The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-12-15
NEEDS
A lands
By Gene Tunney
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Worlds Heavyweight Champion
Opponents OF boxing probably win
tell you it needs so many reforms
that the sport should be legislated
out of existence. In my opinion. 1T
needs so little reformation nowadays
that the entire game could be set
upon a plane beyond the disgruntled
rumblings of these capti0us critics
by undergoing exactly one major
change.
what boxing needs is q Judge
Lands.
It needs a high-class. man at its
head. as one who VIII weld its
various units into cooperating ma
tional group, accountable to this
overseer in every respect. This man
should be one who inspires not only
public confidence in himself, but alb.
solute respect and obedience to his
ukases and rulings.
As matters stand, we have al
most chaos in one championship
division and rival claimants for
titles to others. their pretensiOns
recognized by such and such an
organic a ion and absolutely
u
body. The flyWeight division,
fer example, has afforded con-
siderable amusement since Fidel
La Barba resigned the title a few
months ago to enter Stanford
University.
The result has been that we have
no recognized flyweight champion,
although it see Is that Newsboy
) Brown generally is credited with be-
ing the class of the lot. Brown,
however. has seen fit to hold aloof
from the various tournaments that
have been held ITO date.
This confusion is not confined to
the little fellows, either. There is
an element of uncertainty to be
found in iearly every major class,
with the exception of the heavy
weight division, and even here 1t is
possible that some day we will have
the incongruc s situation whereby
two or more contenders will be ad-
vertising themselves as the champion
claim of Benny Bass even to the
extent of breaking with New York
because the latter failed to string
along with this decision. And, until
recent weeks, many supported
Johnny Dundee's belated attempt
to reclaim. his former honors as
"the undefeated featherweight
champion"
In the bantamwe1ght division,
Bud Taylor generally has estab-
lished himself as the reigning
champion. Still. officially, he doesn't |
rate the title with the New York
group and at present is under sus-
pension there because he failed to
go through with match against
Tony Canzoneri.
Then. last, but not least, the
lightweight division, once the most
popular of all, next to the heavy
weights. It. has fallen in i
decay, in spite Of the development
of Jimmy McLarnin Billy Wallace,
Sid ferris and other good con
tenders simply because Sammy
Mandell. the champion, has set Il
price and no promoter has been
found who is willing to pay it.
Imagine professional baseball un.
der Lands reaching s. i an i'm
passe.
Indeed, we have such an impasse
now in the class Just below, Tommy
Loughran being recognized as light
heavyweight champion in New York
and affiliated States and Jimmy Stat |
terry having been voted into the
title by the many States operating |
under the auspices of the National
Boxing Association. Only the fact
that Loughran and Slatterv have
agreed to meet In a championship |
match has prevented this division
from degenerating into "a claiming |
contest.
Now. let us consider the 9th.
ers. Mickey Walker has the
nliddleweight title to himself by
reason. of his verdict over Tiger
Flowers. but he stands sus-
pended by the New York group
because he has refused to de.
fend the championship here
against George Courtney.
Meantime. Walker is in per-
fectly good standing in other
sections of the country.
Joe Dundee. welterweight king,
stands suspended here for his fail.
IRE to- go through with the Hud-
kins fight in California, although
New York has no working agree. /
ment with the latter