The San Francisco call., 1897-11-02
.LAVIGNE AFTER RYAN,
Also Willing to Fight Hawkins
at One Hundred and
Thirty.
Still Sore From the Effects of Joe
-. Walcott's Terrible Right
y Handlers.

Now that George Lavigne has begun to
recover from the effects OF his recent bat
tie with Joe Walcott, the sab. e. hued
boxer who was thought by many to be in
vinci bic, he is casting bout for new Iaurels,
and is figuring whether 70 return to the
class from which he rose to fight Walcott
or go higher and enter the welter-weight
lists.
Gosout of his class he must, and it is
simply question OF whicn will bring him
the most honor and pecuniary benefit.
Lavigne understands that after his defeat
of the dusky demon of the O'Rou-ke
stable he will have a hard time getting
matches in the lightweight class. and be
is prepared. 10 fight anything that is eli
gible 10 enter ring at from 100 to 140
pounds, age or color not barred. ..'
" He has become great dmfrer cf Dal
Hawkins since the local man fought his
draw with Dixon, and IS ready and Will:
ing to make match with Hawkins at. the
Iatter's own weight, 130 pounds. Ii this
cannot. be brought off he wants match
with Tommy Ryan, and is willing that
the latter should weigh 140 pounds, which
is said 10 be the weiter- weight CHAMPIONS
best fighting weight.
With RYAN, however, he will ask that
the match be 10 a finish, as he has great
idea of the fasteners cleverness and
thinks he would have the best chance in
a limited-round contest.
III | go ont of my class to give him
fight" says Lavigne, "he ought 10 be will
ing 10 give me that point and make the
match for some place where we can settle
the question as TO who is the best man be-
vond the shadow of doubt have boxed
with Ryan, and l feel sure that can give
49,, do rt1n for f4l ei m OupV
"Hawkins | consider coming man in
his class, and | believe that 1t would add
TO my laurels should | succeed in bealjng
him."
Lavigne is still very sore bout he body,
where Walcotts terrific rlgh.-handers
landed A spot as b as soup plate over
his heart is black and blue, and just under
his ribs on the right side, is another ten-
der place. where three hot rights Jared
his internal arrangements.
~ know have been in a fight" Is all he
saws about his injuries, but he put Ill
several hours Yesterday walking and ex-
ercising to timber up the sore muscles, -
Lavigne let out yesterday the reason
why he almost failed 10 ges within the
weight at which he signed to night, l35
pounds. ~.
In the morning he stepped on the. scale
at the baths and found that he weighed
1927 pounds. Sure. of getting into the:
ring well under weight the champion in.
duiged himself little, taking coupie Of
glasses of sherry aud a hearty meal some
hours before going TO the Pavilion. :.
He was as much SURPRISED as possible
when the bar trembled before slowly
rising and showing that he was within the
limit. - !:
The kid" is the con slant amusement
of his friends with his quaint ard original
sayings. He was talking the other day OF.
his many battles, and was asked IN on OF.
his opponents he considered the cieverest.
''Griffo, by all MEANS" he replied.
'AfteT he got going ] thought the audi
ence was throwing gloves at me, they
came so FAST =
Regarding Walcott he had another
humorous remark 10 make. -,
L had him beaten in the first few
rounds, but that time L got my: head cut
made things different.
The minute | felt the blood running
down my face knew l had brand-n new
Niger 10 fight, for nlggers never see blood
without thinking they are winners. 1t
took me three rounds to get him back 10
where be was before the blood started.''