BR"
m THE OGDEN STANDARD, SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 1911?.
I Fulton's Chances Stronger After Cowler Bout (
II K i 'j- -demonstrates' rC ;
I Hr iHl ap (Nv5 f APu7icH(g j- sss
i v 1 El!! "-5BBfci 0E2 ! ;T" 'T'thbwjllard smile
If FULTON 1 !'' i Corhett norkrd enough, but always lr.- I
1 1 All but Out in Recent
I Battle, He Fought Gamely
j Through Three Rounds, Came Bach
and Knocked HisClever Opponent Out
BY J B. SHERIDAN,
i HF.N Fred Pulton waa all but knocked "'it by Tom Cowler in tliir
WW wghl round boul at St. Louie March 11, man experts on boxing amid
B J that Fulton had no chance to lcal Willard when they met later on
B I Fulton made a bad showing. Cowler is a big, clever chap, but he was too fat and
B alow. Were it not for these things he, very probably, would have beaten Fulton
B in two rounds instead of being knocked out by him in the fifth round. The
B experts do not seem to rate Cowler very highly and when he all but put
' J Fulton away in the first round, and had all the letter of the first three rounds,
k thej shook their heads and said "What will Willard Jo to that big stick? '
bll 1 VnlMM Jl.l msls mum Vi-(n lie roe HiH In Jim Jeffrie in A nlfilCatin
B was In much better condition than U
B Cowler. Cowler all but put him out.
B Good condition enabled Fulton to rc-
BBh cover an t knock out Cowler. who WSJ)
' not In condition and Who could not
feoms bau k
However, snap Judgment, or any
Judgment based on his fight with Cow
ler, must do Kulton an injustice.
Many first-class men have been
B caught with a lucky wallop and all but
BB put away. The great Sullivan wan for-
B innate that hie reputation, and clever
BBV management bark of Mm, enabled him
BB to get out of the ring with Patsy Car-
B ilff and Domlnlck McCaffcry without
i - ng defeats chalked against him.
Sullivan was out of condition on both
aflons and was opposed by clever,
tapable fighters Had he hern com
pelled to so on he could not have won.
He might have lost. Cardiff really
B had him beaten, but Sullivan Maimed
! that he had broken a bone in his wrist
and withdrew To quit was regarded
; as one of Sullivan's privilege He
I o ild do what no other pugilist dare
! ij and get away with It.
Jscksoa Underrated Smith.
' Denver Ed Smith had the great
jj Teter Jackson thoroughly beaten at
Battery V Chicago, about lS'.'l Jark-
on wa not fit and underrated Smith,
1 who was really a clever two-ha:He''
jj fighter and a great hitter. Had Snvith
I Deen a. careful liver he would hue
l ranked with the best of them, sfornc
i Dne got him tit afterwards and he gave
I Carrier Joe" Goddard. a man eater
j ,ie beating of his checkered career,
j Joddard was the first man to start
j: Jackson on the downward path, .'to
was a terrible felloe, the roughest of
the rough, a foul fighter, but game a:id
:apable of taking a terrible gruelling
jj Joe Choynskl almost nipped the con-
j luerlng career of Bob Fltzslmmons 1
4 . lucky tunch. Fltz s amazing vitality
1 alone saed him George La Blanche
B i twice beat Jack Dempsey with lucky
I .ow when )t jnpsey was methodically
k and leisurely chopping him to pieces.
j; The world remembera what jaxk Muu-
i b
rap in Butte, also what Jeffries did
to Jack when he got himself fit later
on.
Jn fact, there have been few cham
pions who hac not had a close call at
one or another time In their careers.
And when you consider the number of
chances taken In a boxing bout, the
enormous number of blows started, and
the difficulty of escaping these blows,
the wonder is that the better man wins
as often as he does. R tally, risk con
sidered, there should be more form up
sets in boxing than there arc 1 have
seen twenty blows, any one of which
would have beaten the better man had
It been an Inch or two closer or an in
?tant quicker, go harmless by and the
man who should have won did win,
though he might very well have lost.
