again emphasized that the
entipodean looks like the most serious
challenger for the niddle-weight OF any
u the boxers now competing in that
/ division. Darcy has thoroughly cleaned
zap the American fighters he has been
Httted against and as there are no more
big matches in sight for him In Aus
tralta IL Is expected that his plan to
invade this country win be carried out
very shortly.
According to word coming from the
outipodes, Darcy and his new manager,
Jack Kearns, San Francisco, will sail for
/ the United States early In January and
viii arrive at Frisco about the first of
February. Negotiations now are under
way for q series OF matches, II being
the purpose Of Kearns to show the new
est ring sensation in the Twin cities,
Milwaukee. New York City and wind up
the campaign with q twenty-round
champtonship- match st New Orleans
sometime during the spring.
Matches with Nike Gibbons, Young
Ahsarn and Jack Dillon are under con-
Il dderotion- In this connection>it Is inter-
ENst1ng to note that the proposed ten
roaaud contest between Gibbons and
Ahearn Is now a fixture for January Is
~ 81 Paul Both of these battlers are
beea for q joust with the invading an
t1podsan. n the money returns will be
GDogmous. 30 for that reasan It Is q GER
ni1fy that the pair viii put up a spir-
80 1ght when they get together.
4n41 the coming year win be featured
#px > uoaber Of championship matches