San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-15
Some New Champions May
Be Expected Before Win
hi ter Rolls Around.
CIRCUIT In LIMELIGHT
Edgren Considers French
i man One Of Most Like
b. " to Cop a Title.
By ROBERT EDGREN

The summer of 1923 is going to
see the greatest boom in boxing IN
all the history of the sport. Cham
pionship matches are already sched-
uled in nearly all classes and when
the open air season Is over We are
likely to see few new worlds cham
J pions.
One of the most likely winners oil
titles is Eugene Criqui of France, the
great bantam and featherweight who
is now Invading America in expecta-
ton of meeting Johnny Kilbane in
= match for the feather crown.
Nearly all followers of boxing N
America have heard of Criqui, but
he 10 generally thought of as a
French boxer who has beaten bunch
of English boxers and who will a
novice against Kilbane and our ex-
perienced glove singers.
Criqui is anything but novice.
He began fighting in France and
England in 1910. He is now nearly
30 years old, having been born Au-
gust 10, 1898. This is considered
almost too old to fight in the feather
weight class. But Kilbane is "a, born
in April 1880.
Criqui did lot Of fighting before
the war, and was known as very
fast, clever boxer who occasionally
slipped over an unexpected knockout.
Has q Synthetic" jaw.
He fought all through the war in
the French army, was wounded sew
eral times and decorated for feats of
valor at the front. Patched up by
the army surgeons, Criqui has an ar
tificially built-up jaw, part of the
jawbone having been shot away in
battle.
Gene went right back to the ring
as soon as he could when the war was
over. He Knocked out long list Of
opponents and lot a couple OF deci-
sions-one to Pal Moore and one to
Tommy Noble. Visiting Australia. he
astonished the natives by beating their
best feathers and lightweights and
cleaned up among the Filipino fight
ssaxs who were doing very well until
be appeared. He defeated Dencio
\ Cabanela-in Australia considered
coming worlds lightweight champion
and beat Sylyio Jomito. one of the
most remarkable little fellows devel-
oped in the Philippines and at least
as capable fighter as Pancho Villa.
Last year Criqui knocked out
h Charlie Ledoux, the sturdy French
featherweight, in round; knocked out
Ben Callicott in third stopped Joe
4 Fox, English champion. IL; knocked
| out Arthur Wyms of Belgium in II
and Billy Matthews, in IL.
| Criqui has peculiar style OF his
own, speed, craft and clean knock
| out punch. He has been fighting
often and is in his best form this
gyear he should have very fair
chance to beat Kilbane, who has
held the title with very few matches
4 in recent years.
Purse Lures Wilde.
Another first-class little fellow
from overseas who may add some
thing to his reputation and will pad
bhis bank account considerable in
America this year is Jimmy Wilde of
England, worlds flyweight champion.
who is matched with Villa and may
flight Genaro, TOO.
Wilde is a wonderful boxer and has
9been great champion in his class.
He is a ring veteran. He was worlds
champion long before the war. The
Iflyweight class originated in England,
Sor tne name did. and Wilde was the
greatest little fellow ever seen in
England, where the little men seem
to have all the class.
He knocked ont several American
boxers who went over TO beat him.
land did 1t easily.
During the war Wilde tried score
Eof times to enlist, but was not ac-
tcepted for army service because he
weighed only 9S pounds. When he