Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-12-26
PASSING YEAR BRINGS A
BLOW TO THE BOXING CAME

A year OF inaotion by fighters and
their managers, another year Of de-
mands for enormous sums to box,
and a year in which some of the flab-
best champions ever produced have
been content to sit securely on their
laurels, is the pugilistic analysis OF
1916.
Championship bouts Of high calibro
have become so scarce that the man
who formerly became all worked up
over the prospect OF seeing a cham
pion and a nesr-champion get to-
gether grows very little excited now
adays when the word is passed out
that q title-holder is about 10 risk It..
No-dec sion bouts and the mercenary
tendencies Of the fighters have done
| their duty. The old fight game is la
boring under tremendous handi-
cap.
In the year that is just slipping by
there have been mighty few bouts for
championships Tho elus We Freddie
Welsh, lightweight title holder. has
engaged in two mixupa over a mara
thon route. First he tackled AID
Wolgast, poSr old wobbly Ad. who
still thinks he can beat the best-and
then he shared Charlie White, and the
public for a twenty-round affair in
Colorado Springs.
Both bouts were ridiculous, Judged
from the standpoint OF champion
making exhibitions. Neither OF the
men could be classed as worthy Of a
champions skill Aside from these
bouts Welsh has engaged in many
ten round affairs and has demonstra-
ted that no one can catch him over
the ten-round route when he chooses
to run.
Jess Willard, the heavyweight trail
blazer has been even worse Follow
ing a circus IN the summer months
and protesting against publicity a;
ether times, the big hulk has engaged
N only one bout. and that with Frank
Moran, over the ten-round route
There seems 10 be no chance OF get
ting him into longer bout although
several attempts have been made.
Johnny kilbane has defended hi.
tile just once in bout OF more thar
ten rounds and he easily disposed Of
George CLANCY on that occasion
There il some excuse for Kilbane, foi
there are no men Of his weight com
petent to give him a real fight
He has been angling for a mattel
with Freddie Welsh, and II he gets II
he may help stir things up IN tn,
game.
: Al Mccoy still IS the alleged mid
dleweight champion. with no one TAX
ing his claims seriously.
> Les Darcy has taken on everything
he could find in Australia, and ha
{ come to this country for new fields
5 Il may he that this youth will he'll
/ bring back the old time pep.
. Tex Richard. the man who mad
4 possible the worlds championshi
T bout between James J. Jeffries an
s Jack Johnson. a. Reno has been dom
e his best to kick little life into N
dying game. Negotiating for Madiso
I SQuare Garden and some OF the hes
+ bouts tie world could produce, thi
$ master promoter has promised a re
? vival Of championship contests tina
= will liven up New York to suit an
e one
a Aside from the Carpentier-w iliar
! 90. one between Les Darcy and JAG
! Dillon or George Carpenter Rickar
: hss announced that he viii go afte
2 bout between Welsh and Kiihan,
: He also is figuring on an eliminatio
. that will place Stanley Ketchei'
Z crown on some deserving head.
: The coming year now promise
much more than the one nearly ovei
II It doesn'f nan out. the game q
hit and run viii take an awful shoe
down the incline