OCR Text |
Show lllffi SPORT IN 1515 IBUMCtil? Jess Willard, by His Defeat of Jack Johnson, Is Kingpin. Boxing, as it has been condiu-te in numerous states under the eommission I'lun, has proved more suecessful th::n the followers of the game had anticipated; anticipat-ed; in fact, it has proved a boon to the game and unless something- should oei-ur to give it a sethack there will he more states adopting this form of controlling the sport. During the year the American Boxing Box-ing association was brought into om.--tence. Numerous promoters and others interested in the fame met at t leveland, Ohio, and formed the association, the object ob-ject of which is to bring about a better understanding betweeu ' boxers, nianai:-ers nianai:-ers and promoters, and to try to elevate the game and at trie same time assist in bringing about legislation favorable to the sport in those states where it is now prohibited. The war in Europe played havoc with the boxing game in France and England, Eng-land, where it flourished previous to 1914. Many of the best boxers in that part of the world have been killed or wounded, but from reports received here it is evident that the game is being maintained over there, just the same, for those who aro at the "front or in the trenches manage to keep up the sport even behind the line of battle. In Australia it has been prettv much the same way. The game there 'is on a solid foundation, but with thousands of the young men going to war. it has put, a damper upon the sport which will not be lifted until the end of the war. Increase in U. S. In the United States boxing has been on the increase, but there has been a great deal of complaint from the fans who follow the sport, regarding the quality qual-ity of contests put up bv some of the stars. They claim it has got to be a question of how manv matches thev can get into in the shortest space of" time and with as little work as possible. Championship fights have been few and far between. In the heavvweight class there was one real battle between Jack Johnson, the colored champion, and Jess Willard, which was decided at Havana, Cuba, last April. 'After twenty-six rounds of interesting battle, the white man, Jess Willard, scored a clean knockout over Johnson and was proclaimed pro-claimed world's champion. Willard lias not engaged in a championship contest since then, but is now matched with Fred Fulton, the Minnesota giant, in a twenty-round contest at Xew Orleans, March 4 next. Jack Dillon, without a douht one of the greatest fighters who ever lived, around the lOo-pound mark, was declared light heavyweight champion of America by the new boxing association, and he is certainly well qualified to represent that class. There was little doing in this eountrv among the middleweights and tho championship cham-pionship question still remains unsettled. Mike Gibbons proved his superiority over Jimmy Clabby in a ten-round contest, con-test, but the championship could not be decided in that manner and the question was left open. Les Darev, the Australian champion, won the title in that eountrv and then surprised the followers by defeating de-feating Jeff Smith, Eddie McOoortv and Jimmv Clabby, who were all contenders for the title. If there is one man entitled en-titled to the world's championship it looks as if that man is Les Darcy. In Other Classes. , The welterweight division has boon without a recognized champion unless that person is Kid Graves of Cleveland, Ohio. Graves has -been recognized Inmost In-most writers and should he given a chance to defend the title against dial lengers in that, division. There has been considerable discus sion as to tho lightweight championship. Freddie Welsh has held on to the Torkl s title. In the featherweight class Johnnv Ril bane of Cleveland, Ohio, seems to bo secure with his title. In the bantamweight class Kid Wil , pg r..HUiH MS DP WHS a VCTr ago, for he. has two verv tough custom ers on his trail in the persons of Johnnv Ertle of St. Paul and Frankie Burns of Aew Jersey. A new class has been created, in the flyweight division. ThiR takes in boxers up to 112 pounds, and the American Boxing Box-ing association recommended that Frank Uzo of Chicago, Artie Armstrong. Jim my Pappas and Young Zulu Kid be paired off in an elimination tournament the winner to he declared champion. A conservative estimate places the number of contests held in the I'niteil States during the past year at 387D. i |