Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-09
DISCUSS RIGHT OF
DEMPSEY TO TITLE
Corbett, Australian Authority,
Says Jack Not Worlds Cham
pion--Mathison Disagrees
BOTH MEN GIVE REASONS
BY LOUIS II. JAFFE

AZ n bEMl'S SE Is not tle "orlu y
- heavyweight champion. What do
You think Of that'
w. F. Corhctt. Australian boxing
authority. is tho man who comes out
boldly with the assertion that the
Mannssa Maulor has not a valid claim
TO the laurcls of which he boasts But
Charles +. Mathison. a New York ex-
pert. who has delvcd into more recent
history than the Antipodcan, dsagrecs
with COrhctt.
First we will let Corbctt have the
floor:
Paddy Ryan and John l.. Sullivan
were. In the winter Of 1852, brought to-
gethcr to contend for the heavyweight
championship of the world and 5000
side. Ryan made very poor show
ing and turned it up inside eleven min
utes. during which nine rounds were
contested.
THAT was where John L. Sullivan
began as the alleged champion of the
world, a position to which he had not
the remotest claim and the occupancy
of which he never subsequently JUHu-
fed.
"'By and by Peter Jackson went TO
Sullivnn's country, where he won the
colorpd heavyweight championship OF
the world by knocl.ing Chocolate George
Godfrey out in nineteen rounds. Next
he stopped the giant Mission boy, Joe
McAuliffe. in twenty-four rounds, ana
Patsy Cardiff Cthc Ithaca giant who
had contested draw with sullivan IN
ten rounds.
Gauge to Sullivan
peter now wanted to meet John l..
for the championship or the world,
THAT color line was drawn tighter
than ever. But many persons whom
Jackson had impressed very much were
tnsistent in demanding that the black
/ and white monarchs of the globes ring
should between them. define an unas-
sailable, a genuine, championship OF the
world, with the result that Sullivan was
| induced to sign articles to meet Jackson
at the California Athletic Club for the
! title. John was merely caught on the
hon. Some weeks later he relented and
backed down.
Now, here's where Mathison comes
through with his version, in which
| Dempsey is upheld as the worlds
HEAVYWEIGHT king:
"There is unquestionable foundation
for the assertion that Sullivan side
/ stenned Jackson and Slavin. as is set
| forth bv Corbett, and it follows as Il
matter Of course that Corbett and Fitz-
| simmons won no title except that OF
"It is also true that Mace, who got
the worlds title by defeating Tom
Allen, the American champion, retired
undefented. The American champion
, shin then descended from Allen to Goss,
10 RYAN, to Sullivan, to Corbett, to
! Fitzsimmons
Right to Title
1.-The question naturally arises as tc
where Dempsey got his title Of worlds
champion. The answer is easy. Peter
Jackson won the championship oi
Europe and Australia by knocking out
lem Smith, the English titleholder, anC
Frank Slavin, claimant Of the Austria
liam title. Jackson. after winning thost
titios made unsuccessful efforts to ge
matches with sullivan, COrbctt anC
Fitzstmmons, and was not defeated
until he met Jim Jctfries, March %
ISDS. He WAS knocked out by tn,
boilcrmaEer, and Jef followed that vic
tory by stopping Fitzsimmons, th
American champion, on June Q, 1890
Tha Victories over Jackson and Fit
nn0ucstionably made Jeff the world
Iii may be argued that Jackson wa
hut a shadow of his former self, ye
he was still the holder Of the cham
pionship of Europe and of England.
After JEFF 5 retirement The was ou
az the ring for five years. Tomm!
Hurns showed superiority over the othe
American hcavics and claimed the title
Burns made himself the champion o
the world by stopping Bill Squires
Australian champion, and Gunner Moir
the English titlcholder.
"The worlds title has come dowl
from Burns to johnson, to Willard, t
Dempsey.
There Is not flaw in the world,
title now held by Dempsey"