The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-01

Dempsey Receives Hints
On HON. to Whip Willard
Flood of Advice as to the Best Method Of Capturing
Title Offered Gratis-Corbett Submits Suggestion
Unprecedented Rush for Position Of Referee.
~ CROSS COUNTER.

10 no part OF tno uuueb VI = EehcioO ~
keep the men hitting. The referee is In
the ring to see that the rules OF boxing
are enforced and to give the decision
to the man who scores the greatest num-
Der Of points. He 10 not there to save
champion from defeat nor TO lay out
plan Of battle for the boxers.
should he Intelligent.
The late Billy Madden once drew up
q set OF rules. the third clause Of which
provided that the referees shall all be
honest" While that Is doubtless an
impossible condition, yet the referee OF
the willard Dempsey battle should be
Intelligent and free from the title ador-
alton that besets the clan
Many referees permit themselves to
be swayed by the clamor OF the spects.
tors, and some OF the third men In the
ring take into consideration bloody
nose or q black eye in making their
decisions. One referee once decided In
favor Of a boxer who scored one knock
down, although he had been decistvely
outpointed in nine Of the ten rounds.
Therefore Mr.. Richard will do well
to watch carefully the selection OF
referee and make sure he Is compe-
tent, for a faulty decision would be
body blow to boxing. which apparently
once more is high in popular favor.
Jack Dillon. who few years ago
was so formidable as TO be mentioned
as a possible opponent of Willard and
who decisively defeated Frank Moran,
has fallen upon evil times pugilistically.
Although he lost form in a marked de-
gree last year the Hoosier refused to
retire and kept on fighting. Recently
at Memphis he met with q defeat that
should convince him his day is past.
He was knocked out in the second round
by Phil Harrison Of Chicago. a man
that Dillon stoppI in the first round
several years ago.
It Is a difficult matter to convince the
average boxer that his fighting days are
ended, and Dillon Is particularly stub
born in that respect.
"Good Big Man" Theory.
The championship match has resulted
In the resurrection of that motheaten.
illogical ring adage. "A good big man
will always beat a good little man."
This phrase Is being overworked by
those who are unable to advance any
other reasons in favor of a victory by
Willard.
OF all the good, bad and Indifferent
ring slogans past and present that in
reference to the superiority of good"
big man over a good" little man Is the
stupidest The only justification for its
use would be in case OF a match between
two boxers who were equal in all re-
spects except physical proportions. That
Is to say the big man might be feet 2
inches tall. weigh 215 pounds and have
a long reach. The other might be 5 feet
9 inches tall. weigh ITS pounds and have
a comparatively short reach. Yet in all
other respects-boxing skill. defensive
work. hitting. ring generalship, speed
and courage-the men are equally
matched. It might be a reasonable as
sumption that the larger man would
have an advantage, although It is ques-
tionable II his size would result in his
being made a heavy favorite in the bet
| ting. It also is questionable II the
smaller man would not have Just as
| good a chance of getting over a deciding
| punch as the big man. 1t would depend
! on the sort Of tactics used by the big
! chap. II he made a rushing fight his
opponent would have an equal chance
| to win. II he used his weight in clinch-
| ing he might weaken his small opponent
and win through sheer weight. and II he
made long range fight he might win
on points without putting himself in
| danger.
However. no matches have ever been
made in the heavyweight division in
which the opponents were equal in all re-
spects except size. Jim Corbett weighed
l7S to 2l2 by Sullivan. yet Corbett's
J wonderful cleverness overcame Sullivan
| size.
Charlie Mitchell weighed $50 pounds
to 210 by Sullivan, yet the ring craft
and courage OF the little Briton enabled
/ him to hold Sullivan to a thirty-nine
| round draw.
Fitzsimmons weighed 10 pounds &c
| 1S4 by Corbett, yet F1tz scored knock
| out in the fourteenth round.
The only instances in which the good
big man theory has brought consolation
| to its advocates was when Jeffries beat
| Fitz, Corbett and Sharkey. The boiler
maker won over his smaller opponents
! solely because OF his iron frame and
chilled steel jaw. Both Fitz and Shar'
key hit JEFF on the Jaw frequently enough
| and with sufficient force TO drop an OK
but Jefr hardly bllnked. Corbett out
! boxed Jer as teacher. and a novice
pupil. and but for the fact that Corbett
wore himself out humping JEFF the title
would have changed hands.
The big man little man fallacy
does not tit into the WlllardDempsey
picture at all Dempsey excels Willard
| in youth, speed, aggressiveness and ac'
curate hitting. Willard has the bulk
and that also will be a handicap TO the
champion.