Jimmy Wilde

Fort Wayne Sentinel 22 November 1919

The English invasion of America is on. If any one doesn't take it seriously just let him talk to any Englishman about , who is conducting the invasion. He'll get an earful. There are Englishmen who think James can lick Jack Dempsey. And there isn't an Englishman living who believes for a moment that any American, Frenchman, Australian, Swede, Dane or Chink within ten pounds- of Wilde's weight has any right to go into a ring with him unless insured against sudden death. That's what they think of Wilde in England.

The English invasion of America is on. If any one doesn't take it seriously just let him talk to any Englishman about Jimmy Wilde, who is conducting the invasion. He'll get an earful. There are Englishmen who think James can lick Jack Dempsey. And there isn't an Englishman living who believes for a moment that any American, Frenchman, Australian, Swede, Dane or Chink within ten pounds- of Wilde's weight has any right to go into a ring with him unless insured against sudden death. That's what they think of Wilde in England.

This Jimmy Wilde boy is reckoned the greatest fighter turned out in England since Figg threw away his club and invented the gentle are of tapping a gent on the lower maxillary with a right hook. There have been fighters in England now and then, but no Jimmy Wildes.

Last fall I was talking with an American who went over and tried to get a reputation by flattening Wilde, who was somewhat prominent. Young Rosner it was. Young Rosner said to me: "Why, this Wilde is on top of you all the time. He's a skinny, tired looking duck, and you'd think he couldn't fight a lick. But when he starts! Oh, boy! Say, Zulu Kid is pretty fair, but he'll come home licked just the way I did.

Wilde knocked out Rosner in eleven rounds. He knocked out the Zulu Kid in eleven rounds, too. Seems to like that distance. And Zulu Kid's doleful tale was the same as Rosner. Wilde was "on top" of him all the time," too, those skinny arms pumping away like mad, yet never missing a punch, never swinging a punch, just one-two, one-two, one-two, and every crack like the crack of a mallet. Wilde is a Welshman, like the great Jem Driscoll arid like Freddy Welsh. He was born at Pontypridd in 1892, so he is nearly 28. and no youngster in ring affairs. He has a large family and is a settled citizen. His height is 5 feet 2 ½ inches, and at the heaviest he weighs 102 pounds.

During the late war Jimmy Wilde tried eight times to get into the British army. Seven times he was rejected because he was under height and weighed only 98 pounds. He tried to stretch out an inch or two and ate more, but couldn't grow or put on weight, so at last they took him anyway and made him a boxing instructor, like Jem Driscoll. They might have given him a chance with a bayonet. That skeeter-like in and out action of his would have made him a wicked opponent, even if he was half the size of the average Boche.

While in the army Wilde went right on taking part in boxing contests, and was tremendously popular. He met a reverse In the inter allied contests, when Wilson (Pal) Moore outpointed him in a four-round bout, winning the decision. This was not fatal setback for Wilde, as he proved later. He had already trimmed , decision in four rounds, and this year showed that he could do it over the long route. Wilde Always Gave Away Weight.

When you figure Wilde fighting Pal Moore and Joe Lynch, two of the best bantams in America — probably the- best — although Kid Herman holds the title — you have to take into consideration that Wilde isn't a bantam himself, but only champion" of England. Pal Moore claims that Wilde weighed 109 pounds when they met But Moore weighed much more, for even his manaper , Nate Lewis, claims no more than that Moore can make 115 pounds ringside. Officially, Wilde's weight was 102 pounds when he corralled the flyweight; title.

Wilde's boxing style is much like Jem Driscoll's. Jem was master of the "one-two" punch, which is also Wilde's specialty. Wilde hits like lightning with his following right hand and delivers most of his in this way. For a little fellow he carries an astonishing punch. He starts deliberately and gradually works up speed until he is fighting like a streak, with no let-up, round after round, until his opponent caves in. He is apparently tireless.

