New-York tribune., 1921-03-17
O'Do,od Confident He VIII
Regain, Middle,ceight Crown
Champion Rules 8-5 Fa-
vorite Over Predecessor
for l5-Round Contest
By w. |. Macbeth

Square Garden tonight, will see its
first middleweight championship bout
in four years, when Johnny Wilson
defends his title through fifteen
rounds against Mike ODowd, whom he
bested for the crown. The champion
rules favorite at s to 5.
This should be fight worthy of
the occasion. The occasion, as every
one knows Cor should know, is ST.
Patrck's Day. and Mike is out to
make it red letter day for the patron
saint Of the Emerald Isle
For various reasons the middle
weight division seems to have been
sadly neglected of late. There is a
certain psychology to priaerng ap-
peak In styles and sizes it runs In
cycles, like milady's taste for fashion.
There was a time not SO long ago when
the best of our heavies couldn't get a
passing glance, though good heavy
weight attractions are always at a
premium. The fault, doubtless, 1as
with the crop of heavies, such as they
were.
Just now the little men seem to be
in popular favor: none more so than
the hyweights, the bantams and the
feathers. Benny Leonard stands SO
far above the lightweights that in
terest in this perennial shrine had
dwindled to next to nothing until
Rocky Kansas relighted the torch by
knocking out Richie Mitchell. But
wherever there has been lack Of in
terest in any division invariably, an
invests CATION will show, there is also
lack in we'll balance, class in that
particular division.
Great Middles in Old Days
In the old ydays the middleweig ght
was one Of otr most popular classes.
A scattering few of its heroes con.u
the shades of Ruby Bob Eitzsi,c Il o. IS.
Tommy Ryan, Steve Ketchell, Billy
Papke and George Chip.
Half dozen years ago the class
southpaw, won the crown ly knocking
out George Chip. Most every one
thought it was a lucky punch, q
flake, that turned the trick. This
opinion was solidihed by McCoy's ac-
tons. He Immediately went into his
shell and would fight nobody but
marks" He finally bumped into
O'Dowd and his Waterloo at the Cler
mont Rink, in Brooklyn, on thu last
day of the Frawley law. back in 1917.
Because he refused to fight the tough
ones Mccoy became known as the
cheese" champion. His traducers de-
clare he was fuke and reJoiced when
ODowd hattened him. O'Dowd was a
popular champion. He fought them al
as fast as they could come. He won
hs title by knockout; he lost It 70
Wilson by a referees decision after
lighting twelve rounds in Boston last
May. That decision has since come IT
for lot of argument. There are
those who maintain that Mike was
robbed
Be that as it may. tonight may de-
eide. The fact remains that the men
seem pretty evenly matched, as the ac-
companying box Of comparisons will
show. Even since he lost the crown
ODowd has been on Wilson's trail for
q return engagement There are those
who believe that in accepting this
match he planned to take Mike un-
awares. Mike, however, is willing to
abide by to-night's result.
Champion Comparatively Unknown
For O'Dowd it may be said he has
Ought them all in his class. Wilson
has not. He was comparatively un-
known before he was awarded the de-
cision over Mike. He was born in Har-
lem of Italian parents. He left the
city two years ago as fourth rate
preliminary fighter. The most money
ne ever got for an engagement before
winning the cham pionsbip was s65 in
Philadelphia He earned $1,000 with
the title. His right name is Giovanni
Francisco Panica.
O'Dowd, who is 25 years Of age one
year Wilson'S junior, was raised in St.
Paul He has been boxing eight years.
He has held his own in no-decision
bouts with Billy Miske and Soldier Bart
field He beat Mike Gibbons in ten
rounds in St Paul after he won the
championship. He has defeated Italian
Joe Cans, Jack McCarren and Ted (k'd)
Lewis.
There will be two corking ten-round-
crs before to-night's final. In one Joo
benjamin, the Pacific Coast lightweight,
will hook up with George Erne of Buff
1alo. Lieutenant Earl Baird, of Seattle.
will box Joe German in the other.