The Washington times., 1937-12-28
FISTIC B 0 A R D
PLANS REFORMS
TO AID BOXING

Boxing Commission are written
into the code governing boxing in
this city, fighters performing In
featured bouts will be required to
report here 48 hours before their
match, and hole at least one work
out under the supervision Of com
mission inspectors. This, it is
said, will prevent any fighter OBJ
viously out of condition getting
into the ring ind giving an unsatis-
factory performance.
Commissioner Paul E. Haworth
and Secretary Heinie Miller today
said such legislation unqueStion-
ably would aid in raising the quail
ity of boxing here. Neither would
discuss the question at any great
length. Both said that they we're
talking as individuals interested
in boxing.
The matter would have to be
placed before the District Boxing
Commission for thorough discus
sion, they said. Goldie Ahearn,
matchmaker 1T Turner's, and How
ard Livingston, matchmaker at
the Rialto would be called in at
any meeting where such matters
were discussed.
STANDARDIZE EQUIPMENT
It is more than likely that be
fore many weeks have elapsed the
fistic peppers will adopt standard
fighting trunks, and make it OBJ
ligatory that fighters draw lots for
colors. Just what colorS will be
selected has not even been dis
cussed. It is likely that the red
banded black trunks, and blue
banded purple shorts, officially
adopted by the New York State
Athletic Commission, may be Sc
lected here.
More than so per cent Of the
fighters appearing on local cards
have trunks of one color or the
other. The boxing commission at
its own expense might order q
dozen pairs of fighting trunks and
have them available for use, seeing
that they are properly laundered
after each use.
Colonel Miller said that some
fighters wanted to wear certain
trunks because they were superSti.
tious. That same statement has
been made before in other boxing
centerS. But the average fighter
prefers to sacrifice his supersti'
tions to his money-making ability
The probabilities are that the boys
who drew purple trunks would
wear them, and the boys who drew
the black trunks would take them.
WATCH THOSE WEIGHTS
Local ring patrons may expect
closer cooperation between the
commission and the match max
ers in the matter of making up
cards. Closer attention will be
paid to weight. Irish Johnny
Dean went into the ring last night
against joey StraigeS weighing
144H pounds to his rivals 1861
That is a welterweight fighting
a lightweight. OF course Dean is
a ham and beaner of Pier 6 ten
dencies, and his weight-moSt OF
it around his waist-waS a handi-
cap to him rather than an ad-
vantage. But the principle Of the
thing was all wrong. If Straiges
had faced a fighter of higher
caliber, it is readily conceivable
that he would have been badly
beaten, perhaps badly hurt.
Where matches are made, give
and take a pound or two, a scale
should be set. In the flyweight
class, a pound might be allowed.
In the bantamweight class, three
pounds, and the same in the
featherweights. For lightweightS,
Welterweights and middleWeightS,
five pounds should be the limit at
weighing in time. Light heavy
weights can take care Of them
selves. Fitzsimmons was just q
middleweight, and he licked the
world until Jeffries came along.
He licked lot Of them after he
lost to jeff.
AHEARN INDICATED
Tony Ricco, the raven-haired
youngster from Camden, who de-
feated Augie Krow Of Baltimore at
Turner's Arena last night COM
pletely vindicated Goldie Ahearn
in the matchmaker's tiff with
DR.. Marvin Mclean, examining
physician for the District Boxing
Commission.
It was while DR.. Mclean was
examining Ricco that Goldie
Ahearn complained about the
length Of time spent upon each
contestant by the physician, and
the medico finally pointed to Ricco
and said:
Here is a boy who hasn't
boxed in six weeks. How can he
60 in there and do his best?"
Ahearn, a former fighter Of some
local repute replied:
"He will be fresh and strong
and ready for a fight"
Ricco was fresh and strong and
ready for a fight. Also, he was in
fine condition. He threw off the
blistering right crosses that landed
on his chin during the early
rounds and raining lefthand
swings on Krow's body, slowed
down the Baltimore boy, who has
been fighting regularly In recent
weeks.
-ONEILL.