Show w. w I I I I WILLARD PREPARES TO DEFEND HIS TilL TIT LE E Champion May May Box in New Orleans During Mardi Gras Week I With the announcement that Jess ess Willard will be ready to engage in in I battle within six weeks and that tl the first championship match over the thel twenty round route will be staged in Ne New Orleans luring Mardi Gras week interest in the heavy eavy weight t division of pugilism is is reviving and from now on followers of boxing will viII closely watch the development of both Willard and his prospective title chal challengers lengers I In this connection there theio is someI something something some some- some some- thing to occupy the attention of the fans in the tho immediate future as two I prominent contenders contenders Jim Jim C Coffey fey I and Frank Moran now Moran now are preparIng preparing ing lug themselves a ten-round ten contest c cOntest con cOn- nt n- n t test t and anti the winner of this match so many experts contend will be the logical opponent of ot Willard for the championship The Tho Moran Coffey offey-Mor offey n encounter will be staged at Madison Square arden New York City Oc- Oc c- c tober tobel 19 l. It is the only notable fis fis- fisi i tic fixture on the tte pugilistic calendar for the present month Coffey is being carefully groomed by bv his handlers for the express purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose of disputing Willard Willards s title and to have hav the best physical equipment without doubt the Dublin giant seems of an any r of the Other thel white huskies now ii il lit the limelight Coffey has been a fairly com consistent performer but hut it is impossible at this time to state just how he will fare faie when whim pitted pitted pitted pit pit- pit pit- ted against a man of of Willard Willards s class class Moran on the other hand has done nothing to merit even ab at much fa favorable fa- fa a- a consid consideratiOn as Coffey now enjoys The Pittsburg husky at one onetime onetime onetime time looked like a champion prospect but he failed to pan out A year ago he stood ou out prominently because of the fact th that t Jl he fought Jack Johnson twenty rounds at Paris and held the champion to fairly even terms but 1 after aflEr tile the details of that contest were I analyzed e the t truth stood 0 forth t that j rt rth i Johnson was at that h time on the l down grade and only onty his great ring I generalship saved him from being thoroughly beaten by Mor Moran n. n I Ii In 11 the meantime many sporting I writers of ot the country are aro beginning I Ito to urge a sort sor of elimination tournament I ment for Willard Villard when he finally agrees to defend his championship In ina I a a. twenty-round twenty tussle Coffey and Moran naturally must be considered I I in such a series but there are a few tew other huskies who also ought to be reckoned with For instance there is Charley Weinert Gunboat Smith Ja Jack Jacl Dillon and the new Western Vestern heavy beaY weight 1 Fred red Fulton New ew Orleans promoters are progressing pro pro- gr gressing with their plans for a series of four foul championship matches to be staged during the winter and if it no obstacles arise it is probable that title bouts In Ia the bantam light weight middle weight and heavy weight classes will be staged According to estimates made by Dominick Torto- Torto rich and Tommy Burns the men be behind behind be- be hind the big club in the Crescent City they expect to pay close to in promoting these contests f fn n lf n arena to seat about 50 people will be be- built at the big race frack track there as a part of ot the plan of preliminary pre pre- preparations The New ew Orleans Or Or- I leans Jockey club is planning to stage a race meet around Madl Madi Gras time anti and nd this undoubtedly will draw a big big I crowd to the Crescent City Th Then n too the festival will attract thousands of outsiders It is from this transient population that and Burns expect to get their chief patronage for orthe Corthe the boxing championships Kid Williams Baltimore and Kid Herman Her Her- man nan New Orleans will be the contenders contenders con con- tenders for the bantam title Freddie Welsh and Joe Mandot will be the headliners In the light weight class and Mike Gibbons and either cither Young Ahearn Abeam or Jack Dillon will fight for the middle weight crown The opponent opponent nent for Jess Jells Willard Villard has not been determined at this time but he will be carefully selected by tre promo He Je will be the one who shows th the best class in the heavy weight matches to be staged in New ew York City this winter |