Where does Jimmy Britt rank?

The Buffalo Times - 05 Nov 1904
THE LIGHWEIGHT CLASS IS WITHOUT A CHAMPION
GANS WEAK AND BRITT A LOSER—THIS ODD COMBINATION LEAVES THE CLASS PREMIERSHIP OPEN FOR ALL COMERS.
There is no lightweight champion, and is any ambitious young man wants the glory and the title, all he has to do it to go after the premiership in a sensible way and earn the laurels. The result of the Britt-Gans battle throws the championship wide open to competition, and also leaves the class without a head.

More and moe, during the past few months, has there been a clamor for a return to the old weight standards and a stricterobservance of the figures set for various classes, Britt and Gans, fully realizing this, and knowing well that the winner of a bout between them at 133 ringside would be an unquestioned champion, fought at the old standard. The result was almost unique in the history o pugilism. Gans won, and this nominally retains the title. At the same time he was so completely beaten up to the time the foul was landed which gave him the verdict, that it is plain he cannot fight at the weight and be strong.

Gans Out of It.
Gans, therefore, even though the nominal winner of the bout, must cease to figure as even a championship possibility at the legitimate weight. He would be toppled over to a certainty if he ever tried to fight at 133 again. Crafty as he is, he will never try for that weight again, and this fact, coupled with the manifest weakness of his performance, ends him as real lightweight champion.

On the other hand Britt is not champion, because he lost the battle. The verdict bars him from any claim to recognition. He showed himself superior to Gans at the weight, but he lost the decision. Hence the astounding spectacle is presented of a championship fight which results in a decision yet did not produce a champion, and which knocked both of the would-be champions out of the honour which they sought. It is doubtful if there was ever such a situation in fistic history before.

The Lightweight championship is something very dear to the eye of the ring-goes. Is is an honour second in money-getting power only to the heavyweight championship. The lightweight champion is always feted and petted, always given international mills, and every chance for fame and dollars.

Right now there is no lightweight champion. Go to it, ye younsters, and whale one another!

The and Now.
There are few great lightweights nowadays, as compared to the galliant brood who battled for the glory years ago. The modern ring ca show no such array as Jack McAuliffle, Billy Myer, Andy Bowen, Harry Gilmore, Jem Carney, Jimmy Carroll and others of that golden day, nor has the modern lightweight class one man who can compare with George Lavigne in the time of the Saginaw fighter's suppremacy. Britt, on the showing of Monday night, is the most likely canidatenow before the public, is well liked in California, and has many good fighting qualities, but lacks generalship and a head. What would Jack McAuliffe, supposing Jack to be today the man he was in 1892, do to Britt? Oh, mamma! And what show would the Britt of today have against the Lavigne of 1895? Griffo—the Griffo of old—would cut comical circles round and round the aspiring Californian.
The time is ripe for a new lightweight to arise and go through the bunch luke a 200-pound fullback through a team of scrubs. A new lightweight champion is wanted, and wanted badly Bring on the young Napoleons of the ring!

 

The Wilkes-Barre Leader - 12 May 1905 (page 9)
WHICH FIGHTER IS REAL CHAMPIONS
Does Britt or Gans Hold the Title?
CAUSE OF VERY MUCH UNDUE TALK
Both Sides Have Their Supports and Put Forth Arguments to Sustain Claims.
James Edward Britt's defeat of Jabez White in San Francisco, causes many sporting men to proclaim him the lightweight champion fighter of the world. One Western paper goes so far as to declare that he is entitled to all honors, and states that the public will receive him as such.

Fighters Talk.
This declaration and proclamation causes the more conservative followers to ask, "What's the matter with Joe Gans?" Says one sporting man, who by the way, is an ardent admirer of Britt's fighting qualities: "The battle that he fought and won was such that the followers of the game will accord him the honor of the title, regardless of the technalities, and hereafter he will be hailed as champion at home and abroad."
Another of the fight followes a trifile more conservative, has this to say on the subject: "Well, Joe Gans is the real lightweight champion. Did he not win it from Britt when the Californian fought the negro? He, then is the proper holder of the title. It seems to me that Britt is the better fighter of the two and probably is the most deserving. He is a great little fighter. He had Gans whipped to a standstill in reality, and but for that unlucky foul I believe he would have defeated the negro.
"Another thing must be taken into consideration: That is that Gans should not really lay claim to the title. He is not able to make the weight—133 pounds—and still be at his best. He used to be at his best at 138 pounds, and that is now rather difficult for him to reach and still be strong. Gans refuses to defend the lightweight at 133 pounds, knowing full well that he can't make it.
"Then there is only one solution of the problem that presents itself to my mind. That is for Gans to relinquicj the lightweight title. It is not necessary that he give it to Britt. Let his give it to one particularly, except the man who proves he is the most worthy of it.

It means Britt.
"At the present time, that would mean Britt. But Nelson and Britt are going to meet again. I am of the opinion that the lightweigh title should go to the winner of that contest. Gans's claims to the title although perfectly legitimate, is really ridiculous. The only manly way for him to do would be to relinquish it in favor of the Britt-Nelson fight. It was published freely that the winner of the Britt-White fight would be called the lightweight championship of the world. But is takes some sort of declaration on the part of Gans to make it so. There is no governing body to take the title away from Gans even though he cannot make the weight and refuse to give up his claim."