Cowler Is Clever.
Bo It will be well not to take Fulton's
mishap with Cowler any too seriously.
Cowler Is a great big, fast fellow, he is
clever, he can hit. and. if he would only
take pugilism seriously and train hard
instead of making life one long, sweet
sonr. he might be champion of the
world himself.
Then remember that though all but
out, down for the count of nine, Pulton
came around and knocked out Cowler
Kulton came from as far back as a
man can possibly come In a tlst-flght
He was all but dc.id to the world. He
came around, fought uphill for thrc;
round?, and then came out on top. In
deed, to my way of thinking, the fight
was one of the most creditable that
Fulton has ever made ny man can
win when everything goes right for
bin everything went wrong for Fulton
It was a bad match In the first place
yet he kept on and triumphed. He
proved what had been doubted, his
gameness Of course, Fulton fought
through habit and instinct, not gatne-nc?;-
but. all the same, he stayed, took
a beating, and won. In all human prob
ability the fight did him no end of good.
fo, on the uhole, I would Bay that the
poor showing against Cowler Is moro
creditable and more beneficial to Ful-
ton thn an cur;. Victory would have
been
In any event, we must rate Fulton,
not on his allowing with Cowler, In on,
two, four or five rounds, but on his
general record as compared with Wil
lard a record.
Kxperts may say that Fulton's show,
mg against Cowler dots not go him a
look in with Willard. Yet wo find that
Fulton has made much better showings
.ngalnst the men that he has fodght and
that Willard has fought than the latter
has made
Save his defeat of Jacfc Johnson,
which no well-informed boring expert
takes seriously. Willard haa beaten no
man who at all ompares with Sam'
Langford. whom Fulton not only
whipped, but made Uit, In six rounds.
It will be remembered that the best
John6n ever did with Langford was
to get a decision from him April SC.
1008, at Chelsea, Boston.
Thl was before either Johnson or
ltigford had achieved any great meed
of fame and were, presumably, boxing
"on the level."
Fulton Beati Langford.
Also let It be rememberej that Wil
lard no .sooner had taken the Champion
ship from thn aglnc, bankrupt and
needy Johnson, who probably made
much more money by losing than he
could have made by winning from Wil
lard. than the Kansan promptly drew
die color line against the same l.ang
ford. Then Fulton Went OUt and made Uant;
ford quit In six rounds; Just took him
on quietly and punched him Into a pulp.
There Is slight use In discussing the
value of Willard's win over Johnson.
The world knows that Willard or any
other man that ever lived, bar, perhaps,
Jeffries or Jaikson at h'.s best, could net
bare whipped the real Jack Johnson.
Willard s w in over the Texan was no
more creditable than Johnson's win over
the hupe derelict that had once been
James J. Jeffries, champion pugilist of
the world.
for, in the Mrst place, It was up to
Johnson to loec. A' a money-making
asset his championship title was no
good. He wa barred from the United
Ptates. Great Britain and PrUnoo, th-j
only places where a boxer can make
r.mne . The title w as fallow so lon
a Johnson held it. No one could make
a olme off It. It was to the interest of
promoters and of Johnson himself, to
have the title go to a white m-n who
could make use of it for himself and
for promoters of boxing clubs, the
theatrical managers, etc.
In other words Johnson had some
thing that was very valuable In the
ri'ht hands, but of no earthly use to
him
l hen Johnson was aging, had dlsl-p-.ted
and perhaps might lose anyhow.
Then Willard heat him
The title was back where It belonged,
where it did some good to somebody.
'there can be no doubt that LencfOKl
could have beaten Johnson as he wa
wlun Willard beat hlm But Langford
was aging und hlark and no blae' man
CUP do as much with the champ'.-.tishlp
Bl a white man.
