The Washington times., 1919-07-16

RIGHT ABOUT
BOXING HERE
By LOUIS A BOUCHER.

Whlle some SoreheadS VINO picked
Jess Willard to retain his worlds
championship are expressing them
selves as surprised because Jack
Dempsey, the new worlds title
holder, insists on defending his
honors in America and not In Eng
Ia 4, nevertheless Dempsey is act
Ing on the best of advice, that from
CT boat Smith and Willie Ritchie.
They have warned him against TAX
ing his tide to England and the
Salt Lake City slugger seems in
clined to follow their advice.
\ Nobody accuses the Britishers Of
unnairness. Nobody who knows any
thing believes that the officials of
the London Sporting Club would lend
Themselves to anything crooked. But
the very important fact. remains that
the Britishers conception of what
makes for q winning contest in the
ring is not that entertained by an
American
wInie Richie lost his title to Fred
die Welsh In London after twenty
rounds Of clever boxing. The Cali
fornian has never made any loud yell,
bat he has told his friends that. had
the same bout been fought in Ameri-
ca, the worst he could have received
would have been a draw.
DSesnst Know IL Yet.
Gun10at Smith was an up-and-up
white hope when he went over to
London for his bout with George
Carpenter, the French champion
Smith had q good right hand wallop,
but before he got a chance to shoot
il across, he found himself disqualk
fled for a foul He says he doesn't
yet know or when he fouled his OPP
ponent- That bout was just five
years ago today.
Recently came the inter-aIlied serv-
ice championships, with many Ameri-
can boxers competing. That the Brit
ishers were eminently fair was shown
by the decision given against Jimmy
Wide. their greatest favorite, in favor
II Pal Moore, the Memphis bantam
md little Jem Driscoll, handler of the
British boxers, stood up in the ring
and declared aloud that the decision
satisfied, stilling the adverse clamor.
The argument between British and
american boxers Is not over the fair
ness Of the officials. 1t is over what
ZACH thinks makes for a winning bout
lust which side Is right is Of no i'm
portance.
Might Put Him Away.
Jack Dempsey might put away Joe
Beckett in round If he goes to Lon
don. Those who have followed his
career up to the worlds title would
not be surprised at all if this happen
ed. But suppose he didn't. Suppose he
merely Travelled twenty rounds TO a
decision. Losing his title to Beckett
On a knockout would leave him no
room for argument; but losing his title
IN a decision arrived at by methods
new to him, and far from satisfactory,
would be a horse Of another color.
Dempsey today is the worlds
heavyweight champion. It is ridicu-
lous to claim that any British pro-
moter can offer mofe money for a
title contest than can be obtained
right here.
Why should the champion be
forced to travel across the ocean
merely for a chance to defend his
title under different conditions from
those obtaining when he won his
honors? Dempsey's critics make no
explanation of this.
Officials are fair on both sides Of
the ocean. II Beckett thinks himself
capable Of defeating Dempsey. let him
come here and attempt it. II he sue
ceeds, he will then be absolutely right
in making chanengers meet him in
England.