Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10
think THEY CAN i
WHIP MELODY
Belief of Six PugiIists in the
Division of Welter-
weights:
Tommy Murphy and Matty
Baldwin May Soon Come
Together.

NEW YORK, February 9.-There are at
least six men in the welterweight division
who consider themselves better than Hon
ey" Melody. who won the title from Joe
Walcott Joe Cans is supreme among the
lightweights. Abe Attell is king of the
featherweights. The heavyweights are all
jokes compared to Jeffries, and the middle
weight class is almost deserted.
So it would seem that there should be
more activity among the welterweights than
there is. At the McGovern benefit Melody
and several of his envious rivals boxed.
Among them were Willie Lewis. Jimmy
Gardner and Mike Sullivan. Melody is
booked to box at the big carnival at Tono-
pah next March. His opponent has not yet
been chosen. The welterweights now in the
east complain that Melody is side-stepping
them.
The trouble among the 'welters" is that
all want to fight the champion and him
only. They will not do battle with each
other. There are several good matches
that could be made without Melody, but
the managers apparently do not care to ar
range them. Harry Lewis is looming up as
formidable candidate: He is doing m6fe
fighting than any of the others Joe
Thomas. the Pacific coast member, is also
entitled to consideration. He knocked Mel
| lody out In eleven rounds last September.
That.-was before Melody beat WaIcott.
Willie Lewis and Gardner would make a
good match. They boxed three rounds in
| this city a year ago New Year day. and it
was one of the fastest bouts ever seen in
this city. They ought to get together, and,
after one or the other is eliminated it
would be time to challenge Melody. Sulli-
van thinks he has it on all of these boys.
The thing to do IS to quit hurting. chal-
| Is claiming the lightweight title because
Cans declines to meet him just now. The
philadelphia boy. however, would not be at
his best if he scaled down to the light
weight limit for Cans
Willie Lewis gave Melody a good fight
| until the Boston boy slipped "haymaker'
| over on him. Two months later Thomas
knocked out Melody The Californian,
the champion ahead of Lewis, Gardner and
| the others. In the meanwhile there is
| nothing to prevent the other claimants from
settling questions of superiority. AS for
Cans. he could claim the welterweight title
himself and get away with it.
In all probability the question of superiority
between Tommy Murphy and Matty Bald
win may be settled privately within the
| next SIX weeks Johnny Mack manager of
the Boston fighter. says that he will put up
$1,000 for meeting with Murphy just as
soon. as Baldwin fills couple Of engage
ments already booked. Baldwin has gone
to Canada for short time. Johnny Oliver
| Murphy's manager, made the proposition to
Mack for private bout. after Harry Ed
wards. of the National A. c. of Philadel-
phia declined to make a good offer for a
six-round bout there. None of the match
makers in this vicinity take much stock in
Baldwin's decision over Murphy at Chelsea,
| and the Boston boy has failed to make
much capital out of it so far.
| A fight is in sight between Abe Attell.
featherweight champion of the world, and
Tommy Sullivan. who at present is the box
of ST. Louis, for Matchmaker McCarey Of
the Pacific A. c. Of Los Angeles. has Of
fered purse for such fight. providing
| that Sullivan will agree to 122 pounds ring
side as the weight. Sullivan is said to have
snapped at the chance for another meeting
with Attell. whom he defeated in the sum-
mer of 1904, and who has appeared to be
unwilling to risk the title in a match with
| his former conQueror Since that fight At
tell has won all his fights easily. but Suli-
van says that he can beat the little fellow
| again. and that he will accept the weight
conditions. even though they may prove
| something of a handicap to him.
Lewis Loses Both Fights.
NEW YORK, February 9.-Joe Cans has
Cancelled his proposed fight with Harry
| Lewis articles for which were agreed upon
the other day. He gives as a reason for
this action that Lewis would not accept a
rs and 25 per cent division Of the purse.
Meanwhile Lewis had refused to meet Mike
tTwin) Sullivan in ten-round bout at
Denver on February 81, after signing the
usual papers. Lewis probably sidetracked
| Sullivan because he felt reasonably sure
of match with Cans.
| Shot Putter to Become Pugilist.
NEW YORK. February 9.-Ralph Rose,
| the giant shot putter, who has been lead
ing athlete on English and western college
fields. is said to have been induced to enter
| the prize ring. 1t is stated that in the near
future Rose will meet Bob Ward, a we'll
known amateur heavyweight. before club
in San Francisco. Rose has been training
| with sparring partner for some time. and,
| while still very much in the rough, it is
said that he has shown signs of developing
| into a pretty fair boxer.
Kelly Draws Color Line.
NEW YORK, February 9.-Hugo Kelly,
who expects to fight Tommy Ryan for the
middleweight championship has drawn the
color line, which will bar Sam Langford
L IL. Soll1 hot