So let us take the men with whom
both Willard and Fulton hat trd
conclusions. First we have Arthur Pel
key. I'elkey "tayed twelve rounds to a
no-declBlpn with Willard in 1912. Ful
ton knocked out I'elkey In live rounds
in IU19.
The Cnrl Morris An,;le.
Next ranic Carl Morris. The big fire
man went ten rounds, no decision, with
Willard. Many critic did noi IIkc blc
Jess" showing with the Oklahoma
leviathan. Fulton fattened Carl pretty
ihoroughU in live rcunda and com
pelled him to lose on a foul. Of courao
Fulton also tost on an alleged foul to
Morris, but It was generally admitted
that th sorner had fought so foully
that Fulton was to be forgiven for hav
ing fouled him In return.
QunbOBt Smith gave Willard a real
trimming In twenty rounds May J".
Mis. Remember, too. that his win is
a rare one in a long list of no decision
and lost bouts cn the part or the '.lun
boat. Willard lost to Smith In twenty
rounds. Four ear. Iatr Fulton put out
the Gunner In seven rounds
Then came Tom McMshon in March,
l'14, to heat Willard In twelve rounds.
Pulton knocked out Mc.Mahon In six
i ounds
In b'lfi. after Willard had won the
championship from Johrson. he too
on Frank Moran. They went ten
rounds to no declrion Willard taii
ellghtly the better of a tame bout.
In February. Wig, Kulton put. away
Moran In three rounds and could have
df ne It quicker had he wanted to.
Summed up. wt find, that egallUt rive
men, WUlard has fought sixtv-two
i ounds to two defeats anil three no
ileclslons and no wins, while agaJjUt
the s-tme fixe men Fulton has had to go
but twenty-seven rOCnda to the vlc
t rles. four of them clean knockouts,
one a loul.
This makes Fulton look ' to 1 the
belter fighter than Willard. He had hH
men knocked out, the right over and
the mrnev collected while Willard was
farming up for two loaaCB and three n
dsolfloni. On record, thero Is nothing
to It but Fulton
You get no consolation out of Wil
lard's other rights save that against
Johnson which, for reasons set forth
above, we have ' thrown out of court."
In all we find that in seven years of
boxing Willard has thirteen knockouts
of fair and good men to his credit. In
five years we find that Fulton had
knocked twenty-one men. most Of them
much better than any man Willard has
knocked out. barring Johnson.
Careers of Willard and Fulton 1
W. L. K. K by W. F. Tv. F. D. N.D.
I V.'illard ....18 4 3 0 0 l 1 II
Fulton 3U 4 0 1 a o S
The lighters Met by Both Men.
I Willard Fulton.
Lm Decision. Rdfc Opponent. Decision Rds.
Iff No dec 10 A Pelkey. K. 6
I No dec. 10 C Morris. W. F.
Lost. 20 G. B. Smith. K 7 1
Lost 12 T. McMahon. K
No. dec. 10 f. Moran. k. 3
111 Total rounds . . 6 J Total rounds 27 U
V Willard's other fights. K. O., J. 7pung (2). F Bowers, Sailor
V. bite, Roldler Kearne, J. Leon. Boor Roedel (3), G. Davis. D. Klley,
J. Johnson; draw, Charley Miller: won, J. luid, A Williams, no
decitlon. L MrCarfy.
Fulton's other fights; K, O. S. Klosbv. J. Moran, F Farmer,
B Clark, O. I.ogan, T Keller, A Andersen 2), J. Flynn, A Reich.
Ill P. Flynn T Cn lei (), B Langford, C. TN'elnert. B. Dcvcre. U Tate. ,1
w etc won. foul C. Welnert; n r decision, p, Flynn; draw, B. Mleke; j
jjl loat, foul, C Morrla; K 0 by A1 Palter early .n rini career J
I "4.
On the records Fulton snould win
eat-lly.
