The Washington times., 1906-08-05
Naughton Says Jack Lost
Too Much Prestige in Bout
With Berger.
BRITT PICKS CANS TO WIN
Expects Him to KnOck Out Nelson
if He Can Make The
Weight.
By W. W. NAUGHTON.


| ticism-there is ample 10 show that
/ OBrien would waive everything else
| IN the shape OF a fstic engagement for
the privilege Of hopping into the ing
| a second time with the sta,wart Califor-
nian.
There is good reason. OF course. for
| O'Brien being dissatisfied with the pres
| ent condition Of affairs Not so many
weeks ago O'BrIen was cock O. the walk
and Berger was an unknown. So much
did O'Brien loom above other American
heavyweights that be was selected by
the Australian matchmakers as the man
70 meet burly BIZ Squires IN far away
| Melbourne for the championship Of the
world.
O'Buen Lost Prestige
The six-round affair in Philadelphia
upset everything. Berger didn't win
and O'BHen didn't win. In good old
Philadelphia. as 1 understand il. referees
are unknown. or rather. every seathoId-
er IS referee. II IS a case Of yer
pays yer money and yer toiks yer
choice" The opinions that are aired
At the ringside are largely partisan and
one 'yawn offsets another
When theatrical agents reach out for
a boxer. however. there IS some reason
for Il. II shows something unexpected
/ has happened and that the public is will
/ ing TO pay money 10 gaze upon said
boxer across the foouights. And that's
what's the matter with Berger. How
ever experts may disagree as 20 the
relative merits Of Jack O'Brien's hooks
and Sam Bergers uppcrcuts the untold
thousands Ilo never see the inside OF a
boxing arena have conceived the no
tion that Berger. the unknown. has
acquitted himself wonderfully well and
that he is tho latest hero IN pugilism.
Really Wants Another Bout.
Jack C'Brien resents this turning 20
strange -ods on the part Of the public
II dims the luster Of O'BrIen's former
triunIphs in the ring and H. 10 a GER
tain extent. interferes with his Austral-
ian plans. He realizes probably that Il
is hardly the thing TO set out in search
OF new worlds 70 conquer as long as
there is a doubt about your having con
quered the old one.
Cool-headed and resourcefuI as is Jack
o Brien. this Berger episode has placed
him In a quandary. He says so frankly
IN letter ne has written 70 his friend,
Jack Cribbins. Of this city. He makes
Il clear that he would make most any
sacrifice - order 10 bring about a bona
1ide championship contest with Berger
In California. He refers 10 the numerous
offers Berger has received for a bout
with O'Brlen In this city on September
DO. He argues that By defeating him IN
san Francisco before a holiday crowd
Berger could make more money than he
could gather together in a solid ear OF
theatrical work
Berger Holding Of.
He urges Cribblns 10 wait upon the
promoters again and TO leave no stone
unturned 10 get Berger to close his
vaudeville engagement and sign articles
for the September fight He says: "Ill
make one more effort to see Berger's
manager at this end and If nothing
comes Of IL, think I'll fool away the
month OF August by crossing over TO
England Hotel Victoria. London. will
find me. and a message containing the
single word signed would bring me
back In haste I could be training all
the way across and even on the train
10 san Francisco, so that II / arrived
about August Is. ii would give me two
weeks TO train. That would be suffi-
Clent TO put me in trim, as I had but
ten days for Kaufman
That Jack got no Satisfaction from
Berger's manager may be guaged from
the fact that O'Brien Is now crossing
the Atlantic. He is not likely 70 be
recalled 10 box Berger in September.
and IL is highly probable that his Aus
tralian trip will be cancelled for the
present.
He will probably asuage his grief and
at the same time enrich his eSchequer
by knocking out some Of the English
heavies. What viii become of the
o Brien-B Berger championship hg9t good
ness only knows. for by the tine big
Sam gets ready 10 enter the ring y Brlen
mya be IN johannesburg or Van Die
mans Island.
Btitr Picks Cans.
Jimmy Britt Is one of those who think
that Cans should be a favOritc over Mel
son To be plain. Jimmy expects Cans to
win. Britt thinks, however, that if making
the weight weakens Cans to any extent
the Dane will bide his time assimilate
considerable punishment and then battle
the negro around in a manner that will
be perfectly scandalOus.
Cans say the weight Is the easiest
thing about Il. He believes he will do
lS3 with less difficulty than Nelson will
experience.
somehow. I think Cans is right about
the weight phase of II. I have good
reason for believing that il is no hard
ship for him 10 make the lightweight
limit now. and in the fact that he can
do so easily lies the greatest element
Of danger to Cans.
! don't like these pugilists who. after
holding out for years for a couple Of
pounds above scale. suddenly announce
that they can make the limit without
bothering themselves. Terry McGovern.
If I remember right. began TO slough
off weight just about the time he ran
foul OF Young COrbetJ the first time.
II Cans makes 133 naturally while
training il seems to me that Cans at
l33 will be as strong as Cans at any
other weight. I'll know better, or
course. when I tab him al his work.
but at this stage of the proceedings !
am influenced by what | have heard in
regard 10 slump in weight. I am be-
ginning 10 think If Nelson finds any
weak spots In Cans and tumbles him |
over. il will be because Cans has been
too long At the game and is beginning
to go TO pieces physically.