The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-08-23
BY TOMMY CLARK.

BY TOMMY CLARK.
A new featherweight champion pos
Bibility has loomed up on the pugilistit
horizon in the person of Jose Rivers,
the strong little Mexican who has
been cleaning up everything in sight
In California. Rivers caused big sur.
prise in the fight world by clapping the
lid on the championship aspirations of
Joe Coster in twelve rounds at Los
Angeles recently.
1t takes a mighty good man to stop
Coster, who, in addition to possessing
very long reach and no small degree
Of boxing skill, is looked upon as one
Of the toughest boys milling in the
feather ranks. Not long ago Coster
was credited with having had much
the best Of Abe Attell In a ten round
bout before a New York club, and his
friends at once began booming him as
a possible candidate for first chop hon.
ors In the 100 pound class. But Rivers
handed him the licking of his life in
the recent meet and put him out of
running for a chance at Abe Attell's
title.
Rivers is the hardest hitter and best
natural ring general that the 122
pound division has produced in dec
ade. He has appeared in the ring
about half dozen times, and every
one Of his battles has wound up with
victory for him on clean knockout.
Among his victims were Danny
IUahe-fop Jnh
usually clever lads, neither of whom
was able to do anything to Offset the
terrific punching power of the dark
skinned youth from Mexico.
Now that Champion Abe Attell de-
clares himself rounding into trim again
1t would make card well worth boost
ing to bring him and this new WON
der into conflict.
Rivers friends are already contem-
plating just such a match, and since
the Mexican's knockout of Coster the
promoters are after him hotfoot.
somebody, in the natural course of
things, must annex AttelPs scepter one
of these days if Able stays in the bust
ness long enough, and 1t is likely to be
just such young. strong fellow as
this Rivers
Although many Mexicans have tax
en- to the prize ring, the only one be-
sides Rivers who ever amounted to
anything was Aurelio Herrera. He
was credited with possessing the
hardest punch of any man then per-
forming in the lightweight class. 1t
was short deadly right, which trav-
eled but five or six inches when the
owner showed it against an opponents
jaw, but mules kick wasn't in it for
sudden and spectacular effect.
When Bat Nelson was climbing the
ladder and just looming up as q cham
pionship possibility he met Herrera in
a twenty round bout at Butte, Mont.
During one of the earlier roands the
Mexican got home with the dreaded
right on Bats jaw, and the latter
promptly stood on his head, giving an
excellent imitation of basket of cab
bages hit by motorcar. But, though
badly scattered in his senses, Nelson
pulled himself together and regained
his feet. He clinched the round out
and thereafter gave Herrera an awful
mauling.
Nelson was given the decision, and
the fact that he had outlived one of
Herrera's punches without going un-
der had much to do with the reputa.
tion he afterward gained as a man of
iron.
Herrera also came near putting out
Terry McGovern when the latter was
In his prime. Terry had been warned
Of the MeXican's great right, but after
a few rounds seemed to have forgot
ten all about it, when suddenly Her
rera let 1t go and, landing flush on
McGovern's jaw, sent him to the can
vas. The surprised Terry got up i'm
mediately and clinched, end a few
seconds after the gong saved him from
a Knockout. Terry recuperated rapid
~ and later put the Mexican out.
Herrera might have been cham
pion If he had only behaved himself,
but he refused to be good, and the
gay life he led put finish to his ring
career
Il. l.