The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-23
NEVADA LIKELY TO
GET BIG TITLE BOUT
Approval Of Bill Legalizing 25
Round Fights Might In
sure Contest at Reno.
SCENE OF OTHER MATCHES
Jeffries-Johnson and Corbett
Fitzsimmons Settos Decid-
ed in State.

Should Gov. Boyle OF Nevada, the
snowclad State. sign the bill providing
for twenty-five round boxing bouts, there
is hardly a doubt that Jess willard and
Jack Dempsey will meet at Reno In q
championship battle July I. There IL
excellent ground for the belief that the
shrewd promoter OF the $l27.500 ring
contest knew before he made the match
that Nevada would welcome the bout
and would make suitable legal arrange
nsnts 90 that there would be no danger
OF interference.
In the event OF Reno getting the
pugilistic plum. II will mark the third
heavyweight championship bout that has
taken place in the confines OF Nevada.
The pioneer battle was that In which
Bob Fitzsimmons wrested the heavy
weight title from Jim Corbett at Carson
City. March II. 1897. After that historic
contest pugilism remained aloof from
Nevada until September 3, 1906, when
Richard staged at Goldneld the cele-
brated bout between Joe Cans. light
weight champion. and Battling Nelson,
challenger. which ended in the forty
second round in decision Of foul
against the Battler.
Scene OF Johnson-Jenrries Bout.
Four years later. after Richard had
made an unsuccessful attempt to put
Johnson and Jeffries in the ring at San
Francisco. the promoter shifted the
scene to Reno. and Jeff was beaten In
fifteen rounds. This contest took place
on July 4. 1910. and there is every pros
pect that willard will meet Dempsey
there July I, 1919.
After the johnson and Jeffries AFFAIR
at Reno the Legislature passed a drastic
ant-boxing law. which grew out of the
distaste Of the citizens for contests be-
tween whites and blacks. The humiliat-
ing defeat that Jeffries suffered at the
hands OF the giant negro was not
relished by the patrons Of boxing in that
state. As the present bill contains a
clause forbidding matches between
blacks and whites, It appears that the
objection to mixed matches still exists In
that State.
Although Nevada is a long distance
nom the large cities Of the East, Rick
ard doubtless holds that the lure OF a
twenty-five round bout without danger
OF Interference will draw boxing enthu-
siasts from all over the country.
"iero mas Fou8ht IN Nevada.
Willard already has fought one battle
at Reno. and should feel quite at home
there He boxed a bout with a chap
named Al Williams at Reno July 4. 1913,
and won In the eighth round.
Dempsey has boxed in many places in
the West. but not in Nevada, and II he
faces willard there II will be his first
fight in that State.
OF the heavyweight bouts in which the
title has changed hands Louisiana has
had two. Sullivan-Ryan and Corbett-
Sullivan; Nevada has had two, Fitz-
Corbett. Jeffries-Johnson: New York has
had one. Jeffries-Fitz; Australia one,
Johnson-Burns. and Cuba one. Willard
Johnson.
California, which produced two cham
p'ons, saw JEFF twice defend his title,
while Corbett's only championship match
on the coast was as challenger of
JEFF.
Coney Island has had three heavy
weight championship fights, Jeffries- Fits
simmons. sharkey-Jefrries and Corbett-
Jetfries.