Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-30
even At THESTARI.
Fight Followers at Sea on Prob
able Outcome of Kelly
Papke Battle
At MILWAUKEE, TONIGHT
Result Will Help Clear Middleweight
Muddle--Tommy Ryan Ready to
Emerge from Retirement.

Milwaukee, Wis, Dec 3O.-The eyes
of the pugilistic world are centered on
Milwaukee. Fight fans all over the
country are awaiting the result of the
battle between Hugo Kelly and Billy
Papke, the Illinois thunderbolt. at
Schlitz park tonight. Milwaukee has
had fights and fights-some good, some
bad, some indifferent-but never any
that attracted half the attention drawn
by tonights affair
The battle will not settle the worlds
mddleweight championship, but it will
do more toward solving that problem
than any fight that has taken place in
the last two years. Whoever wins will
be closer to the top of the middle
weight heap than any fighter in the
country. Tommy Ryan is said to have
outgrown his usefulness in the ring,
but denies it, and Jack c'Twin") Sulli-
van has grown too heavy. leaving Kel-
ly, Papke and Ketchell in the running.
Either Papke Sor Kelly probably will
be eliminated tonight, leaving the
championship question to be decided
by Ketchell and the winner. That is
why the fight is attracting so much
/ attention and why crowds from Illinois
and Wisconsin towns are fiockine
here
Take Your Choice.
Critics are divided in their opinion
as to the outcome of the fight. A
great many close students of the game
pick Kelly on account of his greater
cleverness and experience. They fig
ure Papke is too young and too crude
to get in any effective blows on 81
classy veteran as the Italian. Ye
there are others just as well qualified
10 judge who think the Illinois cyclone
is irresistible-that youth and strength
|, will win for him.
Both men announce themselves il
: perfect condition. They are both dow
TO weight and are resting quietly
/, Papke experienced no trouble in get
, ting down to weight He can seal
close to $50 pounds without much ef
fort, SO that 154 at o'clock will leay
, him strong. Kelly had to work a hi
harder to reach the required notch. bu
: did it easily enough.
Ryan Catches Fever Again.
Chicago, Dec. 30.-Tommy Ryan ha
the fight fever and says that if an
club will offer asuitable purse he vii
show he still is the middleweigh
champion by meeting the winner O
the kelly-Papke fight. or, if the WHINE
OF that bout meets Ketchell. he vii
e fight him. Ryan said yesterday:
n Il am glad so much interest ha
! been worked up over the Kelly-Papk
: battle. / hope the fight will turn on
; tough one. But | cannot allow i
r to go through without saying they ar
a not fighting for the middleweigh
t championship. | am still the middle
;. weight champion and l am ready t
p defend my title as soon as likel
o opponent turns up in whom some pre-
!. moter has enough confidence to offe
a good purse
Il am not in a hurry and do nc
3 want to throw cold water on any mic
dleweight aspirants. IL Stanley Ketcf
ell gets match with tomorro,
nights winner will wait and fight tn
winner of that fight, but if the publ
demands that | fight the winner and
fit offer is made | am ready to sig
articles. | Cont care which one wins.