Blacks Menace Only Heavyweight Crown
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Contrary to popular opinion the lifting of the ban on "mixed bouts" jeopardizes the position and prestige of white boxers, in only one class. In every division except the heavyweight ranks the white men far outclass the colored warriors.--------
Amy Mack, who runs the Vanderbilt and Military clubs in Brooklyn, N.Y., and who has made a specialty of staging "colored boxing shows," declares that the rescission of the rule benefits the ebony-skinned ringmen in only one way--it gives them a wider field of action and a better chance to develop their ability.
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"At the present time," says Mack, "I don't know of one colored boxer in any of the various divisions outside of the heavyweight class who would stand the slightest chance against the best white boxers. There are some mighty clever colored boxers, but they don't class with our boys. I am well qualified to judge their chances, as I have seen every one of them in action."
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There are about 30 prominent colored boxers around Brooklyn at the present time. In the bantamweight division Harry Gardner is considered the champion. He has for classmates Buddy Faulkes, Mark Spencer, Battling Chuck, Terry Martin and Frankie Williams.
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There are only four real good men in the colored featherweight class. Darky Griffin is generally conceded to be the best man. The others are Wade Johnson, Kid Brooks and Sailor Burton.
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In the lightweight ranks Eddie (Kid) Dorsey stands out. He has been compared with Joe Gans, but the comparison flatters him. While he is a very clever boxer he doesn't figure with men like Johnny Dundee, Freddie Welsh, Benny Leonard, Charlie White, Joe Welling, and numerous good men among the white lightweights. Dorsey has a pipin of a left hand, and is as fast as a streak on his feet, but he can't punch.
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Other good colored lightweights are Leo Johnson, Wee Wee Barton, Kid Kines, Jack White and Young Joe Gans. Dorsey has defeated most of these.
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The classiest colored welterweight is Young Hicks, who claims the championship of the division. He is a hard hitter, but slow and is a mark for a good left hand. His rivals are Battling Gans, Joe De Nite, Frenchy Robibson, Young Peter Jackson and Tommy Coleman, the Philadelphia veteran.The star colored middleweights are Willie Langford, rated the best of them all; "Jersey Ben" Douglas, Nero Chink, Kid White, Knockout Johnson, Young Jack Johnson, Battling Holmes, Dixie Kid and George Gunther.
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In the colored heavyweight class John Lester Johnson is the only man of recent development. There are probably half a dozen second-rate white heavies who could defeat him, but in Sam Langford, Sam McVey, Harry Wills, and even Joe Jeanette and ponderous Battling Jim Johnson he has classmates who would raise havoc among the Caucasians.
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