Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-05-20
New Jersey Pug Says His Claim
On Crown IS Better Than
That of Either Mike Glib
bonS or Al Mccoy.
By RINGSIDE.

claiming the crown now, three distin.
guished fighters have their hats in the
ring. When the smoke of battle has
cleared away two of those hats are
going to lie outside of the ropes. The
question is who'll be the lucky guyi
Who's going to be the pure, unadul-
terated champion of the middleweight
division? Is the champion going to
be Mike Gibbons, AL Mccoy or JEFF
OF course, it is to be expected that
Gibbons and Mccoy will scott at
Smiths claims while incidentally re-
iterating their scorn of each others
claims, but three men can't be defy
ing each other forever without clash
sooner or later, so for that reason an
elimination contest in this three-sided
ring drama may be expected before
long.
Jeff made known his feelings in the
matter through his manager, Al Lippe,
in a letter to Chicago. Said Lippe:
Il am claiming the middleweight
championship for Jeff Smith and
stand ready to back him against any
man in the world at the middleweight
limit for match over the marathon
route, to include the worlds title.
Smith has demonstrated his right to
claim this honor on numerous occa-
sions, and his quick knockout of
Young Ahearn at New Orleans adds
to his right in claiming it.
Both Fox Trot Fighters.
'Just compare Smiths record with
that of AL Mccoy, alleged champion,
and Mike Gibbons, who also claims
the title, and what do you find? That
neither Gibbons nor Mccoy ever
started over the twenty-round route,
and that they both have two fifteen
round bouts in their records, the rest
all going six or ten rounds at the
most. Surely this is not sufficient for
a championship claim. They not only
have not started over the champion
ship route, but from their actions in
the past and at the present time they
have no intention Of doing so as long
as Jeff Smith is picked for their op-
ponent.
II have tried to get Gibbons and
also Mccoy into title match time
and time again, but without success.
Jeff and myself would sacrifice almost
anything to get either one of this
pair over the real distance for the
title, but l have practically given tip
trying to do so, and the only thing left
is to claim the little and be ready to
defend it against all corners, Gibbons
and Mccoy preferred.
"Of course, the match l would pre-
fer over all others, and which would
be for the worlds title, is with Les
Darcy of Australia. / still feel that
Smith can defeat Darcy, despite the
results of their meeting in Australia.
We will count them out and start
over again if the match can be made
and held.
II assert that Smith has a right to
claim the honor as long as he will
defend it. That's what we are pre-
pairing to do and back it up with real
money"
Coast Bantie on Warpath.
George Thompson, bantamweight
from the Pacific coast, is on the war
path. He is in Chicago for gore, can't
get a battle, and consequently is
pretty much peeved about it.
1--we been around here for four
months now" said Thompson the
other day, "and in this time I have
been unable to get chance to show
1t any of the clubs in Indiana or Wis
ronsin. 49,.
1.-THE fact that / beat johnny Coulon
out on the coast on two occasions
doesn't make any difference to the
Hermans, Ertles and the rest. They
Just sidestep when my name is mem
lioned." u.
Thompson Is a promising fighter,
and it is not likely that after this
outburst a fight can be denied him.
Herman Is Lucky.
Pete Herman, bantamweight champ,
one of the targets of the Californian's
remarks, in a good many quarters has
been considered as having inherited
his crown on a fluke. The 'result has
been that instead of having to work
hard for bouts they are being handed
to him on platter.
Speaking Of the story that went out
after Referee Billy Recap had given
the championship decision to Herman
at New Orleans January 9 in the bat
tie with Johnny Williams, Jerome
Gargano, manager for Herman, said:
1--WE were pretty sore about this
statement for long time, but now
we find it has been a blessing in dis
guise. Everybody got to thinking of
Pete as fuke champion and every
bantam in the country wanted a
whack at him, thinking him easy pick
ing, and consequently we are thriv-
Herman, incidentally, is the first
Italian to take championship in this
country.
Yearly X. o. for Rivers.
Everyone who saw the announce
ment that Joe Rivers had been
knocked out by Johnny Harvey in
New York recently probably thought
that this was the beginning of the
end for the Los Angeles lightweight,
but recall how often the Spaniard has
taken the count before and then the
subject may appear to be open to
question. .
Joe has faculty of getting knocked
out about once a year and coming
back each time, in spite Of the fact
that his obituary has been written
pretty often. So maybe Joe will stage
another comeback soon. Unless he's
lost his nerve there's no reason why
he shouldn't, for he's only rs and still
has kick in his n1itt.