Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-23
TO 4 DECISION
Referee to Decide Will
lard-FultOn Bout
If Both Men Are On Feet at End Of
10 Rounds-UnusuaI Situation in
Deciding Heavyweight Champion
ship-WIiard Satisfied

New York, April GA most un-
usual ana interesting situation will
arise in correction With the proposed
Willard Fulton bout, if il is staged in
the state Of Minnesota. as at present
appears likely. According to the
tentative terms Of agreement the
title holder and his towering chal-
longer are to meet in a 10-rOund con-
test for the heavyweight champion
ship of II world, the premier titular
honors Of pugiliSm to go with the de-
cision Of the referee, in case both
boxers az" on their feet at the end of
the 30 minutes If battling.
Whether Willard holds lightly the
laurcIs - ably defended in the past
by JeffrIa.s, Sullivan. lftzsimmons
and other heroes Of the ring, or has
supreme e. ntidence in his ability to
successfully defend the same under
any ana i'I conditions, the fact re-
mains that never in tho history Of
heavyweight pugilism has a titular
bout been fought under such an
agreement. In order that there
might be TO misunderstanding upon
this point, Willard was asked if he
agreed Is stake his championship up
on referees decision in a l0-round
bout and in reply said that he would
like a longer bout than the 10 rounds
scheduled with Fred Fulton to decide
the Worlds Championship.
However," he continued, "the
short rout" with a referees decision
may satisfy the public. | would pre-
fer 20. although | am confident l can
retain the title in any circumstances"
Willard having therefore agreed to
short bout and the Minnesota boxing
law containing no provision against
the rendering of such a decision by a
duly appointed referee. the contest
will differ from any titular glove bat
tie between big men of the ring so
far as puSillstic history shows. Since
the night that Jim Corbett knocked
out John L. Sullivan in p rounds at
New Orleans on September Z. 1892
there have been is battles for the
heavyweight championship.
These contests have ranged from
20 to As rounds with a decision in
case q knockout did not terminate the
battle before the final bell In but
five of these did the victor drive Rome
the winning blow in less than II
rounds and the average for the full
~ battles was 10 10-11 rounds Viii
lard. himself, holds the duration rec
ord for Il took him % rounds to stop
Jack Johnson, with the Jeffrics-
Sharkey 25-round battle a close sec
ond.
It would appear under the circum
stances hat Willard has set himself
consider BILE task in breaking away
from ring tradition. He is a notori
ously slow starter in his ring cam
paigns and has to date showed a
marked lack of aggressiveness.
Whether a, the age of 40 he can de-
velop a lew set of ring tactics to fit
the peculiar conditions surrounding
the propoced bout, is question
which only time can answer.
Opinions among close followers of
pugilism based upon the work Of the
two heavy weights in the ring lean
toward the belief that in such a short
bout Fulton's superior boxing ability
would give him decided advantage
and possibly the championship by
decision, should he be wise enough