The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-03
By Ed. Hughes.

Johnny Kilbane has held the featherweight title nearly eight years now. That is a, long span of years for continuous performance in the grim game of the ring. They say the opposition has been feeble, 8 lack or "cIass'' in the coterie of cha1lengers who have endeavored to dethrone the little Clevelander. But there seems to be some logic in the argument that Kilbane is really an extraordinary ring champion. He's no common specimen of a boxer who can hold a
 title eight years even if the rivalry
 hasen't been of the keenest type. ] ssTrue." agrees the old timer, "but what chance do you think hllpane
 would have had with the old ones i Dixon. McGovern and Abe Attell-
 when the Hebrew was at his pest
 Would he even have made way with
 the second string opposition Of the j rings halcyon days? The old time
 fan says nay and points to past per formances for proof. Pretty con- yincing, too, when you analyze 1t.
 George Dixon, "'Lil Chocolate" was the pugilistic marvel of his genera tfon. In point of tenure of office hli- bane has still another year to reign before he will equal the colored lad's record. Dixon held the feather title nine long years During that time
 Tom O'Rourke's protege engaged 1n
 800 fights. He suffered put one
 knockdown. That was in an exhlpl- ton bout with the Kentucky Rosepuo
 who double crossed George ana pu'
 him ont. When Dixon came to the
 bout was continued and Rosebud was
 well thrashed. He met the toughes | h
 have been champions today, Santry
 I,ennv. Bernstein, Broad, White, Dave
 Sullivan, Oscar Gardner, Grlffo, Fla 1 hertv. Solly Smith and others. Dixor / was a. smaller edition of Joe Cans
 astonishingly skillful and deadl! hitter, In all the years he held sWa!
 at the top hes uffered but two injuries ; in scores of bitter encounters. H' broke his little finger on Cal Nc Carty when he won the title In Sl Ten years later George shattered hi arm on the oaken Dave Sullivan. Kill l bane has it "on'' the late Dixon Il one respect, however. Til Choco late" made s25O,OOo but he died { pauper They'll never say that o
 Kilbane.
 Terry McGovern-'"Terrible Terry , was the greatest little fighting ma l chine N- n rninrtive Jack Dempsey. His whirl e wind speed and soporific hittin
 swept opponents from their feet in t round or two. Terry was good enougl s to go out of his class and knock ou q Frank Erne, then lightweight cham s pfon of the world. Kilbane couldn' e duplicate Terry's feat He tried e with Benny Leonard, the presen /, Iightwei ght king, and Benny crushe Il him in three swift rounds. McGover used up all opposition in little nor l than a year. And then it took full fedged lightweight, Young Corbet l. to sound taps on his reign of terror. 6 HOW many think KiIbane is in Terry is class?
 d Abe Atte11 was one of the greates d feathers the ring ever produced. H 1T thought nothing of tackling the be: r. Iightweights and holding his ow J. with them. Battling Nelson, th n toughest and toughest of them al 2 could do nothing with Abe in l d rounds. AtteH once went out of h 5 class and gave Freddy Welsh, aftel IS ward lightweight champion, gres
 15-round battle. And then there WE , Jem Driscol1, the marvellous lit ;s Briton who made a show of Atte s- the wizard. and beat some of our be "a Iiettweights. A genuine phantol