The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-17
TITLE CLAIMANTS
REQUIRE ABILITY
Ertle Fell Short in Demand
for Highest Ring Skill
and Science.
BURNS MAY GRADUATE
Jersey Bantam Would Turn
Fcatherweight and Chal-
lenge Kilbane.
BURNS MAY GRADUATE
ny CROSS COUNTER.

Claiming championsnip Is nazard-
ems undertaking for boxer. especially
n ne IL not enthusiastically competent to
Ssfend the honors against all challeng-
era A striking illustration OF this truth
Is furnished by the experience of Johnny
rrtle Of ST. Paul, who insisted that he
won the bantam championship from KID
williams by reason of an alleged foul
blow.
Although majority OF boxing critics
asclarel that Ertle had won no cham
nIonshIp from williams the young man
rom 81 Paul insisted he was the title
holder and would defend his honors.
Shortly after his encounter with WILL
uams Ertle made a match with Pal
Moore, the Memphis bantam. and the
latter received the decision on points at
N. end OF an eight round bout. Not
outstanding this setback Ertle con-
,!nued to defend his title in a series
% dec,slnnless bouts with more or less
able bantams. In one of these he was
outnonted by Young Zulu Kid In the
Clermont Rink, Brooklyn. yet he went
along accepting challenges for the
'title"
Ertle managed to avoid any disas-
trous defeats till a few months ago.
when he entered the ring with Dick
Ioadman, a hard puncher, and was
STOPPED IN the tourtn round.
This seemed to convince Ertle that his
claim OF the championship was prema-
ture, and that Peter Herman was the
man who took the title from Williams.
In any event when Ertle recently began
70 train for a contest with Frankie
Burns the Minnesotan announced that
& he defeated Burns at the Weehawken
Club he would at once challenge Herman
70 c championship battle AS the Kew
pie Suffered another knockout he will
not challenge Herman.
burns Would Graduate.
Ertle's experience should be a lesson
IN boxers who would like to become
Champions without facing the dangers
that b.Set the title holders in the ring.
Ertle met only three first class bantams
Moore. Loadman and Burns--and in
each case was beaten.
Frankie Burns Is considering the
question Of advancing into the feather
weight division and making an effort to
capture the title of that class. Burns's
weight has increased to point where he
could not comply with the 11S pound
mark dictated by Pete Herman, the
champion of the bantam class.
1t would be an excellent thing IL n
fighter of Burns's class entered the feath-
erweight class. for there Is a woful lack
Of quality among those now in that di-
vision.
Kiibane still officially Is the champion
Of the division and will remain the title
holder till such time as he formally an
nounces his retirement or Is beaten in
the ring. 1t would be advisable for
Burns TO send a polite challenge to XII
bane, with the suggestion that the
champion make a match with the chal-
lenger or else resign his title. This
would pave the way for Burns to lay
claim to the championship and defend
II against all comerS
Burns has been particularly unfor-
tunate in his efforts to get the bantam
crown. for although he knocked out
Herman before tho New Orleans boy won
the title a shade verdict against the
Skeeter was rendered In their recent bat
tie of twenty rounds. Burns has been up
near the top OF the bantam class all his
pugilistic career. but fickle fortune pre-
vented him winning the title. Perhaps
he would have better success in the higher
class. He Is nearing his thirtieth birth
day. yet Is fighting with greater vigor
ard skill than ever before.