Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-10
BY T. S. ANDREWS.

6Y J.. =. ANIME We.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, June l0.-Ad VOL
CAST, the champion lightweight, put in
a day here visiting old friends the past
week. and while he looked In the best
of health and had a fine bronzed appear
ance. still many OF his friends who were
with him felt that he was not so fun
of confidence as on former occasions
but such feeling WAS dispelled when the
champion opened up bit He Is chock-
full OF confidence when II comes to his
fight with Jose Rivers, scheduled at
Tom McCarey's arena, in Los Angeles,
July 4, for he believes that he has tho
Mexfcan's goat right off the reel, and
will be able to successfully defend his
title without much trouble. That is
what causes the friends of the champion
some worry. for they know Wolgast
had to extend himself with Willie
Richie and they also know that the
Mexican has toughened up with his ad-
ditional weight. and will not be easy for
any lightweight to defeat. The dope
may sound queer. I'm view OF the fact
that little Johnny Kilbane put the ten
count on Rivers, but in that fight Rivers
was down to low weight. and has since
then grown much stronger and heavier
wolgast was to have met Ray Temple.
his former training partner in Mil
waukee in an eight-round bout at Mem
pills. Tenn. June z, but he thought II
best to cali 1t OF and take no chances.
Before leaving Milwaukee for the coast
Wolgast said:
The reports that l have been weakened
by my operation are not right. 4 feel as
fine as ever: in fact. better. and feel just
as strong or course the lay-off during
Inc q do my Ind nf
off bit, but with the boxing | have had
lately 1t is all right again. l went into
the Richie bout without much prepare
ton and held my own, Just what want
ed to do. He gave me hard battle at
that, and Young Jack O'Brien in Philadel-
phia is some kid, believe me. He has a
good left hand, the same as his brother
Jack had. and when he gets more ex-
weight. l came near putting him away
for the ten count, but he showed his
gameness by coming back after a count
of nine. l have given Frank Muikern.
manager of Ray Temple. my promise Of
a match in July at Memphis. as | consid-
err Temple one OF the best lightweights
around. l could not take chance with
him at this stage. as | might hurt my
hands and then 1t would be all off for the
big fight July 4. I weighed 1912 pounds
at Philadelphia and went at top speed
against O'Brien. Just to feel myself out,
and 4 was well satisfied that l am as
good as ever. l will go into the Rivers
match weighing about $780, possibly lsl.
that weight. / expect to stop him inside
of fifteen rounds. so don't make mis-
take and back the other man.
champion lightweight. thinking OF tour
ing the United States. and with q claim
to the welterweight title also. the Ques-
ton Of welterweight champion OF that
country has been taken up. Jimmy
Clabby, who had about the best claims
to the championship before he outgrew
the class, has come out with the an
nouncement that he does not claim It
longer as he cannot make the weight ana
will class himself in the future as mid
of Indianapolis by Packey Mcfarland
leaves the welterweight question open
again, as Packey does not lay claim TO
1t. preferring to remain lightweight
Mike Gibbons cannot make the American
welterweight limit OF 142 pounds. ana
therefore cannot claim the title. al
though II he could make the weight he
would be accorded the title without OPP
position. Mr.. q. c. Covell Of Sydney has
taken up the question In Australia and
writes me as follows regarding IT.:
THE welterweight championship has
caused q good deal Of discussion In this
country, where the limit is the generous
one Of LAT pounds. AS tho Americans
stop the welters at 10 stone pounds
u42 pounds) there is likely to be diff
Guilty when an American and an Ausra-
liam meet. However. Hughie Michigan
(who presently goes abroad) Is now un-
disputed holder Of the title as far as
Australia Is concerned.
HE boxes well under either limit. as hic
usual ring weight is 134 pounds, only one
pound heavier than the worlds lightweight
limit Some claims for the welterweight
championship Of Australia were put for
ward on behalf of the little American.
Jimmy Clabby. The Neutrality-suspicious.
from Milwaukee put his case this way:
There has been q lot of talk he said.
about me and the welterweight cham.
ponship. Well / want to say right here
that do not claim to be the welterweight
the welter limit is 10 stone pounds.
and 1 have grown over that limit. l
could not possibly make 142 pounds in
anything like decent trim. Since l can
welters, I don't claim 1t. 1t is the same
with the English limit OF 147 pounds.
don't feel inclined to reduce myself below
that weight either. For some reason 1t
weight limit is 147 pounds also. don't
know who fixed 1t, and / don't know who
your Australian welterweights are who
box within that limit I have not been
able to find them. I have found. however,
that the amateur welterweight limit Is
149 pounds, and in the absence of any
authority which fixes Australian profess
sional standard. 1t seems to me that
l49 pounds can be regarded as the Aus
tralian welterweight limit, just as easily
as l47
Michigan Is not without his own
claims to the welterweight champion
ship Of the world. title which Clabby,
with his increasing weight. is forced
to put out of his reckoning. Ray
Bronson, the American, is at present
the most generally recognized pre-
tender to the honor. But he was
beaten by Hughie Michigan in Sydney
last year. After being soundly beaten
by me at the Stadium. Sydney. in a
twenty-round battle January 2. 1911
returned to the United States and after
lapse of about year laid claim to
the welterweight championship of the
world This was generally supposed
to belong to my friend and recent OPP
ponent. Jimmy Clabby. and the Ameri-
can press. which Is really the decider
of such matters in that country. did not
Immediately recognise the claim OF
Bronson to the title
But it is q patriotic country. which
hates to see championships go abroad.
as World Champion Jack Johnson dis
covered to his pain. So when Bronson
stuck doggedly to his claim and an
nounced himself ready to defend IT
with his immaculate left arm and kept
his promise by downing a small pro-
cession of disputants. the press be-
more friendly eye. and after his fine
showing at Indianapolis February %
of this year. when be bested Young
Erne Of Philadelphia in a ten-round
affair, the press went right over and
hailed him as logical welterweight