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when they went on the road. When Yoon* Corbett was the feather w eight champion, however, he sprang an »*n-tirely new one on the sporting public He «m living high and did not care to train tftocb He wanted to get by an emaily as poaaibie, and he insisted on the men he met making weight, while he wanted to box at catch weights. Packer McFarland, by the way, is do* mg the same thing. When he boxed in this city recently he insisted on his opponent making weight, but be want-*1 to oofue aloog at catch weight. Of course everyone faiuilhar with boxing a few yean back remembers the tour of John L Sullivan throngh the ooontry, when he began with an offer of $50 to any man whom he coo Id not atop in four rounds, and how he gradually ia-creaaed tbe offer till It reached the lum of $1000. He waa the only fighter that ever made auch a tour of tbe country, for no heavy*weight aioce his time haa had the courage to make each an offer to tbe lighters of America. Hullivan'fl popularity with the aporling public waa gained by hie courage in the ring. The followers of thia sport bedeved that he waa afraid of no living man, and they felt that every time he appeared he waa fighting on the level. He was never known to take things eaav «ith his opponent, with the idea of getting a second or a third match, aa is the case with so many of the latterday fighters.GEORGE DIXONA moat peculiar state of affairs exists just now regarding the so called champion pugilists Take the case of Jack Johneou, lor instance. Johnson claim* to be the champion of the world, but he it not the ideal champion, in the in the minds of the followers of boxing, for s champion is supposed to be the man who is the beat in his line and not afraid of any other man. But Johnson flatly refuses to fight Bam Langford, Joe Jeanette or Battling Jim Johnson, each of whom he haa sidestepped when good offer* were made for a light. Small fortunes have been offered to Johnson to face Jeanette or i^ngford in the ring, but be will not consent and yet he wants the boxing world to consider him its ideal Joe Jeanette is another four-fl neb mg fighter. He is running all around the country claiming that he can whip Johnaon, and that the latter is afraid to meet him, bat when the name of Jim Johnaon is mentioned to Jeanette he takes to tbe woods. He haa bad a sample of Jim's punching powers and he does not want any more of him. declaring He's too tough. Miko Gibbooa ia going throogh the country claiming to be the middleweight champion of America, but he seems to be better satisfied when he ia fighting light-weights or middle-weights Even against rome of the 1st ter he does not wui to make much headway. Young Erne mads him look foolish in this city; and in Ntw k’ork Tommy Maloney, a second-rate welterweight, stayed too rounds with him.bo it goes all along tbe line Take Ad Wolgaet who claims to be tbs lightweight champion, la hunting fellowa who are not too tongh. Ha wants toJACK JOHNSONmeet local hoxeis at 1.13 pound#, while hie comes in at catch weights which will give him an advantage of 10 or 15 pound*. In fact there is not a man in th# ring today railing himself s champion who ia willing to riak hie rapuU turn meeting al comers in his class. It U no wonder that the public gets disgusted with auch four. Hush mg cham pious and refuse to patronise the boxing dubs wbsrs the modern champions are to perform. It is only a few yeerv ago when s high class boxer was supposed to meek any man in his clan andSw sway a lew pounds, but sines the ya of Young Corbett, things have'|pnrR on the Level.-When little George Dixon toured this country meeOng all comers he did asa any leather Wmgiit to make weight for him. but if tbe boxer was anywhere near his aias be was willing to taae a chance, and often was stacked up again** middle-weights Johnny Clark the old-lame boxer, of this city, loured Sll through the Wat. meeting all corn er*. and. though he seldom weighed over ponods, he rareiv met fighters Jess than 150 ami many limes was forced to contest against heavyweights, and tough ones at that He wa# advertised to meet all comer* sod fie had lo
Newspaper Details
Philadelphia Tribune
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Sat, Oct 12, 1912
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
John H.
IL, USA 15 Jan 2018
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