Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-02-04 | Page 6 | Willard Loses in Comparison with Sullivan

WILLARD LOSES IN COMPARISON WITH SULLIVAN ! By International News Service. NEW YORK, Feb. 3. What would Jess Wlllard have looked like in a bout with John L. Sullivan had he met the late veteran when he was in his prime? Jim Corbett, who won the championship champion-ship from John L., says it would have been a farce, with Sullivan on top. Jeffries says that none of the younger fighters could have stood up under John IV s mighty wallops. WHlard has Dot expressed himself. The question, however, is one that will I never be answered, because of the death of tiie "Boston Strong Boy," who defied' de-fied' the world, and the nice tilings that are now being said about him cause us naturally to contrast him with the present pres-ent champion. The two men certainly were not very much alike. The one fought a whole life-r life-r time to make 51.000,000 and the other re-.ccnlly re-.ccnlly refused to fight because he did not need the same amount of money. Met AH Comers. When John L. Sullivan won the championship cham-pionship from Paddy Ryan in Mississippi i.'ity. February 7. 1SS2.- he began at once a tour of tile world, fighting all who came, never questioning whether they had qualified quali-fied to meet him, but fighting them because be-cause they were willing to meet him That was enough for John L. It was indeed a triumphal march and he emerged - "victorious from many a spectacular battle. bat-tle. But he was defending his championship cham-pionship and was readv and willing to surrender it to the right man when he met him. Imagine Joss Willard in a bare knuckle bat. Ic running seventy-five rounds as .the Kilrain-Sullivan fight ran at Rich- ourg. Miss, Tins may possibly answer the question of the superloritv of the two heacyw eights of the '.square circle." Sullivan liked London and its rules of lighting are summed up in his own words- Fight to a finish or no fight at all " Tms was what he called real sportsmanship. sports-manship. "The greatest Roman of them all," - John L. offered 51000 to anv man who was ".vilhiu to meet him instead of constantly te nig the world what the "forty thieves promoters wore trying to make out ct i;;s shows. Since wiiiard crime into the possession of th championship belt he has fought out one bout. That was with Frank : .Moran at Madison Square garden. Sul-ivan Sul-ivan witnessed this bout and said Moran had the better of it. Since then Wiiiard Ins witnurawn from active pugilistic cir- its and is living a sort of a hermit's !ne to the boxing world. Even suggestions sugges-tions of Red Cross charitv did not'suc-ce,-d in bringing him forth. His only otters ot-ters lor this cause come in the form of "nn decision" bouts. There is no wonder that Sullivan was lYu"'" '"Jt t!l'.',Js som doubt whether w illard ever will be.