The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-02-23
GREB-GIBBONSGO
TO STIR INTEREST
IN LIGHT HEAVIES
Tough Bout May Develop
Tougher Material for
M. Carpenter
BY RnRERT EnnREN

Tom Gibbons and Harry Greb.
battling In New york March 10, will
help toward n settlement OF the
ownership OF the American light
heavywoight title.
Funny, but tho light heavyweight
class never has been {aken very
seriously by tho public, although
some OF tho best fighters we've ever
had have been light heavyweights---
too big for the mlddleweight and
giving n tremendous weight handicap
to the big men OF the ring.
Tho heavyweight class
should be one OF the most interest.
ing. a bout between big men looks
good when tho men are evenly
matched. Tho 175-pounders look
like hcavywoights, and IL isn't hard
To find number OF men in that
class who could meet each other on
even terms. In the heavywcights
the champion almogt Invariably
stands out 70 far IN advance of all
contendors, through bulk or ability.
that he has n lonely time OF II.
Not n New Division.
I've seen histories Of the light
heavyweight class printed lately. all
inaccurate. Tho class originated at
Fort Eria July 4, 1903. At last
time Jim Jeffries was heavyweight
champion, ana as much In class all
by himself as Dempsey is today.
| Smaller men had no chance 10
| fight Jeffrios.
or tho men around i75 pounds,
who would have been considered
| good heavywoights before Jeffries'
time. George Gardner and Jack
Root were about tho best. Gardner
md Root were matched TO fight at
| Fort Erie. They had fought twice
before. Gardner winning once on n
foul and once with i7-round
knockout.
But Root was n great fighter for
all that. After losing to Gardner
tho second time he beat the won
| dcrful blond viking. Kid Carter,
beat Marvin Hart. and beat Kid
| Mccoy, decision In 10 rounds.
This earned Root another chance
10 fight Gardner and there was so
much intercst In tho bout that tho
promoters thought mp the scheme OF
making IL now championship ar
| fair--the llght-hoavyAReight Tho
| Idea was well liked byNhe public nt
that time. Gardner knocked Root
out In IL rounds.
How Flts Won and Lost Title.
Gardner was built Ike Bob Fits-
| simmons but bigger and stronger.
He held the light
! championship only until the follow
ing November 25, when Fitzsim-
mons beat him In 90 rounds. This
was Bob Fitzsimm ons' third worlds
| title. ns he had been middleweight
and heavyweight champion. Fitz-
simmons, over 40 years of age, lost
tho tito to Jack OBrlen In 1905
collopGing In his corner through ex-
haustion and being unable to com,
out for the 18th round.
May 3. 1907, O'Brien was beater
In 20 rounds by Tommy Burns
That about finished the light.
heavyweight class. as Burns didn't
caro- for anything less than heavy.
weight honors. and went after the
big title. Burns Travelled TO England
Ireland and Australia, after knock
ing out Australian champion. Bill
Squires. In California, and became
heavyweight champion by virtue oi
whipping the champions OF differ.
ont countries.
Others have tried to resurrect Tho
light-heavyweight title. Jack Dill
Ion was undoubtedly as great 9
light -hcnvywcight ma ever claimet
and defended H. until his heRltl
broke down. Levlnsky beat hin
and was advertised as light-heavy
weight champion until he lost ;ht
world title to Carpenter and tn,
American title 20 Gene Tunney.