The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-07-18
ny CHARLES #. MATHIsoN.


Beyond doubt the lightweight class in
American pugilism IN the matter OF
public interest and sensational perform
ances is second In Importance only TO
the heavyweight division, The holders
OF the lightweight title kept the worlds
championship OF the class on American
soil for eighteen successive years. George
Lavigne was the FIRST American cham
pion to capture the worlds title, he win
ming the honors In bout with Dick
Burge in London, June /, 1895, and they
remained with American boxers till july
7, 1914, when Willie Richie lost the
crown to Freddie Welsh in London.
Welsh held the title till May 28, 1917.
when Benny Leonard regalned the
honors for America by stopping Welsh
In this city in the ninth round.
From present appearances the worlds
title will remain In America for eighteen
years more, as the crop Of lightweights
here is exceptionally strong and the 1876
Founders OF foreign countries extremely
weak.
While Leonard seems to outclass the
field, yet IL the present champion were to
retire, the title would be safe in the
Dundee or Mitchell any one OF whom
can defeat the best llghtweights OF
France. England or Australia. An err
roneous impression has prevailed that
Leonard won the American title from
Welsh. The latter was the English
lightweight champion and also the
worlds champion when he camo to
America, and It was the worlds cham
pionship Leonard captured. He previ-
ously had made himself the American
champion by defeating the best of the
| lightweights in the United States.
Foreign Born Champions.
The title' Of the lightweight class in
America was tussled over by foreigners
| till the early '90s, when McAuhffe, who
was born in Ireland, retired and gave the
opportunity to George LaviRne native
! American, to claim and successfully de-
! fend the championship for many years.
Abe Hlcken was the first recorded title
holder and when he retired In 1872 three
Engllshmen. Arthur Chambers, Billy Ed
wards and Johnny Clark, had series of
battles for the honors ...
Chambers came out on top beating
Edwards and Clark, after which for lack
OF new opponents the title was permitted
to lapse. Statements to the effect mat
Jack Dempsey was lightweight champion
are erroneous, Dempsey was welter
at the outset Of his career.
In 1884 Jack McAuliffe began TO show
class, and after winning several anna
teur competitions. he challenged a rival
named Jimmy Mitchen TO box for title.
Mitchen declined the issue, and Nc
LIT NstI
fenced the American championship with
great success.
McAuIiRe's Status.
| McAulffe has been enormously cred
! tied with holding the worlds title He
never had but one bout for the worlds
championship, and really lost to Jem
| Carney at Revere Beach, Mass, Nov. 16,
1887 although the referee generously
gave the American a draw after Nc
Auliffes friends had broken up the ring
in the seventy-fourth round. when the
American champion was hopelessly
beaten. M0Auiffe was fairly beaten in
ten-round bout by Young Critic at
Coney Island, Aug, %, 1892, but the
referee again saved him and decided
against Critic.
In the early '9Os George Lavlgne. a
! product of the Michigan lumber woods,
and known as the Saginaw Kid" began
to loom large as knocker out. Nc
Auiffe was challenged by the Kid but
first decided to try to test the youngster
| in a short bout. 1t was a six-round
contest in this city. March IL, 1896. and
after sampling Lavigne's punching power
McAuliffe decided that the time to retire
had arrived.
Lavlgne at once declared himself to be
the head of the class and met all