Capt. Tom Flanagan told me a story about Wilde. Early in the war Flanagan was put in charge of the athletic work of the Canadian troops, and was later sent to England to introduce his system of athletics there, Tom had a lot of first-class scrappers among his Canadian troops and he got up a tournament In which a number of them met the English army champions. One of his boys was to fight. Wilde. Of course Wilde was known as a wonder in his class and the Canadian was comparatively green. But the Canadian was strong, fast, game and willing to try. He proposed to go right out and slug with the Canadian. Flanagan, who was an old fox in athletic sports, advised differently. "Go a l o n g smoothly until the last round," said Flanagan, "and don't get him mad. Then in the last round you can fight your head off. There isn't much danger that you'd be knocked out in that round and you'll have a possible chance of slipping one over. Anyway, you'll have the honor of going the limit with Wilde, and that's good enough."

The Canadian started s o f t l y enough. Wilde came out slowly, locking heavy-eyed, indifferent, cold, hardly interested in putting away an unknown opponent. Wilde made no effort to take a lead, and in about a minute the Canadian youngster, forgetting instructions and finding himself holding his own, went tearing in with a wild rush, landed a swing and nearly knocked Wilde for a goal. Tom Flanagan, crouching in his man's corner, groaned and exclaimed to himself: "It's all off!" He had seen Wilde fight before. And off it was. Wilde suddenly woke up and became a ripping, tearing demon, in and out like a flash, with both arms pumping like pistons and never a blow missing. In a couple of rounds he knocked the Canadian cold.

"You should have done what I told you," said Captain Flanagan when they brought his man to. "He looked so easy I thought I had him," mumbled the victim. That's the way Wilde Is. Aroused, he fights with double power and speed But he never loses his head, his judgment, his deliberation in applying all of his boxing skill to offense and defense all the time. Stinging him with a hard blow is like stepping on the trigger of a bear trap.

Looks Don't Make the Fighter in Wilde's Case.

In ordinary clothes Jimmy Wilde wouldn't attract unusual attention any where. Even stripped he doesn't look particularly like a trained fighter, although he has good square shoulders and a strong pair of hands and good forearms. He looks rather skinny than muscular, and shows nothing of the beefy, rugged appearance we are accustomed to recognizing in English fighters. Perhaps that why every new opponent thinks he ought to be an easy mark, until about the starting of the second round.

American names are popular with English pugs, judging from Wildes early record.After knocking out Matt Wells in one round at the beginning of his career he knocked out Joe Gans in seven, Young Langford in two, and Billy Papke in three rounds. From the start Wilde has been a remarkable artist.Upto the time he went into the army he fought 89 ring battles. He won 47 with knockouts ( most of them in the third round ), won 29 decisions and fought only three draws. In 1915 he won eight and lost one, to Tancy Lee, in 17 rounds. In 1916 and 1917 he knocked out Tancy Lee in 11 rounds and won 16 fights, most of them with quick knockouts. Last year he, won three fights, two knockouts, and lost a four-round decision to Pal Moore.

A little while ago, fearing that Wilde might stay in the game too long and go down like, other champions, a party of English sportsmen offered him an income for life if he would retire: But Wilde preferred to go on and make his money in his own way, with his padded fists. American boxers who lost to him went home and "kicked" about the decisions, He decided that he'd go over to America on a sight,-seeing trip, and just to pay expenses and make it more interesting, take on a few of the best little men somewhere near his weight here and prove his superiority on their own side of the pond. Jimmy Wilde is a remarkable champion in many ways, but one of the most unusual In his entire indifference to the weight of the man he fights. He is so small that men of his own size don't class with him at all. So he has grown accustomed to giving away ten or twenty pounds and slipping- over the winning punch in spite of it.

Jimmy Wilde v

The Bee ,Danville ,VA, 19 June 1923

Little English Master of the Ring Lasts Seven Rounds on Gameness Alone.

