Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-07
WANTEDF|GHTFA KED
Joe Rivers Had Offer to Lay
Down to KiIbane.
REFUSED $1,000 IN CASH
Story From Los Angeles Indicates
There Are Some Honest
Fighters.
REFUSED $1,000 IN CAST
By Will C.. Ullrich.

LOS ANGELES, Cal, September =
The day following Johnny Kilbane's de-
cisive victory over Joe Rivers brought
TO me a sensational rumor to the effect
that Joe Levy. manager of the Mexican
had made his protege an offer of $1,000
to throw the fight, in order that Levy
might make a cleanup in the betting
! got this story from three separate and
distinct sources, each apparently relia-
bic. in each instance, however, my in
formant was careful to add that Rivers
declined the offer.
! am not prepared at this time to
say whether this charge against Levy
is true. l believe, however, that even
If the offer was made Rivers turned it
down cold. There is no doubt what
ever in my mind that kilbane won the
fight honestly and by virtue of a punch
that could not be withstood by the MeXi-
can. ! also believe that Joe Rivers put
up the battle Of his life until that round
in which he discovered that his opponent
carried a punch.
That first decisive blow of kilbane's
took the heatr out of the Mexican. He
fought samely and determinedly until
he found that he was up against a man
who could meet him on his own chosen
ground and outslug him. Then he quit
1 DO not mean to say that he was not
decisively licked. but I believe, and |
was watching him closely. that he could
have got TO his feet and fought that six
teenth round to its end and possibly gone
another round. No less a fight authority
than Dewitt Van Court, trainer of Jim
Jeffries, when Jeffries was at his best
shares that opinion with me.
Not newspaper in this city has
taken this stand in it's sporting pages
From the time Johnny Kilbane nrst
came into the ring in California it is
my opinion that he has had anything
but square deal. Fasteners all
| native son" prejudice which marred so
many fights in this state. Johnny Kill
bane recognized this. When he went
| into the ring Monday he knew and
said that the only hope OF winning he
had was to score a knockout. To do
this he went out of his way to conform
to the MeNicans style of fighting.
Had Rivers kept his feet until the
| twentieth round the decision would
have been in Rivers favor-at the best,
looking from the Cievelander's stand
point, draw, but solely, | believe, be-
| cause Of the native SON. feeling.
l can't bring myself to think that
Rivers deliberately laid down the fight
for money consideration. He is not
actor enough, he hasn't the brains to
simulate the grief he undoubtedly felt
He was crying like a baby after the
fght-he could hardly talk between
sobs. But DO believe that he crumpled
at the first taste of the little Irish
boys full strength. that he realized he
was beaten from that minute and that
he took the count in preference to
further beating
Fight fans are talking today of the
yellow streak" "Quitter" they say OF
Rivers. He should have gone on even
II to have arisen meant another
knockdown and this one a finishing
one"
Papers Give Johnny Raw Deal.
But this is not the kind of talk YOU
read in the papers. One afternoon paper
gives kilbane full credit for a knockout.
The other sporting writer's speak Of
Johnny's lucky accident his .'fuke'
blow. 1t just happened" they argue.
1T couldn't happen again in a lifetime"
From the first 1 have been an ad-
herent of kilbane's. l have always be-
lieved there was more behind him than
mere science and ability to sidestep.
There is talk now that he Will meet
Rivers again after the Conley fight, which
it is generally conceded he will win.
| look to see the same ending as in Mon
days fight but | look to see 1t come
quicker.
Johnny's plans nave been changed. 1
| understand. Instead Of returning to
Cleveland. unless it be for very short
fight with Conley September =, LONE
time after that he Will take Rivers
again he SAYS. Jimmy Dunn is willing.
They will however. insist that Rivers
| weigh in al the ringside Joe undoubt-
eddy had two or three pounds the better
of kilbane Monday. Johnny has earned
the right to dictate, ana th.s Wa 1t
question is the first lie will press.
kilbane will train at Venice. He ex-
presses himself as confident Of the re-
suit | do not believe Johnny himself
knows just how much of punch he
has. One thing ! believe and that Is
! that when Rivers and kilbane meet
again Dunn will send Johnny out to slug
| from the tap of the gong.