The Washington herald., 1919-06-30
BUT five HELD
HEAVY H0N0RS
Corbett, Fitzsimmons, Jef-
fries, Johnson and VIII
lard Only Champs.

4
heavyweight championship OF the
world will be busted off and trotted
out for competition on July 4. when
Jess willard. incumbent. meets
Jack Dempsey. challenger. in Toledo.
Ohio.
| Up to date there have been only
five recognized holders of the world s
heavyweight boxing title under Mar
quis OF Queensberry rules, according
to the supercritical modern experts
on pugilism. The quintet who have
worn the crown include James ]. Cor
bett, Robert Fitzsimmons. James ].
Jeffries. Jack johnson and Jess Will
lard.
. OF course. there were scores OF
others who were in effect worlds
champions, but because they did not
happen to scour the earth and knock
out the best man in every picayune
nation In a formal engagement, they
are not classed among the elite hold
ers of the crown.
! Naturally, il one cares to go back
into the history of the ring. he finds
that one Tom Figg held the cham
were no Marquis of Queensberry rules
in those days. From Figg's time for
almost hundred years, England and
Ireland reigned supreme in fisticuffs.
, but in 1916 we find America taking a
hand in the game with the advent OF
Jacob Hyer ard Tom Beaseley, al
though neither ever was champion.
Up till Sullivan's regime. London
/ prize ring rules governed battles.
and John L. gathered unto himself
/ the championship. America only.
however, according to the modern
I expert. although the fight between
{ Jake Kilrain and John l.. at Rich
I burg, Miss. was for $4,000 a side
/ and the championship. KiIrain had
/ previously drawn with Jem Smith
holder of the English championship,
for $4,000 a side and the title
On Sept z. 1892. Jim Corbett de.
feated Sullivan in twenty-ont
rounds before the Olympic Club in
| New Orleans. He followed up this
by knocking out Charlie Mitchell
on Jan. 25. 1894. in three rounds
before the Duval A. c. in jackson.
willie. Fla, and from that time or
Gentleman Jim" was hailed as tn.
first heavyweight champion boxel
of the worIo under the Marquis Of
Queensberry rules"
| Beginning with Corbett Gentle.
man Jim" held the crown for thre,
years and two months if we count
that he won it by beating Mitchell
or Tor four years and six months ii
we. admit that he became cham.
pion by beating Sullivan.
] On March IL, 1897, Bob Fitzsim.
mons took the crown from Corbeti
in fourteen rounds at Carson City
New. but Bob didn't hold the bau.
BILE long, for in his very next fight
on June 9, 1899. Jim Jeffries
knocked him loose from it in eleven
rounds at Coney Island. Thus Bot
held sway for about two years and
three months.
JEFF reigned supreme for six years
and then on a bright July afternoon
ne stepped into a ring with Marvin
Hart and Jack Root in Reno, New,
to act as referee. Hart knocked out
Root in twelve rounds. and JEFF there.
upon retired and announced from the
ring that he presented his title to Mr.,
Hart
Just i've years and a day later. on
July 4. 1910. Jeffries met Jack johnson
! IN tht SdAiic city anu the negro
knocked him out in the fifteenth
round. ~ :
Previous to beating Jeffries, John.
son had gained a claim Of some sor,
to the title by virtue of a victor,
over Tommy Burns, who had beater
Hart in twenty rounds in Los An.
geles on February q. 1906 But Hart
had proved a mammoth bust as Z
champion, and despite the announced
retirement of Jeffries and his presen.
tation of the title to Hart, Burn.
gained scant recognition as cham
pion until he defeated Gunner Moir
the English champion. in London. ir
ten rounds on December 2. 1907. As !
matter of fact, Jeff's re-entrance into
the game automatically eliminated
Burns from the list of champions.
Johnson gallivanted as fully recoy.
nized champion from the time n,
stopped Jeffries until April s, 1915
when he met Jess Willard in Havana
lCpba- and was battered to the canva,
In twenty-six rounds:
Il