San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-21
Sikh, Wilson, Kilbane and
Others Likely to Slide
in 1923.
LEONARD TOO BIG NOW
May Have to Relinquish
Lightweight Honors Be-
cause of Weight.
BY ROBERT EDGREN.

Copyright. 1898. by the Bell Syndicate
Several ring championships changed
hands last year, and few more should
have shifted owners. Good new men
are coming along in different welsnt
classes. and no doubt some OF tls
present titleholders will be chucked
out to make room for better men at me
top long before another New Years
comes around.
Jack Dempsey, heavyweight cham.
MON. has had a dull time for lack OF
opponents, but his prospect for action
in 1923 looks good. He has several
active challengers, and more on the
way.
Among white boxers Floyd Johnson
looks like a future opponent for Demp-
sey. Floyd has been going along
smoothly for the past six months,
knocking out nearly all OF his oppo-
nents, and there have been some fairly
good men on his list. He is a we'll
built fellow and, while not as fast IS
Dempsey, shoots over his punches with
speed enough TO worry nearly anyone,
especially as he has the kuacS OF hit
ting hard without taking time .for
round-arm swing.
Dempsey spent two or three days
coaching johnson when they were
training at Spellman's gym in New
York last fall. and Floyd improved
rapidly and used much OF DemDSey-
action in heating Bob Martin and Bill
Brennan. Dempsey may have sown
the dragons teeth in teaching johnson
how to hit hard and often.
Then jess Willard is expected 10
meet Dempsey some time before mid
summer. He has been training for sew
eral months. and while he may not Rave
all. of his old speed it is absurd to say
that man Of Wizards height, reach,
strength. weight and experience isn't
dangerous.
Gibbons Would Outlook Champ.
Tom Gibbons. after beating Billy
Miske easily. feels that he deserves a
chance TO fight Dempsey, and that he
can outlook the champion and win a
decision over him. At least his chances
might prove better than Carpenters.
II that means anything.
The Wills match is still on for next
summer, as far as Dempsey is con-
cerned. Dempsey is anxious to fight
Wills. He'll give the big negro a
weight advantage of just 40 pounds,
but that is mere detail to Dempsey,
who thinks that "the bigger they are
the slower they are" and counts any
slow boxer an easy mark. Wills is
the biggest black fighter on record.
And while he isn't the slowest, he is
an ice wagon compared TO the cham
pion.
As Dempsey keeps in good condition
by daily training. whether matched to
fight or not, it isn't likely he'll lose
his grip on the big title this year. But,
as Jack says himself, "anything can
happen in the ring"
The light-heavyweigh worlds cham
pionship probably will have a new own
er before long. Sikh is the rightful
holder. He won it BY knocking out
Carpenter, and the title can't be tax
en- away from him by proclamation as
long as he is willing to defend it,
But, although Sikh happened TO hit
Georges on the chin, he isn't much Of
q champion. Shortly before that be
fought a 20-round draw with Journee.
And Journee Is Awful.
saw Journee often when he was
working as Carpenters sparring part.
ner, and when Weinert beat him in q
punch. BE wouldn't be even a fair pre
liminary fighter in this country.
From Skis record he should be
easy meat for Greb, Tunney, Norfolk
or any good ELECTROMAGNETIC. Hell
lose the title as soon as he meets 8
good man who goes into the ring
trained and on the job, which Carpen
tier probably wasn't.
There will be a new middleweigh
champion. Johnny Wilson's dodginj