The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-04


future holds for him in the fighting
line Is problematical
II HIRE is room for doubt as TO
whether he will ever oe as
sturdy IS he was before he be-
came subject for the surgeons knife.
If he decides to hold sloof from the
activities of the ring for tile balance
of his days. the lightweight champions
ship question will be in as bad a tam
gle as the heavyweight premiership
would be In the event OF Jack John
son retiring No one could say what
pugilist Is best entitled to step into
Wolgast's shoes.
Of certainty Rivers has no claim
OH the lightweight crown. The only
thing that justified the Wolgast- Riv-
ers match was the suspicion that VOL
gast had troGraded-through no
fault of his iown--,ana the fight, " 1t
did nothing else. proved that the sus-
picion was well founded. But even
though Wolgast was far from being
the Wolgast who trounced Battling
Nelson. he was match for Rivers:
but this should stand as testimony
that Rivers does not belong in the best
lightweight company.
This is not q one man View of the
matter by any means. The newspa
per experts who reported that
Fourth Of July tight in Los Angeles
differed In many essentials. but there
was one point on which there was
striking unanmiiy OF opinion The
majority OF the scribcs said that for
nlapy rounds before the finish Wolgast
was outpunchins Rivers and wearing
him down.
A WAY from Los Angeles there is
~ difference OF opinion as to who
really Directs the fistic fortunes
OF the Mexican, hut whoever 1t is,
Rivers Is well advised. Willie
Ritchic. probably SAN F'rancisco's pre-
micr lightweight at present. has
claimed many times during the past
few months that he is as well entitled
man. When doubt arose In regard to
Wolgast's; readiness to continue boN-
ing, Ritchie went to Los Angeles with
an exceedingly fair proposal. He
asked for Il match with Rivers with
the Understanding that the winner
was 10 have the privilege OF boxing
the champion when the latter decided
enter the ring
The Ritchic proposition was turned
down and Joe Mandot OF New Orleans
WAS signed up TO be Rivers's next op-
ponent in Los Angeles OH Labor day.
1t Is u safer match for Rivers. prob
ably. but so far as lightweight dcvcl-
upmcnt Is concerned. IL will not mean
great deal. us Ritchic, short time
ago. defeated Mandot signally in tho
latter's home town.
TT he fact that Rivers has given
e him the cold shoulder will not
be puch OF bar to progress in
Rltchie's case. as Rivers Is by
10 means the pivot on which the
lightweight question swings. II will
be easy enough for the San Francisco
lad lo make his way In the light
weight world II ne has the necessary
fighting qualifications and can do the
weight.
Right here. il NAV he stated, there
Is grave doubt as 10 whether nature
iutouded IsitGhie for simon pure
I3S FOUNDER. He says he is one. but
fighters, you know, arc notpriously
uureli0bl in such matters. Ritchlc's
friends fear that he is second
Packey Mcfarland and that he cam
not conform 10 the weight require
meuts Of tho class of which VOL
gast Is king without weakening him
self
.ss n matter Of fact. genuine iS5'
poundors are almost as scarce az
hens teeth and such being the cese.
Johnny Kilbane's announcement that
he Is soin- TO try for lightweight
laurcls bears more Significance than
II ordinarily would,
II will not do TO pooh-pcor XII
bane's pretepsions. either. for nc has
already knocked out Rivers, WHO con-
siders himself rival Of Wolsast. and
ras defeated Abe Attell. who declares
walgast ia afraid TO meet him