The Washington times., 1936-05-02
Miller Set
Pace
Champ
Bv KIRK MILLER
Timer Sports Editor

The Freddie Miller Petey
Sarron world championship
featherwsight fight, slated for
the ball park here a week from
next Monday, will do much
toward returning pugilism's
spotlight to the little fellows.
This in spite Of the great TODD
about heavyweights in recent
years.
The meteoric rise of Joe
Louis naturally focused atten-
ton on the dreadnaught division
Of the game. Boxing history
proves that a GOOD fighter in
ANY weight makes for interest
in his class.
Not until sensational Terry Nc
Govern came along was there
much interest in the feather divi-
sion. Successors like Abe Attell,
Johnny Kilbane, Johnny Dundee
and Tony Canzoneri sustained
that interest.
Those Great LightweightS
The lightweight era of pugiliSm
rolled along from the time of the
great Joe Cans down through the
reinS of Battling Nelson, Ad VOL
asst, Willie Richie and Benny
Leonard. Interest lags when the
fighters at the top are not up to
fistic ideals.
The welterweight brigade was
aakeshift division originally and
only such names as Joe Wolcott,
Jack Rritton and Mickey Walker
made the welters popular.
Great ring figures like Stanley
Ketchell, Billy Papke and the
original Jack Dempsey C"The
Nonpareil') made the middle
weights great attractions. They
Topped with advent Of the Al Nc.
CoyS and Johnny Wilson's.
Even the little flyweights you
seldom hear about had their great
day in court, when such as Johnny
Buff, Pancho Villa and Jimmy
Wilde piled their trade.
The Hght-heavy division had box
office "it' when such as Bob Fitz-
Simm onS, Philadelphia Jack
OBrien and Jack Dillon were
tops.
Why Louis Stands Out =
Joe Louis is q standout now.
One reason is that he can fight
and another is because Of the con-
trast in following Jack Sharkey,
Primo Camera and Max Baer.
Sharkey won and lost big shot
fights on fouls. There is nothing
quite as unbecoming q champion
as to hear him holler "cop." Baer
won and defended the heavy title
by dint Of the worlds greatest
sucker punch-an overland right.
Camera was an attraction in the
ring due to the same gigantic meas
urementS that made him a circus
side show feature.
Freddie Miller, as featherweight
titliSt, is just coming into his own
as a generally recognized real top
flight fighting champion. His title
can be traced back step by step via
Tommy Paul, Battling Battalino,
Tony Canzoneri, Louis Kid Kap-
Ian, Johnny Dundee, Eugene Cri-
qui, Johnny Kilbane, Abe Attell,
Brooklyn Tommy Sullivan and
Terry McGovern.
Sought World Laurels
Not only did Miller willingly
meet all corners in this country,
but he went abroad to clinch his
world titular claims by defeating
the best France, England, ireland.
Wales, Spain and Cuba had to
offer. In New York city some
rather weakened attempts are
being made to force recognition of
Baby Arizmendi as feather cham
pion, with Mike Belloise as second
choice.
Arizmendi has been beaten by
Miller and by Flo Echaverez who
was whipped by Miller. BelloiSe
was stopped locally by California
Joe Rivers and also was handily
defeated by Jose Santos, the
Portuguese 126-pounder who
meets Baby Manuel in the semi
final to the Miller-Sarron bout.
So the New York claims for
Arizmendi and Belloise will
hardly stand the scrutiny Of even
q most casual observer.
A Champion In Fact
Miller, who shares with Johnny
Wilson, Tiger Flowers, Lou
Brouillard and Young Corbett
III, the distinction of being one
of five southpaws to hold worlds
titles, also enjoys a worlds rec
ord for champions in title de-
lenses. Freddie has gone to the
post no less than 10 times in
,15-round title bouts.
That is something at which lot
of champions might shoot. Most OF
them usually wrap their titles in
cotton batten well seasoned with
moth balls and neatly stenciled,
.:"Not to be opened until absolutely
necessary"
Neither is Miller picking a
bargain in Sarron, who came
within a shade Of grabbing the
green light from the 126-pound
s.champ at Coral Gables in March
La