The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-22
VILDE'S TRIP HERE
STIRS TINY BOXERS
British Flyweight Champion
May Get Several Promis-
ing Matches.
WHAT OTHER ONES FOUND
General Dodging by the Amer
leans Made Efforts Any
thing But Successful.
WHAT OTHER ONES FOUND
~ CROSS COUNTER.

By CROSS COUNTER.
The announcement that Jimmy wilde,
svweisht champion of the world. will
come here early in the new year has
csu,.d a commotion in the ranks OF
promoters, managers and the fighters in
10Th the bantam and feather weight
classes There promises to be Wild
scran,ble by promoters eager to stage a
hout between the British champion and
the best available American opponent
The situation offers golden oppor-
,pnitv 10 Pete Herman, worlds bantam
champion, TO prove that he Is entitled
10 the honors he won from Kid Williams.
There is no question that Wilde would
welcome fight with Herman for the
worlds title OF the class and would not
hesitate to concede weight to the title
holder. In England Wilde has whipped
all available fyweights and bantams ana
st last accounts was battling with
featherweights.
One bout that the noted Briton can
depend on will bring him into the ring
with Pal Moore. the sailor boy who got
. decision over the champion In the
Albert Hall competitions. Moore is
anxious for longer contest, and Wilde
Is eager TO demonstrate that he Is the
master OF the American.
frankie Burns willing.
should Herman decline the issue. and
lie does not seem to be enthusiastic over
he proposition, there is man In train
ing who will take on tho Englishman.
frankie Burns OF New Jersey. who out
rolnted Digger Stanley, the last British
champion 10 visit America. can be de-
nended on to strip for the fray any time
the Priton desires.
When Digger Stanley came to America
IN 1911, Johnny Coulon, who was posing
es the bantam champion of this coun-
try was asked to meet the visiting title
holder. Coulon was too busy with bust
ness affairs in the West to meet the
clever English champion. but frankie
Burns jumped into the breach 1t was
Il ten round decisionless bout. but Burns
received the popular verdict. AS Stanley
was unable TO get bout with Eouion
the Englishman returned home.
Another bantam who should be con-
sidered by Wilde is Joe Burman OF
Chicago, and In fact there should be no
lack OF worthy opponents for the SEN
satonal Welsh boxer.
Wilde was born In Tylorstown. Wales,
IN May, 1892. and is Therefore &c years
cid. He stands feet an inches tall,
aud It is said that he never has weighed
more than 1903 pounds. Previous TO
meeting Moore in the military tourna-
mert, Wilde boxed with Joe Conn. a big
feaherweight, and stopped him
fancy Lee Beat Him Once.
The only defeat recorded against
Wilde was scored by fancy Lee. former
bantam champion OF England and the
present holder Of the featherweight title.
i was In 1915 that Lee stopped Wilde
IN the seventeenth round. Wilde evened
the score in 1916, stopping Lee in the
eleventh round. Wilde has an almost
unbroken record OF knockouts to his
credit, few OF his opponents lasting the
limit
The pioneer of the little men TO come
70 America was Billy Plimmer of Bir-
bingham, who arrived here in 1892.
Tommy Kelly and showing undoubted
class and punching ability. Plimmer was
matched with George Dixon. the Ameri-
can champion. for a four round tryout
IN Madison Square Garden. as Dixon's
manager wished to get a line on Plim-
mer before making a title match.
Plimmer outpolnted Dixon handily in
-FOUR rounds. and got the decision of the
referee, Steve ODonnell This seemed
70 convince Dixon's manager that It
would be unwise to make a title match.
and II was not done. Plimmer had
shown too much class and being unable
to get any more matches returned to
England, where he lost his title to
Pedar Palmer.
Dol Il.
Palmer made two trip. IN America,
arriving here first in 1896, when he was
matched with Dixon for a tryout bout
" six rounds in Madison Square Gar
den. Although Palmer had all the bet
ter Of the contest the referee called 1t
draw. Nevertheless, the manager of
Dixon decided not to make a title match
With the Briton and Palmer sailed home.
Tne high opinion that Dixon's manager
entertained for Palmer was largely due
to the fact that Just before Palmer
started for America he had won the
bantam title from Plimmer. knocking
out his man in the fourteenth round.
Palmer returned here in 1899 with the
tdded prestige of twenty round deci-
son over Dave Sullivan in London and O
Second knockout OF Plimmer In the sew
tnteenth round. Palmer's second visit
was to fight Terry McGovern. the Ameri-
ian bantam champion, and so great was
me Briton's reputation that many Amer
iein experts, including Dixon's manager.
We're confident he would defeat the
hrook!yn Terror. The one round knock
out suffered by Palmer in the ring at
-lckahoe Is matter of history.
Dixon Invades England.
In 1903 George Dixon. then on the
eoNn grade as a fighter. went TO Eng
'aFd and had two bouts with Palmer,
winning the decision in a twenty round
polt and losing in an eight round con-
test
Palmer lost his title to Joe Bowker in
!sVJ and the latter never came to Amer
lea while holding title. Frankie Neil and
!'nky Evans went to England and tried
7" beat Bowker, but failed, the decisions
gong to the Briton on points at the end
Y me twentieth round. Digger Stanley
non title from Bowker in 1910 and camo
america the following year.
There is small doubt that wilde's visit
win the object OF winning the bantam
que from Herman, as there is a dearth
Hyweights in this country. Rosner
tnd Young Zulu Kid. who as fiyweights
"ent 10 England In 1916. each being
opped by the Briton in the eleventh
tp-hd' are now bantams and out of the
championship SWIM
zen Jordan was the featherwelght
champion OF England when he came to
,'S country in 1898 looking for a fight
.| me world title. English records as
S' mat Jordan won the title from
DAon July |, 1898. although Dixon was
ao' ~ THO time featherwelght champion
~, america. The negro had lost the
"',e 20 Solly Smith the previous year.