The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-13
Holders of Ring Titles
Not Always Best in Class
Many Great Boxers Denied Chance to Win Championships
Jack Britton an Example-Other Boxing Gossip

powerful Influence never were accla!nH"
tho champions.
A most aggravated instance was the
case Of Suliy Smith. the Pacific Coast
featherweight. who won the feather
weight title from George Dixon a. San
Francisco October 4. 1897. Smith getting
the decision Of the referee at The end
OF Il 1wcnty-rnund bout
nixons manager denied that III" t;i"
was At stake which WAS an absurd
clam. as 4 champions Iltie always Is
4; stak" unless it happens 10 be handt-
cap match. like that between Ern" and
McIinvcru. where Iii" lightweight cham
plnr was restricted /" rs pounds ring
side. Smith and Dixon met on even
terms and the white hoy won.
The injustice 10 Smith was apparent
when Dixon. n" longer champion. vas
matched with Bon Jordan :ca;hrrw"IGht
champion uf England. N Il bout in this
city billed as for the worlds ui!H.
smith entered a protest, but IN" !niiu-
cnreS behind Dixon were strong enough
20 keep tn" champion III the Background
Jordan beat l';Nnn
Later on Smith mo; Dave Sullivan a,
t'"n,:. Island ard was compelled I" stop
III n" uiin EpuHi hS NiI' ItSulS - q
hr"i<"n arm.
This gave Sullivan the tiilr. hut no
did NJ: keep Il long. for h. go la'o
tin" ing with Dixon shortly attcrward
and was decIsively beaten.
Not At weight.
Dixon :tcu held In" tItlc anil h" Wa.
knocked OF: by McCi"vcrn. II ;hn claim
81 thc weight Missionaries held good ;hcn
DiNon did not los" tho title TO McCi"v-
ern, c"r Ton O'Rouk" under tho impress
sion thar Terry would b. too strong az
l"2 Dictated lis a; ;,Ia rine$;de. Terry
vas qG.tc strong enough at us. as
O Rnukc fn&n1 10 his sorrow.
t!~i.. nd was another boxer who was
.r":cc recognized as champion. al
jnnug, H. wor tho h"n":S in tho ring.
DiXIa Kid got - dr,ISI,n on foul over
Jos Walc"tt at time when the Barba-
dos per,on was at HIS best and held the
W,.''r title.
two years after Dixie Kid had beaten
Wal"";, Honey Melody turned III" Same
trek ara claimed /" ho tie wel;rr
champion. although the Dixie lid WAS
ci.arl? entitled to- tn" houors.
Frank Klaus defeated nearly every
n:'G!..W";-rt Of prominence IN America
md Stnrpcd ihe great Carpenter. the
m!ddlcWsiEht champion OF Europe. and
-; Klaus we'll won honnrs were Qucs-
tinn.d on the ground that he weighed a
pound ~: 81 more than IN" alleged mid
di"w.igl; limit. Fitzaimlnons in his
la;'r battles in defense of his middle
weight li:lc. scaled several pounds more
;han IN" alleged limit. yet F'itz's claims
never were questioned.
ticnrGr Ia Binnrh" vino knocked out
I,
he mtddlcwci-!lt 'i;lc th"n and there
hu: hc was 4 stupid. diSsnlute fellow.
and lacked tho business sense to conf
m"cc;al7n tho tile.
Th" same absurd argument that WAS
advanced against Klaus has been direct
ID against la blanche. namely. that he
scaled II few pounds NOR" than tbs SO
"a He'd pounding" that always has been
hnu"rnd IN the breach. rh" reason shat
La i:lanChn was not recognized as the
champion WAS that tho same powerful
ir:iU"ures TINT sustained Sullivan were
behind III" beaten N"nHHr"il. These in
'l.:":i'"s ""ro strong enough to prevent
fr"uil"Ss whnd"rrr Ink" IN" Marin"
from h"r''miug unduly conspicuous.
Thr result was that Dempsey. after n
few weeks. resumed his triumphant
progress ~ champion. which WAS not
checked III he met Fitzsimmons.