The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-29
WILLARD NO BEAR
Les Darcy Says He's Not Afraid
of the Giant Champion.
Size Does Not Count When You
Are Cool and Quick.
RY JACK VEIOCK.

New York, Jan. 29.-Lester Darcy
may never be matched with Jess Will
lard. for a match between the two
would look like miSmatch from
every angle But Les isn't over-awed
by the big fellow. He actually be-
lieves he would have a good chance
to It him.
Far be it from me to belittle the
prowess of Jess willard" says Darcy,
but if you want my opinion 1 can
frankly say that I don't believe Will
lard is invincible by any means"
From what l know of ring history
l have formed the opinion that the
good little men are better as a rule
than the giants of the ring. ] think
a good middle or light heavyweight
would have a wonderful chance to
beat Willard, and beat him decisively
| would welcome the chance myself.
Speed. agility. a cool head and a
fairly good wallop. combined with a
knowle[ g of footwork are superior
to beef d heft. Many may disagree
with my view, but glimpse into the
past will show that most of tn >
pugilistic champions of other days
were far from being fountains of
flesh.
The tremendous height of Willard,
who measures six feet seven inches,
would prove an advantage to him in
b ut with me. for l top just exactly
of Wizards wot Id force me to ham
mer a ~ at his mid-section until l
could BRING him down to somewhere
near my size-get his chin within
range of the winning wallop. The old
adage of the wOOdsmar-the taller
the tree the easier the job of cutting
it down-secms to fit Willard nicely
in my opinion.
Il believe that willard would soon
wilt under continuous punches to his
mid-section. A continuous rain of
blows to the stomach should double
him up like a jack knife, for they tell
me he is a lover of rich foods and
that he does not take 81 fficient eXer-
else to keep in the best of shape. An
other -ing-W-.lard is thirty years
of age. and no man of thirty is in
clincd t. put the ',Or into mis- train
il r that a you ger man will put into
his. These things have caused more
than one champion to surrender his
IT'LL.
'I know that many fight followers
will laugh at my idea of what might
be done to Willard by small man
like myself. They will say he would
simply hold me off with those long
arms of his and jab me around until
I was groggy, then knock me cold.
But remember what | have said about
agility! Well. that's where l would
offset the advant &c Willard has over
In the first place I think fighter
who needs the advantage in reach to
get to an opponent with his mitts is
woefully lacking in fighting material.
My reach measures seventy-fOur
inches, and l think it plenty long
enough to get inside Wizards guard,
and you know l would have to do this
to win. Champions of the past have
often boosted of their advantage in
reach, onlyto be beaten to the punches
when the gong rings | don't mean to
convey the opinion that l am fast as
lightning, but 1 know I am faster
than Willard can possibly be
Il think that Willard would get
discouraged trying to land a solid
wallOp on my chin, and then he would
become reckless and perhaps a bit
wild. That would give me the oppor-
tunity to win. If l should meet him
my plan would be to try and tire him
out with fast footwork, and. then. if
| could succeed in that, 1 would tear
into close quarters.
Getting inside the guard is the
thing. l had no trouble getting by
the guard of Jimmy Clabby after a
few rounds, and if I cen get by his
guard l certainly ought to slip past
Willard. for Clabby is one of the
cleverest boxers in the game.
Il think that in a long fight Will
lard's bulk would prove a disadvant-
age in time. and l think | am ia st
enough to avoid being knocked out"