New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Wilson Stakes
Title in Fight ight
With O'Dowd
Middleweighss TO Clash on
Thursday Night in Garden
in Fifteen-Round Battle
By w. ]. Macbeth

Madison Square Garden, which NAV
safely be called the Big Time" in
boxing of New York State, is nearing
the finish of the season. Soon the
circus is to take the place of the
padded ring. and after the circus the
amphitheater will be converted into
gigantic swimming pooi. But the old
Garden, in taking the seasons count ;s
gong out in a blaze of glory inst tho
same. AS
Two available dates only are left
but both will see championships en'
counters. Next Thursday night the
Seventeenth of Ireland, will witness
what should be the most important
mldd eweight test in nearly wear
worlds champion Johnny Wilson is 10
defend his title against Mike O'Dowd
of whom he relieved the crown in
fitteen rounds to decision.
IL was py gaming referees decision
over the then champion, Mike ODowd
after twelve furious rounds in Boston,
that Wilson sprang into purilstic
prominence. Before he won the cham.
plonship Wilson generally Va consid.
cred fair second rater. Since then ha
has followed the general trend of lat.
ter-day champions picking the gilt
through the highways and byways. in
vaudeville, pictures and other easv
avenues of untrammeIled existence. He
hasn't fought much, and when he has
fought his opponents have run heavily
toward the sucker" type.
Champion Sure of Victory
y Dowd viii be the first serious cus-
toner to bid for Wilson's crown. Miss
always has believed he was robbed h..
the referee up in the Hub. The major.
lty OF critics who watched the passing
OF the title were of Mikes opinion.
Yet wilson must think the referee was
honest, else he would not risk such a.
valuable asset as championship in
return engagement.
~ know I'm not much Of a scranner"
wilson has declared publicly any num-
per OF times, but there is one guy
can hcK any day in the week He an
s"ers to the name of Mike ODowd"
o'Dowd has been clamoring for re-
turn match ever since he was believed
OF the championship. And in bis favor
IL may be said he richly deserved the
nohor. Mike was the busiest champion
we have had in many years. He never
barred any one who could come close
TO making the weight. He was not
knocked out. He lost the championship
on q questionable decision. He firmly
ioelleves he can retake what he then
lost, and IN signal fashion.
nave long pined for the opportu-
n'ty now presented" said ODowd after
sun workout in Grupp's gymnasium
Yesterday afternoon. They will need
no referees decision this time If do
not Knock Wilson out or beat him so
badly no judge can possibly make a
mistake, then I'm ready to abide bv
ohat Boston decision. You know on
what day we're going to mix Well,
st. Patrick will have no occasion to
feel ashamed of me-"
~ wilson is a southpaw, same as Lew
lender, the Philadelphia lightweight
VINO has designs on Benny Leonard's
lightweight crown. He is native Of
boston-or, rather. Charlestown. Mass.
a Boston suburb by adoption. The
mlddleweight title holder was born Of
itallan parents in the upper section Of
Manhattan, and emigrated to Masss
chusetts not long after the death Of
= rrawiey law. He moved out prin-
S.paiiy because no one around these
dlgglngs would give him much Of q
tumble
iSoH rights way to fame
The local promoters could see moth
ing IN him that gave the least hint OF
championship class. For his last battle
IN New York, Johnny Wilson earned
Ine munillcent sum OF eleven dollars.
~ was just ten cents more than a dol
iaF round. He had to travel at top
speed ten rounds to save annihilat;on
at the hands of X o. Sweeney.
I'd .NaSSachnSp+tS nav it,o-, Soon
fought himself into favor From pre-
liminary lad he developed into semi
nnalist and then into a star attraction
LAST May, after he had been in Boston
,'tl1e more than year. Wilson got his
pig chance-the fight with O'Dowd-~
and made good.
The two middlew Weights are SUI
posedly at the zenith of their careers.
wilson Is twenty-seven and O'Dowd
twenty SIX years of age O'Dowd halls
from st Paul and is of the school Of
Mike Gibbons. He won the middle
weight championship by knocking out
Al MCCOY in Brooklyn in the atIef
Gays OF the Frawley Law.
O'Dowd is one Of the very few So
Called professional lighters of Uncle
Sam who voluntaSily served in the
'rencnes. He made great hit in the
,ouo poNlng tournaments Tor Allieo
soldiers. Shortly before he lost his
title to Wilson, the former champion
gave Mike Gibbons. the St Paul viz
ard, boxing lesson for ten rounds
Besides the championship battle,
hlckard will stage two tens and one
six-round mill. In the semi-final Joe
henJamin, the Pacific Coast light
weight, will meet George Erne. of Buff
falo. In the other ten rounder Lieu
tenant Earl Baird, of Seattle, and Joe
German, of California, will come to-
gether 81