WELLS'S WEAKNESS.

NZ Truth, Issue 443, 13 December 1913, Page 6

WELLS'S WEAKNESS.

Described* by Pat- CKeofe^ '■' "Two years ago Billy Wells, was i looked upon as a "dead cert" for ; world's championship honors, but since his defeats by Smith, Palzer, and Carpentier most of his countrymen seem to regard him as a fairly good English champion, with very meagre prospects of ever developing , into a real topnbtch heavy-weight. Wells's faults and his weakness about the body ar6 subjects that have been freely discussed, bat m, my ro- ■ i • . 'i

ent contest with the Bombardier 1 bund out much about him that. l had tot known before. and also confirmed pinions I had previously formed about Veils and his work. Wells may be weak, about the body iut he is not as "fragile" as somesup>ose. I do not say he can stand up mder. heavy punishment about the lody, a boxer of .his highly-strung lemperament is apt to break up at unexpected moments, but he can take a peating and then come bacK and win, for his gamenessis one of those things that is beyond all question. THE ROOT OF THE TROUBLE. WeHs'a real weak point lies m not making sufficient use^f his natural advantages m height and reach. He has a * span that -is tre'mendousy and with his great reach he should be able to.lceep his opponents away from him. The Bombardier has been heaten by men who should not have been able to hit him had he made full use of his long left, hitting out straight and hard with it. Instead of doing this Wells generally uses his left for hooking his meni thereby shortening his arm and lessening his reach. Another point about Wells's lefthand hitting; it is not very hard, not nearly /as severe as it should be for a big, p^w«rTul fellow like him. He hits straight and. hard with his right and is liable to finish his opponent any time he shoots it out, but he appears to me to be too anxious to bring his right into play, .and this will, always run him into trouble when he is boxing a big tough fellow who can. stand a dig. While Wells, instead of using his left as he should do, is manoeuvring to get there with his right he is liable to be caught ■BETWEEN TWO STOOLS.' Billy is a good judge of distance, and If he hit straight with his left, putting full force behind his deliveries, men like "(iunboat" Smith, Carpentier, and Gunner Moir should not be able to lay a glove on him. He might be a bit more "wicked" m the ring with advantage to himself. 'He lacks "deviL" It is bard to imagine what a long left Wells has until you find yourself at the other end of It as I did. There ■were times m our contest when 1 thought I was well out of distance, only to receive a stab on the face from the Bombardier's glove. But his blows with the left were very light, and on many occasions I could have laughed outright. He was only tickling me with his left, for Tve been up against hitters like McGoorty, Papke, and Lewis, and know what it is to stop some bard ones. I only wish I were as big as the Bombardier! My word, Jack Johnson wouldn't be long without a real fight. If Wells ever realises what damage he can do with heavy hitting with a straight left and forgets all about his right hand, he will surely be well on the road to be world's champion. He may be weak m the body, but If they cannot htt him I they cannot beat him."