Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-23
England, Mother Country Of
Boxing, Unable to Retain
Worlds HonorS When
U. S. Takes Up Sport.
By "KID" GRAVES.


Boxing championships had their
birth in England and for many
years Englishmen held the titles in
the various classes. The sport was
taken up in the new United States
republic, Australia began taking
great interest in the game and grad
ualy other nationalities began to
try the ring game. In spite Of the
interest aroused in the other coun-
tries and the good boxers produced
England managed to hang on to the
champions for many years. until the
title men in America began to,
long for the world championships
and made journeys to the mother
country to gain them. Then the
lightweight crown came into the
possession of America
The British boxers learned of the
great interest the sport had aroused
in America and the vast amount OF
1lOlCN -lllG 4AIilGl IAN DoANlo WI
making and they began to make
journeys to America to gather the
American dollars aud in doing it,
they lost their coveted worlds titles.
While boxing is one of the finest
sports they have in Australia, they
have never had an Australian for
worlds champion. The nearest
ti,a, J. ,,yf,o,, d oh
simmons won the middleweight and
heavyweight titles Bob was sup
posed by many Americans to be an
Australian, but he was really an En-
lishman, having been born in Corn
wall, England, going to Australia
in extreme youth. Les Darcy
might have become woil1's title
holder if he had lived, for he was
undoubtedly the best middleweigh.
in the world at the time of his
American invasion, but he died be-
fore he was given "A chance at any
American boxers.
1t is the great boast of the Ameri-
can boxers and boxing fans, that
every worlds title is held by an
American scrapper. Jess Willard,
the heavyweight champion, is an
American and even if ne loses to
Jack Dempsey on July the worlds
champion will still be an American.
The Interchangeable champion IS
Billy Miske of St. Paul, also ar,
American. The worlds middle
weight champion, Mike O'Dowd, is
an American, of Irish descent. now
with the army of occupation in
France and Germany. Mike Glib
bons, probably the best middle
weight in the world and likely the
next champion, IS ar american.
The welterweight championship is
row held by an American, Jack Brit
ton, formerly of Chicago, now of
New York Britton won Ike cham
pionship March p, 1916, from the
writer at Dayton, O. He lost the
honors to Ted Lewis, an English
man, i'll the same ring on June Is,
1917. Lewis held the title boxing
only in America. until March II,
1919, when Jack Britton regained it
from Lewis. knocking him out in
nine rounds at Canton, 0. Thus, we
have an American welterweight
champion of the world. Benny Leon
ard, the lightweight champion of the
world is an American, having won
the championship from Freddy
Welsh. an Englishman. Welsh had
won the title from Willie Richie, an
American, in a 20-round scrap at
London, England. The lightweight
championship of the world has been
in American possession since Kid
Lavinge went over to England, won
it, and returned to America with it.
The featherweight champion is an
American of Irish descent Johnny
kilbane, of Cleveland. 0. kilbane
won his title from Abe Attell, an
American Hebrew boxer. A.ttell was
champion of America and the claim
ant of the worlds championship. He
clinched his claim to the worlds
honors by defeating Jem Driscoll,
the English champion. Other Eng
lishmen tried to recover the title,
but failed and the featherweight
honors are still retained in America.
The bantamwelght championship
is held by an American boxer, Pete
Herman of New Orleans Herman
won the honors from Kid Williams,
who had defeated Johnny Coulon for
them. Coulon was the acknowledged
champion of America and claimed
the worlds title after defeating Jim
Kendrick an Englishman. Williams
knocked Coulon out and afterwards
won from the English and French
champions, making his world's title
undisputed.
American boxers not only hold all
the worlds pugilistic championships
at the present time, but boast of
holding them for all time to come,
and Judging from present conditions,
their boast seems well founded. Con-
tenders for the various titles in Eng