San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-15

did get IN, ne was maze an instructor
an boxing and bayonet fighting. He
fought several Americans in army
bouts being an easy winner each time.
He beat Joe Lynch twice and Pal
Moore once.
After the war Wilde visited Amer
lea and ran up against Jack Shar-
KEY in his first 10-round bout. Shar-
key was the first TO give him rough
evening, but at that time Sharkey
was little whirlwind and likely
to beat anyone of his weight.
Wilde won few fights and went
home. This was in 1919. Two years
later he fought Kid Herman in Eng
land and was Knocked out, the only
time in his life in IL rounds. Herman
was 10 come in as a bantam and
refused to weigh. he was too big
and strong for Wilde, who could
have called the bout off but preferred
to fight. Probably by that time Wilde
had slipped back a bit too.
After losing to Herman, Jimmy
retired and became a country squire,
with a racing stable, fox hounds and
golf course near by on which he
spent much Of his time. He shoots a
good game of golf.
Wilde was tempted back to boxing
by the huge purses of today. One
or two lights may earn him as much
as twenty hard battles in his best
days as champion.
English sportsmen opposed Wilde's
trip to America. They think he Is
past his prime and should retire with
out risking defea' by a flyweight and
loss of his title.
Planning a Campaign.
Benny Leonard will start another
active season after a long rest-and
il may De his last as a lightweight.
The toughest rival Benny will have
on his trail is Tender. but he prob
ably will take an easier opponent at
first as leave the Philadelphia for
big money bout late in the season.
Leonard has taken OH weight sew
eral times, but seems able 70 get into
shape for any real fight. There's no
indication vet that he's through, but
he has held the title long time.
The most interesting situation. OF
course. is among the heavyweights.
Firpo is being boosted and eased along
to be matched with Dempsey before
many months, and will not be stacked
against anyone who might tip him over
and spoil big gate.
There are great advertising posi-
bilities in the Argentine giant. He
is a husky big fellow though novice
as a boxer. He has little beside
size and strength and tough jaw.
When Jack Dempsey was working
his way UP to the championship he
fought as often as he could, and Jack
Kearns. picked the toughest men he
could find.
Dempsey started with knocking out
Carl Morris and went through the big
fellows like a fire through a forest.
Firpo could be matched against half
n dozen different men who could give
him a lot Of trouble. but safe oppon-
ents are being carefully picked for
him. He is 10 be slipped into the
position of challenger with as little
risk as possible.
Floyd Johnson's Chance.
Floyd johnson. who is to box Will
lard at the Yankee ball park. May
Il. probably before the biggest fight
crowd on record. is much more danger
Gus than Firpo. but isn't attracting
as much attention. He'll crowd Firpo
out of the limelight IL be topples big
jess for ten-count. That wont
worry the promoters. It'll just make
another good match, Firpo and john
son. and the winner against Dempsey
for the biggest gate Of all.
Or IL Willard should make a seusa-
tional showing he might take Firpo
and then Dempsey. Any way it hap
pens. there are at least three matches
in sight-or four. IL Wills.Dempsey
is added-that will look lot better on
paper than the Dempsey- Carpenter
fight which cracked all sporting gate
records a couple Of years ago. The
promoters can't lose!
As for the chance that Dempsey
won't be champion when next Christ
mas rolls around-that's hardly worth
comment.
Today Dempsey is an experienced
champion. and one of the most perfect
fighting machines ever seen in his
class. Firpo is a novice and at %
is almost too old to learn. johnson
has. the stuff but needs another year
Of experience. Willard and Wills are
both past their prime and dangerous
only because Of their advantage in
bulk. Which isn't alwavs an advant-
age against Dempsey. The big ones