Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-14
PUGILISTO MUST WORK HARD
Taking Off Weight is a Most Strenu.
Gus Undertaking.
FRED WELSH IS A VEGETARIAN
He Thinks as Much of One Pound AZ
He weuld Of a Diamond Ring
weighs Several Times
nay when Training.


tasks undertaken by pugilists in training.
There is so much at stake In modern glove
contests that first-class boxers generally
stick close to their weight limits rather
than concede avoirdupois 10 challengers
who cannot reduce. The dispute between
Paeky Mcfarland, the great Chicago light
weight, and Freddie Welsh Of England, Is
case In point Probably the best boxers
In this class they have been wrangling
over q difference Of two pounds. No
Farland has insisted upon 1856 Weighing
seven house before entering the ring, while
Welch has demanded lss pounds eight
hours before the hand shake. Mutual
friends have tried to induce them to agree
upon compromise 10 no purpose, the men
being 60 bitterly personal in their feelings
that arbitration has been impossible.
Welsh. who is a vegetarian and a student
OF physical culture, admitted recently that
he could not beat Mcfarland in q ten
round bout at 1856 pounds. but he declared
that he would have an even chance at 1888.
~ that he meant that Mcfarland would
have to work 90 hard to make 1888 pounds
at o'clock that he might lose some OF his
vitality which he could hardly recover be-
fore he climbed into his corner. McFar
land, on the other hand, said that he
wanted TO be sure Of his condition so that
he would administed q proper beating In
order to settle an old score, but at the
same time he stated that Ad wolRast, the
lightweight champion, he would readily
40 lSS pounds at o'clock In the afternoon.
Wolsast. when informed OF McFarland's
ultimatum stated that the only weight At
which Packey could have a match was ISs
pounds ringside, tina same terms named by
X. o. Brown. But everybody interested In
boxing knows that IL Mcfarland agreed
to ringside scaling he would weaken him
seif In such q manner that he would be In
Wiling certain defeat. II Is not a bit strange
that these boxers know the weight At
which they do their best work They 20
entirely by the way they feel II Is neces-
sary to be strong IS we'll az fast and they
can easily tell how heavy they must be to
possess these qualities. There IL such a
.nhs as being too light or too heavy and
II requires much close study Of a mans
physique to make him scale al exactly the
proper notch.
How TO Take off WsiRht.
various methods are employed 10 n, or
weight 4 time honored custom has been
ions runs on the rough country roads In ali
sorts OF weather. Bundled up IN heavy
sweaters, many boxers have run slx
eight or ten miles at q clip, to return N
theh quarters for a brisk rundown. Wrhsn
Tom sharkey was in his prime he thought
notninE OF running around Central narh
AZ fast pace. He insisted that this form
OF exercise opened the pores ana al.o
strengthened his lungs He took off u,aight
whiie on the road, but after reaching the
gymnasium he stripped off his clothing ana
quickly dried out after an alcohol r,,h
sharkey's plan of action is still followed
oE many pugtlists. One Round Hogan A.
among them He believes that running does
more good than anything else and he has
fast gait.
But Mcfarland, who is strictly modern
in his ideas. has methods peoulisrI,, W..
own. In the first place, he lives res,,,s r,,, |
and does not over eat He never drinks |
liquor ana doesn't alolw himself To take
on too much flesh when out Of training
When 1t becomes necessary to get rid AZ
several pounds Mcfarland goes about the
TASK IN a systematic manner. He takes |
three baths week, just before going 70
ned' with the water at % degrees. He
scrubs his body to open tho pores. After
ten minutes In the tub he Is rubbed down |
ana put to bed. In the morning, after a
light breakfast. he dons heavy sweaters
ana goes out for brisk walk Of a mile
or more Coming back to quarters. he sits
down In warm room without removing
his clothing and cap and Tor half an hour
he perspires freely. A tepid bath follows |
the water gradually cooled until he can |
stand a shock,s after which he is rubbed |
down and dried out
Boxing IL Strenuous,
Netherlands boxing IL the really strenu-
Gus part Of his work. IL Is done In a warm
room with the windows tightly closed. He |
wears thick trunks and a Jersey and takes |
on half q dozen sparring partners, each
for three rounds. BY the time this work |
10 halt over Packy is bathed In perapira-
ton and his lungs are fully expanded An
other rundown follows and then, stripped |
to the buff, he jumps on the scales. He |
can tell beforehand Just how much weight |
he has removed and he 10 seldon an |
ounce out Of the way. As the scales show
daily reduction, Mcfarland expresses
satisfaction with his work.
Welsh thinks as much of one pound az
he would II he lost q diamond ring. He
weighs himself several times each day and |
Is generally able to make 1872, Warm |
baths, plenty of exercise indoors and long, |
fast walks keep down his weight to the |
best fighting notch. He Is on a diet at all |
times. No meat or fish, no pastry or
sweets, no hard liquors, but plenty Of
vegetables, toast crackers and now and
then mug Of ale. Like Mcfarland. he is |
firm believer in speed. He says swiftness
OF foot means everything, II enables him
TO avoid the attack OF an opponent and to
step in suddenly with rapid-fire blows, |
Able TO move about quickly Welsh says il
isn't necessary to set himself before dsliv-
sring a blow and for that reason his
punches appear 10 lack force. when as a
matter OF fact he can hit as hard as the
average. In spite OF the fact that the
English lightweight limit Is 1856 pounds at
o'clock, Welsh believes that the American
limit 1888 pounds, should govern all con
tests in this class. That Is why he made
Mcfarland weigh 1873 at 2 o'clock In Eng
land . year ago, and he says he would
have insisted on Tlngsde scaling IL there
had been chance OF forcing Paoky to ao-
eept.
WolgaSt doesn't have to do much hard
work to KEEP down his weight He doesn't
weigh much more than 100 pounds when At
his best and all he needs IL constant box
ing He must have several rough fellows
with whom he can slug and wreStle. how
ever. for he doesn't believe in fancy
work. owen Moran Is another boxer who