Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-05

| TN the South Wales Echo, coming
| from over the sea direct from Fred
A. die Welsh the British lightweight
champion, is found a graphic and at the
same time unusual description of the
| fight in which Welsh won from Young
Josephs by a foul in the eleventh
round. This was his first appearance
In his home country after his return
| from America. The English methods
| of describing the bout may cause a
smile among the readers of the Ameri-
can sporting pages, but one virtue they
| have-there is no lack of detail. A
portion of the story follows:
Last night at Mountain Ash, the
huge Eisteddfod pavilion holding over
| 10000 people, was filled to excess at
| the twenty-round boxing contest be-
/ pridd and Young Josephs of London.
| The result was verdict for Welsh in
the eleventh round on a foul.
THE stakes were e200 and purse of
$3.50, Of which the winner receives
G $780, and the loser 9220. Such an at
tendance has never watched a boxing
match outside America and Australia.
Nothing like it has been seen in this
country. The huge crowd behaved in
a most orderly manner. The men met
at catch weights, Josephs having the
pull. Offers of to 1 on Welsh were
not accepted.
after the rousing reception his coun-
trymen gave him on his return from
America, it was only natural that
Welsh should endeavor to provide them
with chance of seeing him at his best.
No man in the kingdom is there pre-
pared to meet the clever little Welsh
man at his weight, and so he engaged
to give young Josephs of London prac-
tically half a stone this extra pound
age being a far higher premium than
it would be for heavy weights. The
news that this match had been made
created unusual excitement. A syn
dicate, composed of Welsh enthuiasts
Of boxing, put up the substantial purse
of $3.50, which is three or four times
as much as has been previously offered
for a contest in Wales. This syndi-
cate felt confident that the heavy purse
money would be more than returned in
gate proceeds if they could secure a
hall large enough to hold those anxious
to see Welsh fight At first 1t was
thought that the match would be de-
cided at Cardiff, but there was no hall
big enough in the city, and 1t was de-
cided to fit out the huge pavilion at
Mountain Ash. which was used for the
Eisteddfod and since for a skiting rink.
I'm Josephs' corner were Jewy Smith
(who on recent form looks like devel-
oping into a heavyweight champion
of England), Albert Jacobs "a more
than useful lost 6tb NAM. and old Bill
Natty (whose rough-and-tumble eX-
perience was valuable in any corner),
Dai Dollings (an eX-Swansea man. who
has been his trainer, and has put into
the ring and on the mat Gunner Moir
and Hackenschmidt and who knows all
that there is to learn about American
massaging). Welsh was looked after
by Mr.. Harry Marks (ex-lightweight
amateur champion OF England), Ban
dy" Davies (of Pontypridd, who has
trained him), and Eddie Carsi (the
well known American).
Especial care had been taken about
the gloves. They were the lightest al
lowable-four ounces. Cunningly, how
ever probably an ounce of the weight
was in the wadding and the wrists.
There was no doubt about 1t that with
gloves of this size and make severe
can be inflicted as the
light covering lends soliditY and pro-
lection of the fist. The gloves were
supplied by A. G. Spalding and Bros, !
an American firm Of worldwide repu- |
tation, who are now established at
London and Birmingham, and they
were brought down personally by Mr.. !
VIM. J. Snuggs.
"The ring was on a platform In the
center Of the amphitheater. and the
electric arc lights gave perfect illumi-
nation without embarrassing the prin-
cipals. The posts and top rope were
thicllly padded, and the felt-covered
floor was carpeted with sail cloth
pulled taut. Every imaginable precau
ton was thus taken to satisfy the most
eXaCting of critics.
1.-THE program opened with selections
by the Pontypridd Town band, and the