Evening star., 1932-12-08
BOUT MAY REGAIN
CLASS PRESTIGE
Ring Division Has Taken on
Weight, Fallen Far Since
Weir Was Champ.
BY EDWARD J. NEIL,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

n IEW YORK, December g.
IN Kid Chocolate, a slim
i Y Negro boy, dazzling in his
skill, and a chunky, curly
headed puncher from California,
Fidel Labarba, can bring back to
the featherweight division Friday
night some of the glamor and
thrill a great fighting weight has
been losing steadily with the
years.
They meet for Is rounds in Madison
Square Garden, with Chocolates claim
to the featherweight championship,
granted by the New York State Athletic
Commission, at stake.
With these two rests much Of what
ever chance the 126-pound class has ut
the moment Of regaining the prestige
the division knew when it was ruled by
such men as Ike Weir, the Belfast
Spider; Terry McGovern, Abe Attell
and the prototype of all Negro warriors
since his day, George Dixon, the Little
TTHE featherweight class has taken on
i weight and toppled far since Wier,
skinny Scottish lad. won recogni-
ton as the first champion back in the
sos. With less fuss than a preliminary
boy makes today over a four-romd
emergency appearance, the Spider came
to America and fought Frank Murphy
an Enghshman, 80 rounds to o draw in
defense Of his honors.
The title passed in 1890 to Billy
Murphy, an Australian, who quickly
outgrew the weight limit that stood
then at 1lS pounds. He forfeited, and
along came George Dixon, the same
year. to fight Nunce Wallace in a Lon
don ring for the championship and a
side bet Of $4,000.
Dixon won in 10 rounds and reigned
tor 8 years, marvellous bit Of chocolate
fighting machinery, battling all corners,
ut any weight, for any amount of
money, and none at all II 1t wasn't
available.
Then a human torpedo, as great In
his day as Dixon. and as opposite in his
fighting style, Terrible Terry McGovern,
caught the Negro master on the down
grade in 1899 and knocked him out IN
eight rounds.
But McGoyern. great as he was, met
an early master, an unknown from
e~%AtSA. 4otxAS SO4 bCbty kIGcn 6S tllc
n1orhtng dew, caught Terry at Hart
ford Conn, in 1901 and shocked the
faithful with two-round knockout
They fought at 126 pounds, eight above
the limit, and Corbett never claimed
the title.
Both QUIT the featherweight ranks
and Abe AttelI fought Brooklyn Tommy
Sullivan for the championship in 1904
with the weight limit raised to 122
pounds; Sullivan won the first time
on a foul, but Atten scored q four
THEN came q glamorous line Of
i champions, Johnny Kilbane, con-
sQDeror Of Attel1 IN 20 rounds IN
1919; Eugene Criqui. hon-hearted
Ffeuchuan with the war-torn face,
who Knocked out Kilbane IN six rounds
at the Polo Grounds In 1928. and lost
the CROWN only six months later TO
bounding Johnny Dundee.
Evil times fell upon the class with
Dundee's retirement In 1925. A tourna-
-ment crowned Louis Kid Kaplan cham
pion in 1927, another made Benny Bass
his successor. and in 1923 Tony Can
zoneri, present lightweight king, whip
ped Bass. Andre Routis beat Cam
Zoneri, Bat Battalino defeated Routis,
and excess weight forced Battalino out
O year ago. %
Now New York recognizes Chocolate
as champion. the National Boxing As
sociation claims Tommy Paul, and Cali
fornia halls Babe Arimendi as the
title holder. g
So Chocolate and La Barba, the latter
a former f1yweight champion, can settle
only one-tnird of the controversy. Odds
favor Chocolate slightly. Each has
won a 10-round decision IN two previous
meetings.