The Washington herald., 1921-03-13
BY ROBERT EDGRRN.

BIZ HObEHT EDGHEN.
When Johnny Wilson won the
middle-weight championship from
Mike O'Dowd at Boston last May
twelve rounds and a referees deci-
sion-it was as much of a surprise
to the rest of the world as 1t was
to Mike.
Outside of Boston there was a
general impression that Wilson was
some sprightly newcomer. Nothing
of the sort!
This is Wilson's eleventh year in
the ring. The general public didn't
know much about him simply be-
cause he wasn't very much more
than a pork and beaner" until he
hoped into fame over Mike
O'Dowd's unwilling head.
Wilson's record wasn't bad, yet
there was little in it to suggest the
coming champion. Born in New
1911. His right name is John Pan
lea, and he is of Italian descent.
In his first two years among the
preliminary boys he won fifteen
fights with knockouts. lost one, and
fought a number of no-decision at
fairs. After that for a few years
he went along with a large per-
centage of wins and a few scatter
ing defeats. In 1916, for instance.
he won eight fights and lost four,
being beaten by Wild Bill Fleming,
Joe White. Tommy Robson and
Silent Martin. He lost three fights
in 1917 and two in 1918. In 1919 he
won eight (six with knockouts), and
fought three draws. He outpointed
Leo Houck and Augie Rather. The
rest of the men he fought were
little known. He wasn't up among
the middle-weight "contenders."
Since winning the title Wilson
has been of a mild and retiring dis
position. Tex Rickard offered him
$4,000 to met Mike O'Dowd. jeff
Smith. Battling Ortega or Boy Nc
Cormick, and Wilson couldn't hear
the offer at all. He refused to
take a chance" Tommy Ryan,
Billy Papke. Kid Mccoy, Stanley
Ketchel or Bob Fitzsimmons-for-
mer champions-would have fought
heavyweight Jack Dempsey for that
money. Fitz would have jumped at
a chance to fight all of the four
men Rickard named, in one night,
for $4,000.
Johnny Sure Is Cautious.
1t might be argued that Wilson
realizes his lack Of real champion
ship class. and that he Is Studying
up on the game and will come alon
little later and meet them all.
Not likely. He's an eleven-year
veteran now. II there's anything
he can learn. he's learned 1t by L.
time. Looks more as il Johnny
simply intends to realize as much as
he can on the title before risking it
in a real contest.
Since winning from O'Dowd he
has boxed twelve rounds, no deci-
sion. with Soldier Bartfield; ten no.
| decision with Young Fisher; gone
ten to no-decision with George Rob-
inson, and stopped Steve Choynski
and one or two other unknown
| third-raters. The rest of his time
he has been busy lodging cnal-
lsnses and inventing excuses for
not lighting.
Wilson Is a "southpaw" boxer,
and, like X. o. Brown, Lew Tender
and some of the others affecting the
advanced right hand, he can swing
fairly wicked left. He has very
| light legs, good arms and shoul-
ders, big hands. a short neck and
heavy jsw-all good points in a
| fighters makeup. He also has
speed. some skill, grit and endur-
| ance.
But, taking Wilson and ali his
rivals together, the middle e-weight
class never before was so shy OF
real championship material as it is
today. It's an off-season for mid
dle-weights. Once the class ranked
with the heavyweight in popular
favor. No more.
When the original Jack Dempsey
was king of the middle-weights, he
and John L. Sullivan and Jack Nc
Auliffe were known as the Three
American Jacks"
Dempsey was a corking boxer.
Bob Fitzsimmons, who beat him.
was even greater. Dempsey would
be called a welter-weight today, as
his best fighting weight was far
below $50 pounds. Fitz weighed
little over $50 when he beat Demn-
sey and only 15s when he whipped
big Jim Corbett for the heavy--
weight title. II he were alive ana
in his prime today there'd be M,
"contenders" to challenge his right
to the middle-weisht championships.
Lets Of Action for Former NIss,..
weights.
Tommy Ryan. who took the mid
die-weight title after Fitx drifted
into the heavy-weight class. was !