The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-07-03

title hangs in the balance. Both boys
have agreed to make 1873 pounds.
ringside. A decision will be given.
The contest will be the first serious
one that Wolgast has engaged in since
he wrested the championship from
! Battling Nelson on February %. 1910.
In h opinion of many ring ex-
perts. Wolgast is facing a crisis in his
ring career. Rivers is recognized as
one of the most dangerous boys in the
lightweight brigade. He has fought
his way honestly to a battle with the
champion. n those who have seen
| him. in action pronounce him in ev-
cry department as formidable an OPP
ponent as his once Sreat countryman,
Aurelio Herrera.
Rivers is a puncher and an adept
at close exchange like Nelson. Furth-
ermore he is full of the ginger of
through a long OUT without weaken
ing. He has been tested in many hard
engagements. n has made good in
all, with one exception. That blotch
on his record was put there by Johnny
Kilbane. the feather-weight champion.
Rivers whipped himself in his futile
chase for the elusive Kilbane. Round
after round he pursued the Cleveland
wasp. n when he weakened he left
iitS olCI W NV PuiNSh Slici
sprawled him on the canvas.
Route Long fOr WOlgast.
Whether Wolgast can stand the
strain of a long. tough fight is prob
lematical. In the two battles that he
has had since his recovery from the
operation for appendicitis he was not
called upon to Exert himself to any
great extent. SO that it cannot he def
nitely stated whether his physical
| sfronofh y,, 6 ro,noirnI 1h, fhnt nnnro-
ton on his "innards." Some medical
sharps say that no man who has been
under the knife for appendicitis is as
good physically when he RECEIVERS as
he was before.
Wolgast feels certain. however. that
he is not n whit weaker than he
was before they knitted him. In con
versation with friend he says that he
did not feel any i'll effects during or
after his fourteen-round fight with
Willie Richie. and that in his six
round engagement with Young Jack
O'Brien he felt just as fresh at the
conclusion as he did before he started.
These sprint affairs, though, should
not be relied upon. If Rivers can get
to the midsection. especially over the
spot where AID was cut. it is probable
that Wolgast will be inclined to cringe
and keep away.
llS VI llS 10 Il NoeS~
ton of stamina. IF Wolgast is as
good as he was there does not seem
likelihood of Rivers whipping
him. Rivers is admittedly a good,
rugged youngster. and thoroughly
game. hut so is Wolgast. and further.
Wolgast has met tougher boys han
Rivers has yet been called upon to
face. Nelson, Moran, Hogan, Memsic,
Redmond. La. Grave. Burns ct al at
test to Wolgast's greatness.
Rivers began fighting when he was
Il years old. but it was not until he
was ~ that he entered the game in
earnest. His first match of import
ance was With Danny Webster on
January IA. 1911. Rivers stopped his
man in thirteen rounds. A month lat
err he put away Jimmy Regain in the
same time.
Rivers Record Is Clean.
At this point starts one of the most
rapid carers ever recorded on the
pages of pugilistic history. Rivers
fought Dixon. Coster and Johnny Kill
bane. knocking out the first two and
winning from the clever Kilbane aft
er twenty rounds of wonderful fight
ing. 1t was in his last fight that Riv-
ers was greeted as a great boxer, a
second Joe Cans. and all the wise ones
began to ray about his ability, ma
tural defense, and attack.
Things now sifted down to the point
where Kilbane and rivers We're re-
matched. the winer to meet Abe At
tell for the weatherweight title of the
world. Rivers chased Johnny for ff-
teen fast rounds. and then got reckless
with the result that Kilbane slipped
over a bad one on his jaw, winning
the fight.
After the Kilbane match Rivers
started a campaign with the light
weight class as the ultimate goal. and
he has arrived. He fought himself
out of the 126-pound class Just at the
right time. after almost killing Conley,
George Krkwood and Jack White.
Right now he shapes up as the one
best bet in the 133-pound class out
! side of Wolgast.