The New York herald., 1921-09-24
Judges Decide on American
Flyweight Champion as Win
ner Of Is Round Bout.
BY DANIEL.

BY DANIEL.
This morning the world. whether /,
likes it or not, finds itself endowed
with new oantamweight champion
but nothing over which to become un-
duly excited. The new leader of the
universe in the 11S pound division is
Johnny Buff of Jersey City-ss years
old and father of three children. Buff
In manner OF speaking, wrested the
lourels last night from Pete Herman
oc New Orleans in fifteen round
bout in Madison Square Garden. AS
Buff also is the American Ayweight
tiueholder he enjoys the distinction
OF being the only double champion in
this country.
Herman lost the title because the two
tudges--Thomas Torpey and Charles
Meaghan--decided that Buff had scored
the greater number of points. But as
We saw the bout Herman, as the worst
was entitled TO draw--that even
without the traditional courtesy which
IL coming to champion when the is
sue is finely drawn.
Buff most decidedly was not entitled
to the crown, but those responsible for
the decision, which was not unpopular
with the gathering of about 10000, evil
IDENTIFY allowed their sympathy for the
smaller man and their disappointment
over Herman's form to get the better OF
their judgment.
Herman Fights SluEgishly.
Herman fought as IL he did not care
whether he kept the title or lost it--and
even with all that he really retained 1t.
The New Orleans bantamweight acted
just as he did when he handed the
championship to Joe Lynch In the Gar
den last winter There was another
fight with Lynch and Herman got his
title back There will be another fight
with Buff and Herman will take the old
package back again. For IL Herman
fights Buff win be stopped
Buff weighed in at l1S1a pounds,
while Herman scaled at 117M. This
difference IN poundage and size and the
fact that Herman is not very well liked
in this neck of the woods made Buff
the favorite of the crowd. Bluffs handi-
cap in age--33 against 25---was another
fc.ctor which attracted sympathy toward
the Jersey City Pole, and from time to
time brought taunts to Herman about
letting his grandfather force the fight
ing.
But Herman never did mind the
taunts. He never did rouse himself to
the real fury and real class of worlds
champion. His exhibition was an insult
to the title once held by Terry Nc
Govern and Jimmy Barry--and yet he
won. Herman was far the fresher at
the finish. He had done far the more
effective work in the heavy exchanges.
he had dealt out the greater amount OF
punishment and landed the greater num-
ber of hard blows.
Bun Knocked Down.
There was one knockdown. and that
went to the credit Of Herman lie sent
Buff to the canvas with a right hook to
the Jaw In the fourth round. The Pole
declined to take O count and bounced
up like a bally rubber ball. Herman
went after him, but Buff covered neatly.
Herman soaked him with Few iefts
and rights--and then the Louisiana ltal-
ian subsidized. In the fifth the crowd
looked for the then champion to let loose
and finish the scrap. But Herman de-
clined TO tire himself. He slowed down
and then slowed down some more ana
let Buff take the sixth round. HIS
handlers kept bowling to Herman IN
structions In CODES. J."--and what
ever that meant he did. Apparently 1t
meant take II easy" lie did.
Buff was willing at oil times. He was
game and he had some small measure OF
cleverness, which was packed In his ieft
His right scored from time to time, but
not heavily enough &c cause any real
damage. AS for Herman, he crashed
lefts and rights to the head and BODY
when he felt in a crashing mood.
He did this crashing in flurries. never
for any extended period. IL he became
100 enthusiastic he stopped himseif
short. That was particularly true III
the seventh. when Herman came misnty
close to stopping his nan. In the efghth
Peto slowed down and Buff took the
round.
From the seventh to the eleventh Her
man scored points. but he did not score
them any too impressively. In the
eleventh Pete got st2rted and hooked
his right to the head with effect. once,
twice, thrice. Buff was weary and puff
fling hard, while Herman was at his
ease. Then. In the twelfth. Herman fell
back again and In the thirteenth Buff
very clearly was entitled TO the round.
TauntS from the r1ngsine ulu not pOtncr
the New Orleans entry.
Lets Loose at Close.
In the thirteenth the crowd looked for
the champion to start. He failed. In
the fourteenth the crowd looked again,
and again he fought no harder than he
had to. Then the fifteenth, and the on
lockers sat back in expectation OF a
whirIwind finish by Herman, but he was
iathargy itself Not until the last thirty
seconds did nc open up--and then the
announcement that there was a new
holder of the much exchanged bantam-
weight title.
There was brilliant gathering to see
the opening OF the season In the Garden
The new dress Of the arena made II more
attractive. The ring was that used in
Jersey City for the Dempsey-Carpentier
fight. Dempsey and Johnny Kilbane
were introduced before the encounter.
The preliminaries produced some In
teresting bouts. In the seml-final Of
eight rounds Teddy McHugh, Allentown
featherweight, got the decision over
Johnny Curtin of Jersey City. Earl
Baird and Battling Reddy went eight
rounds TO a hot draw, and Red Cap
Wilson stopped johnny Murray In hfty-
two seconds. Murray went down three
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