But records are rot the only th!nt:s
to be considered. The morale of tbe
fiKhters, the t"nirieran,ent, the condition
of the men. the righting Instinct is of
primary importance.
Let it be said at once that Willard
Is not a real fighting man That Is
to say. he does not like to fight Fi I
marlly, he Is a stockman and farmer.
Standing In the stock yards selllns ;i
carload of cattle Is Willard's proper
place.
We may as well say here that Fulton
Is not a born fighting man. either Ha
la primarily and naturally a mechanic,
a bricklayer or plasterer He Is not a
gay, debonair fighting man.
This much must be said In favor of
Willard He Is a sound, fresh, power
ful and well-behaved fellow. He lives
a sound, home life. He has never tak
en anything out of himself by dissi
pation. There is no reason to doubt that Ful
ton is also a clean liver However, it
Is bruited about that he Is not quite
so wholesome In his method of living
as Willard, who lives with the healthy
simplicity of one of his own steers.
W about doubt, Willard can stand up
and take a long mauling He has no
nerves, he is strong and patient as an
ox.
Fulton also is of a bovine nature, but
does not seem to be so healthy or vital
ly powerful as Willard
It has been held against Fulton that
he did not show much boxing skill
against Cowler. Well. Cowler did not
give him much of a chance to display
boxing skill He leapt upon him at tho
tap of the first bell and all but put
him out In the first minute of flghi
Ing. Befog a man s brain that way, and
he won't show much boxing skill. That
Fulton held on until his brain cleared
Is testimony that ho did well.
Further, from what I have seen of
Fulton, he has got Just one boxing
asset a long, strong and accurate left
hand ,
Now. a good left hand is about the
bexl thing that a boxer can possess. I
have seen faster, snappier and moro
dexterously used left hands than that
owned by Fulton, but I do not think
that I have ever seen so long and so
strong a left as that employed by the
Minnesota miller
Fulton Is like Jeffries, a natural left
hander. He writes, cuts his food and
does everything with his left hand, it
i5 longer left hand than that of Jef
fries, and probabl) stronger
Take away that left hand, and 1 would
not give much for Fulton's chances
as a boxer. He Is not at all -o stror. ,
in the body or Jaw as Willard Is. Wil
lard can probably take a much harder
beating about the Jaw and body thin
Fulton can take. The plasterer Is flat
chested Ho carries no flesh. W illarl
Is round-bodied and carries flesh. Long
experience has taught me that the be.T.
men and dogs and horses, the best com
petitors of all sorts, are round-bodied
and deep In the abdomen. Every ca
pable trainer of athletes likes a man
to carry some extra flesh. They love
to train a man who has ilesh to lose
It is an axiom among old trainers that
every man feels good when he is los
ing flesh. You have heard of men
"training up," putting on weight in
stead of taking It off. That would be
bad. If. Indeed. It could be done No
doubt a sick man, or a man much in
doors, can put on flesh while training,
if he docs he will not feel good.
Thirty years of experience has taught
me that all great performers must eat
heavily and endure hard work This goes
for animals as well as men. Tho great
race horses have almost all bcon heavy
in the abdomen and big eaters.
"One-gutted. ' meaning slim in the ab.
domen. Is a term often used to express
utter contompt on the race track.
1 got a rare Illustration of the weak
ness of the slim-bellied, light feeding
men as opposed to the hearty eater
when Corbett was training for Fitzsim
mons I'orbett was slim through the stomach,
never gathered flesh He never went
to breakfart hungry. A grapefruit and a
cup of coffee made breakfast for Pom
padour Jim
Fltz was not heavy in the hips or
body, but he bulged a bit in the stom
ach and he put on weight when out of
training Corbett never had to take off
weight. FJtz always had flesh to con
vert into muscle. If not to lose.
Fitz a Hard Worker.