POLO. GROUNDS, ,

June 18 — Pancho Villa, fighting dynamo from the hips who was dethroned as the American flyweight title holder only a few weeks ago. rose to world's championship heights tonight, when he knocked out Jimmy Wilde. British holder of the crown in the seventh round . of a battle that was spectacular from start to finish, despite its one- sidedness. A crowd, estimated by the promoters at 40,000, witnessed, the second world's title to change hands at the Polo Grounds within a few weeks.

Rushing in and slashing with a terrific assault that had Wilde groggy and reeling in the first round, Villa's victory was one of the most decisive in the annals of world's championship history.

Wilde was but a shell of the once great boxer who had held undisputed sway among the little men of the ring for years. Only his marvelous gameness and the heart of a master ring man enabled him to last as long as he did. He stood up under the most deadly of attacks for six rounds, bleeding from cuts about his mouth, and cheeks, and with his right eye virtually closed. Occasionally he took the offensive but his punches were feeble, and failed to shake his opponent. But though his legs sagged at the knees and his body wavered under a devastating attack, Wilde's bulldog courage kept' him in the thick of the fray, bloody and hopeless a picture as he was.

Time after time Villa tried to measure Wilde for the count of ten. But the Britsher took his hardest punches without going down. It was only a question of how long the title holder could hang on. At the end of the sixth round Wilde reeled into the arms of his handlers in his corners, all but out, and the crowd pleaded with Referee Patsy Halsey to stop nearly blinded, shook his head as the fight. But the little Welshman, his seconds urged him to quit and staggered to his feet to answer the bell for the seventh round.

Sensing victory. Villa sprang from his corner lit" a wild cat. He drove rights and lefts to Wilde's head as the Britisher gave ground slowly still trying gamely but ineffectively to fight back.

The Filipino amazed that his opponent could stand up under such an assault, drew back and then shot over a right cross as Wilde's guard dropped momentarily. The "mighty atom” fell like a log to the canvas and never quivered as he was counted out. Helpless he was carried to his corner and. there it took strenuous work for a few minutes to revive him. He was carried to his dressing room. where, still dazed and blinded, he was unable even to recognize his wife who rushed to him.

It was another victory for youth over age. Wilde, the 31 years old title holder, was attempting to come back after two and a half years of ring idleness and he failed in the same ring where another veteran Johnny Kilbane. recently lost his featherweight crown to Eugune Criqui of France. Wilde's knockout which came after one minute and fortv- six seconds -of the seventh round, was the second of his careen He took the count of ten in his last fight in January. 1921, at the hands of , former bantam weight champion, in London. But then Wilde was out weighed more than ten pounds.

Dave Shade of California recently elevated to the welterweight throne by New York boxing authorities, who Took it from Mickey Walker and Johnny Dundee who is matched to fight Eugene Crlqui for the featherweight title on July 30, also were introduced. Wilde weighed 109 ½ and Villa 110, Patsy Haley was the referee.

Round One.

They exchanged light swinging lefts to the face. Villa swung a hard lefts and rights to head. Wilde did not seem to mind the blows. Wilde poked straight lefts to the face. Villa swung two rights to the head as the round closed.

Round Two.

Villa staggered Wilde with a right to the 'jaw and savagely attacked the body. Villa hit Wilde at will. The little Filipino was staggering the champion bout the ring with blows to the head. Wilde's swings went wild. Villa, knocked Wilde to 'the canvas with a swing to the jaw after the bell had sounded and the champion was carried to his corner in a 'daze.

Round. Three.

Wilde blinked his eyes and came out right to fight. The champion's punches lacked steam. He bled at the nose. Villa evaded the champion’s blows cleverly. They exchanged hard punches to the body, in a neutral corner.

Round Four.

Wilde began slugging with the, little brown boy. Wilde took the offensive. Wilde took the drove Villa to the ropes in a rush. Villa fought him back with rights and lefts to the body and the champion was staggering again but fought gamely. Wilde landed an avalanche of blows on the Filipino's head but Villa never blinked.

Round Fire.

