The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-05
NATIONAL BODY
ISExPECTED TO
CONSIDER CASE
New York Offers Johnny Chance to
Defend Himself IL He So
Desires.
gY FAIR PLAY.
1922. by The Argus.)

Copyright, 1922, by The Argus)
New York, Jan. Sit was appar-
ent today that local boxing author
tiles expect the second annual con-
yention of the National Boxing as
ISOLATION, which will take place
next Monday at New Orleans, TO
follow the lead of New York and
New Jersey in debarring Johnny
Wilson, the middleweight champion,
frcm rings in those states. The Or
ganization includes 10 state boxing
commissions.
That New York will make any
official representations TO the con-
ventfon, however, is out OF the ques-
ton. The empire state boxing
solons Joined with Massachusetts in
refusing to join the national asso-
citation and aside from the fact that
any suggestion or request from New
York to the convention would be in
poor taste there is added probable
ity that no attention would be paid
TO an outsider.
On the other hand letters received
from various out-of-town quarters
indicate that the Wilson case viii
be considered at the convention.
Just what action if any will be
taken il is impossible to say. Wal
ter Hooke, speaking for the New
York athletic commission, says that
this body is willing to give hear
ing to Wilson if the fighter demands
one. Maybe Wilson will take it up.
1t might have no result. Probably
it wouldn't but at leas tthe champ
on could get his side of the case
on record.
A man whether he be fighter or
something else. who breaks his
given word, does not stand very
high. He gave his word to Tex
Richard that he would fight any
man who weighed within the limit
of his class. This promise was to
be fulfilled in event of Rickard
turning over the $35 900 due Wilson
for the Bryan Downey fight in
Jersey City on Labor day. Tex paid
over the money and had signed
Greb to meet Wilson when the
champion through his manager an
nounced that having promised to
fight for Richard under duress he
felt no obligation to keep his prom
Use and would not keep it, at least
as far as fighting Greb was con-
cerned
Wilson's story, if he told it before
\ the New York commission, would be
designated to make out Tex Rick
ard as a poor sport and a welcher on
his word. He offered Wilson GER
tain sum OF money to defend his
title against Bryan Downey. Wilson
was entitled to defend it in the way
he saw fit Other champions have
stalled their way through bouts and
got away with it. Any way the
agreement with Richard said moth
ing as to how Wilson should fight.
The whole matter was up to the
referee, Jim Savage. He could have
made a national reputation for
himself by firing both men from the
ring. He did not and the fight went
to the limit. No decisions are per-
mitted in New Jersey After the
battle the New Jersey commission
decided to hold out Wilson's money.
But it was never held out in Jersey
Richard kept hold of it. And it was
Richard and Wilson who reached
agreement about paying the money.
This being the case fans became
curious as to just where the Jersey
commission figured in the matter
In an effort to gain light on this
point the writer questioned Chair
man Doherty of New Jersey, who
said that permission had been
granted to Richard TO pay the
money to Wilson at a secret meet
ing of the commission. Why sec
ret" was not stated. Anyway the
money was held out when it never
should have been held out Thus
Wilson, acting on the theory per-
haps that two wrongs make a
right, crawfished on the Greb match
as soon as he got his hands upon
the dough.