Fitsslmmone was a great believer in
b ird work when training. He believed
in fresh air and out-of-door work So at
Carson City he was out every morning
and afternoon over tho worst roads n
the world, plowing through the snow,,
which often was waist deep, and climb
ing the Sierras It was the best sort ot
work for a fighter. Road work Is ul
ways the best sort of work The rough
er the road the better the work.
I'll, was dolpg from twenty to thirty
miles a day in clear, cold weather over
the Nevada roads.
doors It was dlflieult to InrrVe him to
' ' :
i to w ilk from hl -Wf
quarters Indoors to the handball courl
because Of the cold. Jim was brought Mp I
in San Francisco, where It rarely snows,
and where It la never what any North-
erner would call cold. I
The result of this was that Fltzslm-
mons let t'orbett beat and punch him
at will for eight roundn. When Jim, soft fl
from indoor .work, tired, the old road
racer, bleeding like a atuck pig. but
strong as a Hon. plowed Into Jim an 1 I
pushed him all over the ring.
The solar plexus punch has been B
called a fluke. Corbett has always B
thought he could have beaten Fltz had I
not that punch landed. I hail money B
Wagorid on i'orbett. I was "strong for
him." but I never thought he had .v B
chance to win after the eighth round. B
He was scoring on Fitzslmmons rlgnt B
to the end. he was much the better box- I
cr, but, despite his pecks, old Fltz war.
boring into him. not caring whether ha fl
got hit or hit. lie felt Corbett tiring. I
his blows losing power, he was wild to I
get to close quarters and finish it- I
Afterward t'orbett said: "He Is a fun I
ny fellow. Fltzsimmons. Gee, I used to
hear of him plowing through the moun- I
i ling and snow In Nevada I never I
could do that." 1
That" was v. iat won for Kuby Koo- I
.ov w uiarci looks like a sounder body I
than Fulton. Just as Fltz WAS a oour.d- j
th itatemenl thai Willard eats,
digests what he eats better than Ful
ton does, that hH stomach, lungs, hca; t
rnd arteries are sounder than those -,;
Fulton Not that Fulton Is not a stro:: :
and sound man. Willard is exception
ally slrong and sound and healthy
As a boxer WUlard has two better
hands than Fulton has, but 1 dOUot
that hie left is as good as that of itv;
plasterer.
Willard's right must bo better than
Fulton's right, for Fulton's right Is not
much.
Up to Fulton's Left.
So. we may figure Willard. sounder
and an all-around I better boxer than
Fulton, but with a less effective han I
than Fulton's long, strong, stiff .in:
cruel left.
We have seen that a loft hand Is tlie
best tool that a boxer can have. v e
have also seen that WUlard exosena
Fulton in stay'ng ability, nerves and
two-handed power.
Therefore. If Fulton is to win, his left
hand must win for him.
En order to win Willard need but get
past that left hand.
but to get oast a good left hand IS
tho hardest thing a boxer can have
asked of him.
The fighting instinct, the exhilaration
which some men feel In battlo. Is not
very strong In cither Willard or Ful
ton, not strong enough to decide tho
conflict, to have any great effect upon
It In any way Fulton probably likes to
light better than WUlard, but is not so
even tempered nor so patient.
It Is a matter of left hand with Ful
ton. His left hand must win for him
as It won for Peter Jackson and mair
another good man.
What must Willard do to beat that
left hand?
Clearly Willard's greatest asset Is als
superior strength, health and weigh'.,
if he can keep Fulton's long left out ol
his face and stomach and throw his
Weight on the plasterer, rough him :n
clinches. Willard should win. If tho
Pottawotamia giant Is fit and keeps "i it
left out of his face and stomach Fultoa
is In for a bad time
It Is a caso of a good left hand, strong,
straight, natural, but not cleverly used,
against two fair hands, a better consti
tution, greater v. eight and a mora equa
ble, better-pclsed character.
Can Willard avoid Fulton's left? It
you cau answer that question ou caj
pick rue wiuncr.