San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-15
Fans Looking and Hoping
for Many Changes in
Pugilistic Crowns.
THREE GONE ALREADY
Greb, Villa and Ski Lose
Championships Though
1923 Is Young.
By BILLY EVANS.

| neu IlSHlcT DtcOIutS tudIu
pion. a lot of folks Immediately be,
gin pulling for someone to defeat
him.
1t is very easy matter for a
champion to make some slight mis-
take that causes lot of fight fans
to get out their hammers and start
the old anvil chorus. 4.-.
When Carpenter met Dempsey a
majority of the immense crowd pres
ent was pulling for the Frenchman
to win. 1t was an unusual spectacle,
seeing a foreign champion lionized,
while the home-bred received only a
lukewarm reception.
Carpenters war record, which
had been widely exploited in the
papers, made him the popular hero.
Dempsey's deeds were drab in COM
parison and he didn't have any war
record.
At present several title-holders are
unpopular. some because of their re-
fusal to fight, others because of the
manner in which they fight.
venture to say that a lot of
fight fans are hoping certain cham
pions are rendered unconscious the
first time they step into the ring.
Upsetting the dope is the favorite
pastime in the fight game at pres
ent. Few years in the annals of the
sport have witnessed so many re-
versals as 1922.
Three Gone Already.
Already it seems that 1928 will run
1922 close race for upsetting the
dope.
In 1922 Johnny Buff lost both the
fyweight and bantam titles. Harry
Greb won the American light-heavy-
weight championship from Gene
Tunney; Battling Sikh beat Carpen-
tier for the world light-beavy title
and veteran Jack Britton handed over
the, weller honors TO Mickey Walker.
Although 1928 is only three months
on the way, three champions have
already been dethroned.
Gene Tunney, in a return match,
defeated Greb. while frankie Genaro
took down the decision over Villa,
and Battling Sikh was knocked back
TO nowhere when he lost a decision
to Mike McTigue.
In justice to Greb and Villa, it
must be said that the decisions that
deprived them Of their titles failed
to meet with popular favor and
caused much unfavorable criticism as
to the methods Of conducting the game
in New York.
In the heavyweight class, Luis
Firpo, the Argentine fighter, and
Floyd johnson, the Iowa youngster.
look like the best bets in that diyis-
ION.
Firpo, in his bout with Bill Bren-
nan, which ended in knockout vic
tory, showed that he packs the
punch.
johnson Coming Along.
Not only was Brennan knocked
out Of the ring but also right into
hospital. He spent week recuper-
ating from the effects of the WALTON
ing Eirpo handed him. Brennan will
testify that Firpo can hit.
Floyd johnson is the American
hope in the battleship class. A knock
out OF Bob Martin, a decision over
Bill Brennan and knockout of Ray
Smith are high spots in Johnson
career.
johnson is improving every time
out. He has the physique. the fight
ing spirit and at present lacks only
experience to make a worthy oppon-
ent for Dempsey.
1t would be the irony of fate IL
johnson was to win the heavyweight
title from DEMPSEY.
During the last world series be-
tween the Yankees and the Giants.
the Martin-Johnson fight was arranc.
ed as sport attraction that would
draw, biz, because of the thousands
OF visiting fans in New York.
Dempsey. great baseball fan. was
in New York at the time. He became
interested in johnson and worked ont
battle. WV
L watched them in action several
afternoons and feel sure that the
Kindness Of Dempsey helped Johnson
to win much prestige by his Knockout
of Martin.
Dempsey in weeks time made
over johnson from an ordinary fight.
er into a mighty dangerous one.
Fate would indeed he unkind II
later the advice Of Dempsey would
aid johnson in defeating the cham.
pion.