The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-09
MIDDLEWEiChT
TITLE flashed
Mike O'DOWd Claims to Be
Champion, as a Result Of
Victory Over Mccoy.
CLAIMING TITLE HOBBY
Nearly All Boxers Have
Taken Turn at Announcing
Themselves Leaders.

With the defeat of AL Mccoy, alleged
champion middleweight, by Mike
ODowd of st. Paul in six rounds in
Brooklyn, came the claim of worlds
champion by O'Dowd and his hackers.
1t is only natural that they should
make the claim, in view of the fact
that for more than two wears Mccoy
laid claim to the title. and numerous
sporting writer's in the east recognized
the claim.
There has been quite a mix-up re-
garding the middleweight champion
ship ever since Stanley ketchel was
shot and killed by Walter Dipley at
Conway Mo, in 1910. AT that time
ketchel held the title, having won it
back from Billy Papke at Colma, Cal.
July S, 1909. Papke had beaten ketehel
at Los Angeles in 1908, but two months
later lost it again to the wonderful
ketchel in II rounds. Following ketch-
els death Papke claimed the title again
and was recognized by sporting au-
thorities as the champion. 1t was in
1910 and 1911 that Papke toured Aus
| tralia under Hugh Mcintosh, and while
there fought Cyclone Johnny Thompson
at Sydney, February H. 1911, for the
advertised title. Papke was Il little
overweight, but Thompson was at the
correct poundage and defeated Papke
| in 20 rounds. The Cyclone Johnny had
a right to the title, but when he re-
turned to the states again he outgrew
1 the class and could not defend his
title Papke also outgrew the middle
weight class.
Many Claimants.
After that numerous middleweights
laid claim to the title, among them
George Chip, Frank Klaus. Jimmy
|Clabby, Eddie McGoorty, jeff Smith,
Mike Gibbons and others. Later Papke
went to Paris and in 1913, May s. he
fought Frank Klaus of Pittsburgh, los
ling the decision on a foul in the fiji
teenth round. Previously, in 1912,
Klaus had won from Georges Carpen-
tier, the French middleweight, in l9
rounds on a foul. 1t was given out by
sporting authorities there that neither
fight had been at the middleweight lin
it, /, mattered little whether they
twere at weight or not, for neither one
had rightful claim to the champion
ship. 1t was in allegiance at the time
klaus returned to his Pittsburg home
later. and in Decemhev was twice beat
en- by George Chip of Newcastle. Pa
1t was then that Chip claimed the title
land when he was knocked cold in one
.tround at Brooklyn. April 7, 1914, by
mccoy. the latter naturally grabbed
the title, until Mike O'DoWa succeeded
in putting over a X. o.
Dillon Is Through.
VIII il be a case of Jack Dillon meet
ing his Waterloo in the ring, as many
Iothers before him have done? There
were many boxing fans who witnessed
the contest between Dillon and Billy
Mislte at the Broadway Sporting club
in Brooklyn recently, who We're pull
/ ing for the Hoosier fighter to escape a
knockout at the hands of the husky St
j., Paul light heavyweight. These same
fans a year ago would have been yell
ing their heads off and encouraging
Miske to score a knockout. a srea,
change has come over Dillon the past
Iyear. He is not the giant killer OF
Is months ago. but IA shell of his for
mer self. Jack seems to have gone al
to pieces as far as the light heavy
weight division is concerned. He is no,
there with the old pep nor can he take
1.-THE beating that he did before.
UP to Willard.
1t is up to Jess willard now either
to defend his title or permit someone
else to take it who will defend it. Il
Is going ON three years now since Will
lard won the championship from Jack
Johnson at Havana, and since that