The San Francisco call., 1910-07-31
UNIFORM SCALE
OF Weight URGED
Fight Experts Agree That Mode
of Weighing I'm Is Badly in
Need of Revision
BY T. S. ANDREWS
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call

mlBWAUkEE, July 0O.--Ihe ddOp-
tion and recognition of uniform scale
of weights. to govern all international
boxing matches where titles are at
stake. is badly needed. as all boxing
clubs. critics and promoters will attest.
but most difficult Of accomplishment.
Efforts have been made for several
years by the supporters of boxing in
England and the United States TO sp-
point an International board for the
purpose of revising the scale of
weights and modify the rules to con-
form more with the boxing game OF
today, especially as bouts are limited
nowadays to anywhere between and
% rounds, and il becomes more evil
dent that Old time prize fights are a
thing of the past.
There is no doubt that an interna-
tiona1 board as the supreme body. with
home associations similar to the lines
laid down by the American athletic
union. would do the boxing game a
world of good; in fact a strong organ
ization composed of the very best clubs
throughout the United States is badly
needed to put some backbone into the
sport and establish il upon a higher
plane, out of reach of the promoters,
who think not of keeping the game
clean. but of greedy gain at any cost.
1t is this class of promoters that has
done so much to hurt the game.
TAKEN UP IN LONDON
William Will. the able editor OF the
London Sporting Life, has been an
earnest worker for the formation OF
an international board and the adoption
of a uniform scale of weights and he
has had opinions from some of the
most prominent boxing critics in the
world, the same having been published
in pamphlet form and submitted to the
National sporting club of London to
act upon t. S. Andrews of Milwaukee
has endeavored to assist Will in his
work from time to time, but il has
been difficult matter to get any de-
cided action from the many clubs and
critics in the United States; that is.
to have them meet and pass upon the
proposition. They all give their indi-
vidual views and say it should be
brought about but no one has taken
the initiative toward forming body in
this country.
/. During the pre1iminaries to the John
Son-Jefries fight at Reno il was in
tended to get the leading authorities
together TO consider the matter, but
every one was so busy at the last
moment that it became an impossbflity.
The general impression among the
critics seemed to be in favor of the
best boxing clubs in the various cities
getting together and adopting rules of
their own for the States and to assist
in building up the game
AS to the question of International
weights. the critics differed greatly
The writer had three tables of records
prepared-the American. British and
special set-which were presented to a
big majority of the critics. with the re-
quest that they sign the set of weights
which they preferred. or considered
In ic q foi
obtained regarding the weights. In
nearly every case the signer stated his
preference for either 2 or 3 o'clock
weighing in time instead of ringside. as
now prevails in most championship
matches. There was an almost unani-
nous vote that the so-called paper or
fly weight-110 or liz pOunds-be
thrown out entirely. and The lowest
class placed at either 115 or 116 pounds,
which, with 5 O'Clock weighing. would
mean about 116 or lis rfngside. The
cause of this sentiment was the fact
that it would tend to keep boys under
is years of age out of the game. The
new scale of weights, which is a COM
promise between the present American
and British classification, met with con
siderable favor. The three sets OF
weights are as follows:
American-Bantam weight. 11S pounds; feather
weight l22; lightweight 1SsS. welter weight
Ao0s 49, - -
British-F1y. 112 pounds IS stonel-; bantam.
Ills (S stone 81: feather. 1875 90 stonel;- light,
135 90 stone 81: welter, 147 go stone ~; middle,
100 III stone 81: light heavy, 1T5 az stone 7);
heavy, above 175.
world-Bantam us. pounds; feather. 125:
light. 1S5: welter. 145: middle. 1885, Hight heavy,
175: heavy. above 1I3-
NEW SCALE FAVORED r.
sixteen favor the present American
weights, "a the new scale and one the
British set. At that quite number
thought well of the British weights,
but did not like the bantam at lis.
nor the welter at 14T.
OF the entire list of signers TO the
above list. Battling Nelson was the only
one to favor ringside weighing. 1T was
almost unanimously agreed that all
weighing in should be done. at 2 or 5
o'clock in the afternoon, as It gave the
boxers an opportunity to rest up before
the contest and be at their best. instead
of working their heads off and worry
ing to a state of extreme nervousness
as to whether they would be able to
make the weight at rfngside or not.
1t is very probable that from the
above scales of weights some one will
be able to draft new compromise set
that will meet with general favor.