Villa landed lefts to stomach and jaw. They engaged In a heavy exchange to the head. Wilde's sluggishness was leaving him. Wilde’s right eye bled. Villa swung heavy rights to stomach and chin. Wilde landed a stiff right to the jaw as the round ended.

Round Six.

The game little Englishman took heavy punishment on body. A left to the face sent Wilde staggering into a neutral corner. Villa rained blows to the body. Wilde protested against Villa's backhanded blows but the referee said they were fair. Wilde staggered from lefts to the face, face was covered with blood, and he could hardly stand. Villa rained blows to his head. He fell into his stool as the bell sounded.

Round Seven.

When Wilde came out he could hardly raise his hands to stem the tide of Villa's blows. He fought back feebly. His right eye was closed. The stubbornness of the Englishman kept Wilde standing. After the terrible punishment, with both eyes swollen. Wilde dropped his guard. A straight inside right swing to his jaw and he fell flat on his face, conscious. He was carried to his corner and brought to his senses after five minutes of hard work. He was barely able to lift his hand but he smiled .when, the crowd cheered the announcer's statement that Jimmy

Wilde was the gamest loser in the ring.

The Passing of a World Champion Boxing News 20 June 1923

" I can beat him” Jimmy Wilde had remarked in prophetic vein when he saw Bobby Wolgast outpoint Pancho Villa at on May 24th. Proof positive that the little Welshman is a master at self-deception. The " fans " were better judges, if misled by Pete Herman's tip and wager of 1,000 dollars that Wilde would retain the one world title England has held since —oh, well, don't let us reckon the years. Wilde made a most gallant effort to hold on to his laurels, but his years and more particularly his long lay-off beat him.

Jimmy was but the shadow of his old self. He had nothing left save his courage. The tigerish little Filipino pasted him most severely in every round. The, one-time " Terror " could not produce any of his old a elusiveness and but a fraction of his old punching power. Pancho was tearing in to him in every round, thumping him freely and lavishly, and all Jimmy could do was to stand where he was hit and take more punishment. He took it most wonderfully, and thoroughly deserved the compliment paid him when announcing the result. The M.C. described him as "the gamest loser I ever saw." But that was all that could be said for Jimmy. And if ever a game man pulled off his shirt, that man was Wilde. He was dead weary when he staggered up for the final round. He had been practically out as early as the second, the close of which found him on the floor, whence he had to be carried to his corner. Yet he came up for the third to battle for all he was worth — which it must be said wasn't much. Villa won that round if he had to take a number of thumps which he seemed to disregard.

Jimmy made a really big effort in the fourth round, and for about half a minute threatened to turn the tables, but Villa came back at him, and had him reeling on his feet. With an amazing effort Jimmy pulled himself together and joined in a terrific rally, hitting out twice as fast as the Filipino at least, but those who remembered the old Wilde could scarcely believe their eyes when they saw that none of these blows could make Pancho bat even an eyelid.

Jimmy's Desperate Rally.

Still Jimmy persevered, and in the fifth and sixth stanzas, he went for Villa with -any amount of pluck and determination. In the fifth especially he appeared to find some of his old fire, and he did come near to shaking Villa with a right to the jaw just before the gong.

He made another big effort in the sixth, and for about a minute almost held his own, but Villa put on a great spurt later, and Wilde was a beaten man, as bathed in his blood he staggered to his corner.

Both Jimmy's eyes were closed before the seventh round had lasted a minute, and he was reeling helpless and unconscious in the centre of the ring, with his hands down, when Villa landed the finishing blow, a terrific right to the jaw. Jimmy swayed, then crashed on his face and all was over.

He has collected some £15,000 as a salve for his wounds, but he would have been wiser to retire. He did not need the money, and will have a hard task to forgive himself.

