The San Francisco call., 1908-07-21
Rival Boxers Argue
Over Weight
Old Question of Ringside Weigh
ing Is Thrashed Over
Thoroughly
By K. A. Smyfh

mOter Luke Marisch announced that
Ketchel had agreed TO the weight term
proposed by Hugo Kelly and the men
will meet at 15S pounds, the weighing
to be done at 6 o'clock ON the night of
the fight.
The expected dispute over the ques
ton of weight for the Stanley Ketchel-
Hugo Kelly fight developed last night
the moment the managers of the fight
ers sat down to frame a set of articles
covering the contest. The argument
lasted from o'clock until midnight,
and they were no nearer settlement
at that time than when they started.
1t was finally decided to secure an au-
tomobile, and the managers of the two
fighters, accompanied by Promoter Luke
Marisch, left for Colma to talk over the
weight question with Ketchel.
Sylvie Ferretti, who represents Kelly,
started the trouble with the remark,
Kelly can't make less than 15S pounds
at o'clock, and that must be the
weight or there will be no fight"
Manager O,Connor was nonplused for
the moment, but he came back with his
ultimatum which was: The weight
must be either 158 pounds. ringside, or
154 pounds four hours before the men
enter the ring"
AS the two fighters probably will
when in condition this fine splitting
of the weight seemed a small matter
on which to call off all negotiations.
Ferretti claimed that he had an un-
derstanding with O'Connor when they
met in Chicago that the weight would
be 15S pounds. O'Connor said there
had never been such an agreement.
Ferretti said that as late as Sunday
the manager of Ketchel had said to
him: Don't worry about the weight,
that will be all right"
The Chicago man said that it was
not reasonable to believe that he would
come all the way from Chicago unless
he had some assurances that the
weight would be satisfactory to him.
It seemed either could have given
way to the other and not injured the
chances of his fighter. Each was stub
born and apparently made up his mind
that he would not give in to the other.
Neither seemed absolutely sincere in his
contention. Ferretti said he did not
know what Kelly weighed. The lat
ter was present at the time with his
trainer, and as he had done some work
at Alameda during the day it js the
most reasonable thing in the world
that he tested his weight and could
have told his weight to the ounce.
1t was proposed that he weigh then
and thus demonstrate whether he was
/
make a low figure. This his manager
would not agree to. O'Connor contrib
uted to the clouding of the situation
by saying that the public would not
patronize g. match If Kelly weighed in
at o'clock. AS this weighing would
land both fighters in the ring at their
| best, this is just what the public would
applaud. O'Connor had no valid reason
for lighting Jim Flynn, Joe Thomas
and Tommy Burns, the heavy weight
champion, at catch weights, as he has
proposed, and then drawing the line
tightly at Kelly. In all the discussion
the fighters representatives talked
from their own selfish point of view
and there was no suggestion as to what
would give the public run for it's
money.
Earlier in the evening the division of
the purse had been decided upon. Fer
retti suggested that It be 60 per cent
to the winner and 40 per cent to the
loser, but O'Connor wanted 65 and 35
and that was agreed upon. The fight
ers are to receive so per cent of the
gross receipts. In addition to his share
Ketchel will receive bonus of 10 per
cent as the champions bit
KETCHEL WILL FIGHT
IN NEVADA LABOR DAY
Manager O'Connor announced last
night that Ketchel has agreed to fight
| Young Peter Jackson at Goldfeld on
Labor day. This is the same day on
which Nelson and Cans are to meet
! in Ely. Ketchel is to receive $1,000 for
his share no matter what the outcome
of the fight may be. The negotiations
for the match were carried on by c.
n. Fagenbush for the Goldfield ath-
letic club. 1t was expected that Ketchel
would fight here in September, and he
| would nf
than he will get in the Nevada mining
camp.
Ketchel, William Rogers. Johnny
Murphy and others at the training camp
at Mnlett's turned out as a volunteer
fire department yesterday afternoon
when house caught fire near their
gymnasium. They organized bucket
brigade and did effective work Ketchel
burst in the door of the house and
thought he saw a child asleep on a
bed. He rushed in and carried the
form out, only to find that 1t was a
doll None of the owners family was
In the house at the time. Ketchel has
some burns on his face to show for his
act of heroism.
MURPHY is FAvoRITE
OVER EDDIE HANLON
Johnny Murphy still rules an 8 to II
! favorite over Eddie Hanlon for their
| b6Ht All lno iltllo pdVlllOn at SOlma or
Saturday night. The attendance at the
fight is expected to be large, as boil
boys are popular. Jim Coffroth hat
secured a special car for himself ant
a party of friends. Luke Marisch will
also have one for Hugo Kelly ant
: others.
Hanlon makes no secret of the fac1
that he expects to beat Murphy with
uppercuts. He saw Frayne and Lev
Powell fight Murphy and this was tn,
blow which proved the most effective
. Murphy is working with Dick Sullivan
! the welter weight at Colma. The lat
E ter puts up rushing bout in training
{ in order to accustom Murphy to tn.
1 style Of going that he will have t.