The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-17

accept a modest remuneration for
Of thousands of New York city
mothers.
This is a real sacrifice, as it In
wolves not only money. but pos.
sible loss Of fistic reputation for
one Of the principals in the bout.
Both men are on Dempsey's trail
Gibbons came here last week from
st. Paul for the specific purpose of
challenging the champion. Johnson
10 not ready for Dempsey yet but
within year he will be. He has
been coming along fast, this TWEEN
ty-one.year-old lad from Iowa. Last
Friday night he eliminated Bren-
nan from the list of Dempsey's
ohallengers.
His meeting with Gibbons viii be
the next important step for John
son. II he can stop, or even out
point. man who has long string
OF knockouts and decisions to his
credit, he will become the most
prominent contender for Dempsey's
title.
If he Is knocked out or badly
0utpOinted by the st. Paul man
he drops far hack m the process.
.@ion and must make up that lost
Ground slowly and labOriOGlsly.
Gibbons, by winning, can inn
measurably strengthen his claim
that he Is the logical contender"
and probably can force Dempsey
into match.
Il he loses he may never get
started again, as he has been box
ing for several years and is now
thirty-two years old-the beginning
Of the ..sere and yellow" for a
pugilist.
70 lose than johnson because the
latter is young enough to overcome
. reverse at this stage OF his ca
reer.
Jess willard, the man mountain
who is daily tossing challenges at
Dempsey, disclosed his purpose to
meet the challenger for q losers
end when he absolutely refused to
appear against any prominent
heavyweight in a bout for the bene-
lit Of the milk fund.
Willard was offered more than he
probably will ever get for fighting
2Kdlu DuS l16 WASH 4ALSCA Cor~tAs
could have had either Gibbons or
johnson but he is in the boxing
game for Jess Willard and no one
else.
Al soon as willard was eliIini-
mated the logical bout was one be
tween Gibbons and johnson. G1D-
hons left for the West last Satur-
day. but his manager, Eddie Kane,
n still here and he consented 70
the match after wiring Gibbons.
When johnson was beginning
An a modest way around New York,
his manager. Charley Cook. de-
clared that Floyd would fight any
time for the milk fund. Another
manager might forget that promise
when more prosperous days arrived.
Cook is not that kind OF a man.
Ordinarily he would not send
johnson against so capable a citizen
as Gibbons at this stage Of the
Iowan's care0As Most folks think
Floyd Is too crude and inexperi-
enced to tackle an old ring fox.
Many young boxers have been
ruined by overwhelming at critical
stages of their careers. They should
not be rushed" when they begin to
grab headlines.
''The match is on so far as I am
concerned said Cook when first ap-
preached. SCI know Floyd will agree.
He thinks there isn't a man in the
ring who can beat him down.
And that's just the way Johnson
did think about it.
Sure thing" he said. "I'Il get
Gibbons eventually. Why not now?"
The exact date Of the match will
be announced by Tex RicIxard I'm
q day or two. Richard viii donate
the Garden and the services OF his
ushers as he did last year when
Gibbons and Harry Greb fought
for the milk fund. The bout be-
tween Gibbons and Greb drew
nearly $4,000, and the milk fund
was enriched by nearly SIS, 00O.
In volunteering his services Sec
Ond time for this worthy fund. Glib
bons has proved that a fighter can
be a real sportsman. Tom is will
ing to battle for a better chance at
Dempsey. Were this bout to. be
staged under ordinary conditions
his end of it probably would be $40,-
900. The difference will go into
milk for the babies.
Johnson. for the chance he takes.
will receive more money than he
ever earned in any one previous
night. Even when he tackled Bren-
nan last week he did not pull down
any great amount. for he was q be-
ginner seeking recognition and
metropolitan approval. Brennan,
for taking a beating, drew down
about $15,0 900.
In making arrangements for this
bout it was stipulated that it must
be a real attraction, waged on its
merits. with something at stake.
Any boxing expert will tell you that
the bout between Gibbons and John
son will be the biggest attraction Of
the winter at the Garden. Brennan
and Johnson packed them in last
week and Gibbons is a better card
than Brennan.