The Washington times., 1938-01-19
Gevinson S Vital Need
Is Ring Type of Speed
.oxingChiefS
Should Bar
Set-UpS
By FRANK BUCK" oNEILL

BY FRANK BUCK" O'NElLL
Speed and more speed is the
crying need of Lou Gevinson, the
local lad who made good with
Armando Stella at Turner's
Arena on Monday night in 10
sizzling rounds. Lefty Lou must
acquire the swift short moves
that save a man from punish
ment, or place him in position to
land a telling punch at a critical
point in the fight.
Dan Hickey, one-time middle
weight champion of Australia,
trainer and sparring partner Of
Bob Fitzsimmons when Ruby
Robert prepared for his fight
with James ]. Corbett for the
heavyweight championship of the
world, once defined ring speed for
the writer.
There are fast athletes"
Hickey said, "and there are fast
fighters. But speed in athletics
and speed in fighting are en-
tirely different. Now let us
analyze the styles of fighters.
Here is one fighter who sprlntS
about the ring, moving forward
or backward in bounds. HIS
agility draws expressions OF ao-
miration from the crowds, but
somehow or other he misses
chances to land punches, and
somehow or other he is con-
stantly being hit.
LACKS BOXING SPEED
"His failures are due to lack
of speed in the ring; due to lack
of real boxing speed" Hickey
said. True speed in the ring IS
measured in distances OF one
inch. You slip a punch by an
inch; just enough to make II
miss. If you eXaggerate the
distance, you find yourself un-
able to counter properly"
Gevinson went into the ring
a perfectly conditioned athlete,
ready to make the fight of his
life, and he proved his condition
by plunging through the closing
rounds of the fight to score a
knockdown in the seventh rounc,
and then go ahead and grab a
decision.
EASY TO HIT
But he is easy to hit with either
hand. He knocks down his rivals,
but he failed to keep Stella down,
and he failed to keep Dupre down.
That is very important i'll boxing.
One of the reasons for this is lack
of timing, and lack of timing Is
linked for the most part with lack
of speed. ,
The boxing rules of the District
Commission should be changed
forthwith to prevent un eve n
matches. There is no more thrill
in watching some good fighter
who goes into the ring with a
distinct weight advantage hack
down some weaker opponent than
there is u watching the Sledge
man stand on a slaughter house
chute and Whack a steer on the
head. No one ever cheered the
sledge man. and no one ever sym
pathized with the steer.
TOO MUCH WEIGHT
Take for example the match be-
tween Pete Powell and Al Mancine
at the Arena.
Mancine, who may develop into
a better than average fighter be-
fore many more months elapSe,
was full six pounds heavier than
Powell. That is far too much
poundage for a featherweight to
give away. For one round Powell
did all right. Then the weight
and punching power of his rival
overcame him.
The public refuses to support a
fighter whose matches are so made
that results are almost assured
when the contracts are signed.
NEEDS GOOD FOE
1t is high time now that Man
cine was matched with good
fighter at even weights, and let's
see whether he is a good fighter
or whether he is one Of fiStiana' s
great army of sucKer-beaterS.
The writer repeats that there
should be a limit of two pounds
in the bantamweight class, not
more than foIr pounds in the
featherweight and lightweight
classes, and not more than five
pounds in the welterweight anc
middleweight classes.
1t is admitted that lighter mer
have beaten heavier men in the
ring. 1t is admitted that Fitzsim
mons and Ketchell fought anc
beat lot of Dig guys. But, so far
the ring has produced just one
Bob Fitzsimmons and Just one
Stanley Ketchell.
RR MRIREA AHnWA