The promotion was a financial success, as between 40,000 and 50.000, spectators were present. Jimmy was perhaps two inches the taller man, and was fully 3 inches longer in the reach, but he was outpaced and outfought. He had been out of the ring too long. His aim and his timing were not so bad, but there was little or no sting behind his punches, and he was caught repeatedly by the Filipino's backhand blows. Jimmy complained three times about these, but the referee had no complaints to make, though it did seem at times that Villa was making use of his wrist and even of his forearm. Still the old Wilde would not have been caught by those back-handers.

How the Fight Went.

ROUND 1.

The fight started about five minutes past ten. Villa went for his man at once without any preliminary feinting. Wilde met his first attack with a left to the face, but the dig wasn't sharp enough to pull the Filipino up, and Wilde was being battered about the head and body almost before he had got into his stride. He tried to duck, but was uppercut and was even at this stage booked for defeat. There seemed to be no snap about him, and he was slow and late in everything he tried to do.

Wilde Sent Down.

ROUND 2.

Wi1de came out smartly and shot two swift blows, left and right to the face, but neither had any effect on Villa, who tore into his man like a tiger. Wilde met him, but was shaken to his toes by a smashing right to the jaw, just after he had complained about a back-hander. Jimmy reeled, and Villa showered blows on him, sending him reeling and staggering across the ring. A k.o. looked certain, but Wilde though practically helpless and seemingly unconscious contrived to keep his feet in a wonderful way, until just before the gong, when a smashing right sent him to the canvas. The bell saved Wilde, who had to be carried to his corner, with one eye almost closed and bleeding freely from nose and mouth.

ROUND 3.

Wilde came up unsteadily for this, but managed to dodge Villa's charge, and then met the Filipino in the centre of the ring. Villa landed left and right and backhand. Jimmy again protested, unavailingly, but then went for Villa for all he was worth: He jabbed the Filipino and crossed him to the jaw, but failed to shake him. He was scoring the faster at this stage, but without effect, and the blows he had to take in return were far heavier. The two had a fast mix-up in the centre and were busily exchanging wallops when the gong sounded.

A Flicker of the Old Fire.

ROUND 4.

This and the next round were Wilde's best. The little Welshman came out in form which almost recalled his best days. He was quicker off the mark than Villa and took the fight right to him. Villa hit back, but had to break ground and was driven into the ropes. Cheers went up for Jimmy but Villa came back like a fury, and Wilde was unable to beat off the attack. Fighting most desperately, he was driven across the ring and was twice seen to stagger when Villa ,landed rights to the head. Yet he pulled himself together wonderfully, and tore into Pancho like a whirlwind, landing fully three blows for one, but without disturbing Pancho in the slightest.

ROUND 5.

It was do or die now, and Wilde went for Villa in this round as though he were fully aware of the fact. Pancho fought back, but may be said to have lost the round by a shade. The Filipino was shaken for the first, and only time, in the fight by a right to the jaw, just before the gong.

ROUND 6.

Wilde came up looking somewhat disappointed, but well held his own for about a minute. Villa then cut loose, and Wilde was hardly able to see the way Pancho was going. Punches rained on Jimmy from every angle, straight, hooked, back-handed, upper-cuts, crosses and body blows. Both Jimmy's eyes were now closing, and he was streaming with blood when the gong went, and he was free to stagger to his chair, into which he fell exhausted.

Out On His Feet.

ROUND 7 AND LAST.

Jimmy could only leave his chair with difficulty for this, and staggered as he came forward. His right eye was completely closed and his left was closing. Villa met him with two drives to the face, left and right, which Wilde appeared too weak to duck or parry. He stood there swaying while Pancho pounded him with everything he had, making feeble efforts to retaliate. The end only came when Wilde could no longer raise his hands. With both eyes closed and streaming blood, he seemed to be out on his feet when Pancho drove home the final punch, a right to the jaw. Jimmy swayed uncertainly for a second and then as Villa stepped back fell flat on his face, to remain there until his seconds picked him up and carried him to his corner, where he remained unconscious for several minutes, though he was able to recover and to smile his acknowledgments to the plaudits of the crowd.