COMING PRIZE FIGHT

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5649, 23 June 1919, Page 2

COMING PRIZE FIGHT

DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY

Tex Rickard isn't going to have easy time staging the Dempsey-Willard match that some people may imagiie--1 ; (says the San ■ Francisco Chronicle). Al--111 ready the clans are gathering, with the °" knocks against the contest. On this oo- "" casion not alone the reform element k" that objects to the match ,on general J grounds of being against prize fights, but a fair proportion of the spbrilng -' people themselves are looking at the bout with aversion. Public sentiment always counts; more '° particularly in recent years. If there + ° were difficulties in the path ci' Johnson '* and James Jeffries some nj'ne years I back, how much more so will it be the 10 case at the present? True, the boxing game lias been on II the upgrade, what with the attitude of the Government and the sqld : cr. G But this doesn't relate so much to leal '' fighting. The reform- folks are as " strong as ever in their opposition to a prize fight, atul they can be counted upon to roll up their opposition the country over. But the sports are going to hurt; matters and perhaps throw a monkey wrench into the machinery. r * •. WJLLARD DOESN'T STAND WELL. } Putting the situation as it stands, fc Jess Willard doesn't stand well with 1 the sporting clement. He d ; dn't make ? one more during the war to show his • heart was right. After a grand-stand ' play that he wanted to do his bit, Jess ? lenigged when called. In the matter of boxing exhibitions, ■ the wide worfd knows whit he didn't I do. 1 And much of the opposition is based ■ on the ground that a chap who acted 1 as did the heavy-weight champion isn't entitled to mnko any monev for himself. There is more to the situation. IV.ckard liar, selected Toledo as the, .site. In Ohio no more than twelveround fight,3 arc avowed. You can't settle a championship in that limit; not ti> the satisfaction of the fans. Now, cfonl't misunderstand this. 'Many a championship has been decided'in less - than twelve rounds. But it doesn't, look right. To put it bluntly, many a fan already is figuring the big mill in Toledo , will be a "walk" with a return engagement in some future time. ' The whole affair has a queer look. But perhaps it will never happen.' Tex is going to have a lot of experience before he is through with this littlq affair of his. ■ I 111 111 ll'u-w J, I »|,