The sun., 1919-08-17
BRITTON O'DOWD
In NEXT Big BOUT
'Welter Champion Will Meet
Middleweight Title Holder
in Newark Friday.
TEST FOR JOE BECKETT
Englishman Will Clash With
Eddie McGoorty in Lon
don Contest.
TEST FOR JOE BECKETT
NJ CHARLES r. MATHIsox.

Although Mike O'Dowd and Jack
Britton are worlds champions of diff
ferent classes, their contest at the First
Regiment Armory. Newark. N. j.. next
Friday night promises to be far from
one sided. Judged by previous bouts
between the pair the approaching en-
counter should be one Of the most SEN
sationai ring battles ever staged In New
Jersey or any other State.
On one hand stands the veteran Brit
ton, the craftiest, most resourceful and
most siilful boxer In the ring, who has
proved his sterling qualities by con-
quering the best men OF two classes
light and welter-and now seeks TO
take the measure of the king of the
middleweight division. Not only In
Britton a past master In the science OF
boxing. but he is the brainiest nshter In
the ring. While he does not pose as
hitter OF the Dempsey type. he by no
means is deficient in the matter OF In
fiicting punishment, as Ia attested by his
knockout of the formidable Kid Lewis
Yet. considering his plan Of battle as
whole, Britton depends on his uncanny
defensive skill and his ability to take
advantage instantly Of the slightest mis-
take or false move of an opponent II
any man can hold at bay the rushing,
vigorous. hard hitting o'Dowd. Britton is
the man.
Brttton to Ccpcede weight.
The weller champion will concede
from 8 to 10 pounds In weight to the
middieweight title holder. who Is re-
stricted to 1853 pounds rlngside, q weight
that ODowd will easily make. II the
weight condition was likely to weaken
the middleweignt but one result would
be possible for Britton. The weller
champion may possibly scale 14S pounds,
viii be at his best. and no man weakened
by weight reduction could hope to over
come Britton In a short or long bout
But O'Dowd has furnished proof that
he will not be handicapped by the weight
and that he will enter the ring in pos
session of all his natural vigor and
stamina in order to win. Britton must
hold at bay IN the opening rounds one
Of the most combative men that ever
pulled on a glove. and he Is possessed
Of q punch which landing fairly spells
coma to the recipient He u q dreless
fighter, and the harder he 10 hit the
more furiously he charges forward at Lis
opponent.
His record shows that he has been
outpointsd, but no adversary yet has hit
him hard enough to enable the referee to
count ten over him.
Bri,ton and ODowd have met in the
ring three times, one twelve round bout
Mt Boston to a decision. and two ten
round decisionless contests- Their hrst
meeting was at Boston, June 3. 1915. and
Pritton gave the youngster boxing lee
aon getting the decision OF the referee
At the end of the twelve rounds. In
the two decisionless bouts, one at st
Paul and one In this city. the popular
decisions on points went to Britton' ana
therefore the weller champion mas pas.
performances In his favor.
O'povd IL he is 10 win will be COM
pelled to overturn the records or the
mast and snatch victory from man
who has thrice outpointed him. ODowo
insists that he has improved very much
over the form he showed in Is previous
contests with Britton. and that the weiter
title holder will be unable to Withstand
The fury of his attack. ODowd has
gained In the matter Of boxing skill also,
and this should help his chances.
II however. is significant that the
middieweight champion In a bout WITH
n fairly clever man named Jackie Clarke
was held at bay with a straight left
TO the face. II there is any mode OF
attack In which Britton excels 1t Is IN
the use Of straight left.
The question Of age also Will enter
into the consideration, ODowd being "a
and Britton So. Kid Lewis Is but G3.
vet the veteran Britton had all the bet
ter of his encounter with the former
welter champion. At the same time II
must not be forgotten that O'Dowd Is a
much stronger man than Lewis and
more aggressive, and that his nsts VIII
be In motion from the first gong to
the last
where other Champions Fought.
There have been many battles in the
past between champions OF different
classes, but in a majority Of them the
weight restrictions handicapped the title
holder in the heavier class. Terry Nc
Govern, featherweight champion. and
Frank Erne lightweight champion. met
In Madison Square Garden July lS,
1900, and McGovern knocked out Erne
IN the third round. But Erne unques-
tionably was weakened by the weight
Of 1913 pounds ringside. It Is doubtful
II Erne could have beaten McGovern at
any weight. but the lightweight would
have lasted longer II permitted to scale
his normal weight.
George Lavigne, the lightweight cham
pion. and Joe walcott met at the EN-
pire A. c., Maspeth. December 2. 1898,
IN a bout limited TO fifteen rounds. It
went the limit and was a bruising bat
tie. Lavigne earning the decision on
points. But Walcott, whose normal
nghting weight was 40 pounds val
compelled to weigh 1s3 ringside. weak
ening the negro 90 he could not do him
self justice. walcott undertook to stop
Lavigne inside the limit or lose a wager
Of $500.
Johnny Kilbane, featherweight cham
pion Of America, became possessed OF
an ambition to acquire the worlds light
weight title, held by Benny Leonard,
and they met In Philadelphia July 26.
1917. Kilbane was put to sleep In the
third round. Leonard entered the ring
at his normal fighting weight and Kill
bane was outclassed.
No. a. II. n..Ir...