The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-19
Fight Business Is On The Blink
Ky wEsTBROoK PEGLEa

NEW YORK, Dec. 1S.-The fight business, which has paid various .sNes this year on receipts of more than S4,006.000 is reeling about the ring like an Eastside dock wallpaper Tn brawl with the historic but un- washed and unwept Yankee Sullivan.
 SfVeral -decisioDs of late after lights in Madison Square Garden have found the derisive chorus squat tlug on the doorstep of the Flatiron building. lifting their strident voices 10 the low-lying heavens of the God less Gommorrah in an ironic cheer. for the members of the boxing com mission and the official timers judges and referees by them selected To score the points in the star bouts at Madison Square Garden.
 It should be admitted perhaps that New York is the prize fighting capl- tai of the world. To New York have come in recent years: Georges Car Europe Luis Angel Eirpo and Luis vincentini, champions of South America: Ernie Rie, lightweight champion of Great Britain; Roland Todd, middleweight champion of all countries beyond Sandy Hook, and two little inen who were unbeatable by anyone of their weight on the European continent, EI gene Criaui. the featherweght, and the pockered little man from the Rhondda valley Of Wales-Jimmy Wilde, Great Britain's uuondam flyweight cham pion.
 Every one has been whipped and divested of his baubles within 30 minutes of Times Square since July 2 three years ago. when Carpenter went sprawling, half in fear and half in frolic under the weight of Jack Dempsey's right mitt, delivered to the back of the chin.
 All were whipped fairly, or as fair ly as possible, except Todd, who cer- tainly outboxed and outpointed the fleshy Tommy Loughran in the Gar den few weeks since, and heard 3 Joe Humphries call Loughran's name as that of the winner.
 However the outcry has arisen. and the fight business might as well hearlxen to the call of the wild-eyed populace.
 Exceptions have been taken to the work of the referees or the decisions of the judges in important bouts as
 Villa Wilde. Loughran, Greb- Tunney, Shugrue Vincentini, and Dundee Bernstein ssra
 Villa fouled Wilde. The fouls eon- sisted of i knockout punches which were on the way. then the bell rang. but which landed with stupefying force when Wilde had his hands down and was turning to his corner after the elang. They beat Wilde, but Villa was given the title.
 Todd came in as middleweight and outpointed Loughran. but lost the decision to the Philadelphian. who was many pounds overweight. Tunney Bout Questionable.
 There was an honest difference of opinion regarding the decision on the fight between Greb and Tunney., Greb, from Pittsburg. and not overly popular in New York, brought the row to Tunney from the first round to the last. and Tunney had nothing to offer but counter attack, direct ed at the ribs. The judges held that Tunney with his defensive attack at the diaphragm, outscored Greb. Harry was not a destructive puncher, but from our corner of the ring it seemed that lie scored more often than Tun- ney did.
 In the vincentini-s -shugrue bout, there was no doubt that the boy from Chile was the heavier puncher. He had Shugrue dizzy on his soles half a dozen times, but he had not the science to pursue tottering foe and put him under the covers. So, it seemed to the official scorers, Shu- grue won on points.
 Johnny Dundee, who holds the 126- pound, or featherweight, title, hon. estly and decisively won from Criqui. Monday night he fought Jack Bern stein for the SO -called junior light weight championship of the world. And there were many who thought Dundee had slipped away from his old form. There were many who saw Bernstein outscore and beat him. But Dundee got the decision and recap tured an unimportant auxiliary title that he held once before.
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 The judges are presumed to be honest and beyond the influence Of the betting. But much money is wa gered in the ring. where the gam blers congregate before, during and after fights at the Garden. Dundee. was the favorite before meeting Bernstein, but Bernstein advanced to A high position in the financial deal ing before the bell changed Vincen- tini was regarded as sure thing and Tunney was, too.
 The insinuations have been heard that gambling has had a strong in fluence on the vision of the men who decide these fights. These intima- tions may be cruelty unjust, and one who has personal acquaintance with the referees and judges might go so far as to say that they are grossly unjust. But so long as gambling is permitted to go on openly in the lobby of Madison Square Garden and in the open spaces of the open-air ball yards, there will be aspersions on the honor of the officials
 New York observers are alarmed. as this is the only big stronghold of high-money fighting i'm. America. However from where this somewhat experienced observer sat. the errors, if any, of the men who scored the bouts seemed to be not only pardon able, but, in some cases, problemat- ical That is to say that the Greb- Tunney bout, the Vincentini- -Shugrue fight and the Dundee Bernstein trou-' ble were just about evenly fought. A decision either way would not have given either fighter raw deal