New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-13
R|TCH|E'S CRITICS NOW
CONCEDE HIS GAMENESS
Lightweight Champion No
Longer Regarded as an
Accident of the Ring"
MAY MEET CROSS NEXT
Champion Cannot Do Himself
Justice at 1873 Pounds-lf
He Stretches Limit Nc
Farland Looms Up.

fdrldnQ LOUIS Up
In so decisively beating his most per-
sistent challenger Jose Rivers, on July ;
Willie Richie firmly established his right
10 be recognized as a real champion. Not
alone did he outgame the Mexican in
rlucky uphill fight but he gave an exhi-
bition Of clever boxing and hard hitting
that stamped him as one Of the best who
have ever held the title and worthy sue
eessor 10 the late Joe Cans
BY eliminating the Mexican Richie ban
,shed the last bit OF doubt In the minds
OF his critics Many there were who had
declared that his victory over WolGast.
when he won the title on a foul. was
fuke. He was branded an accident OF
the ring" and II was declared that the
first real fighter he met would defeat him
Those same critics declared Rivers great
fighter and proclaimed him the coming
champion
How different is the cry now! Rivers
has been branded gutter. Ringside wit
nes.es declare that he was In no condition
10 box. and that when he found Richie
game and willing 10 take all he conld
offer he simply refused 10 come back after
being hard hit.
Richie. on the other hand. IL being
louded 20 the skies for his courageous ana
nlucky nght 10 victory. He went into the
ring several pounds under his best weight.
was weak and faltering In the early
rounds, but stuck 20 his work, winning
az much on his grit as by his skill He
.bow.d that he was unquestionably the
better man, the cleaner boxer and the
harder hitter, and in winning restored inc
supremacy OF the clean cut. clever style
OF boxer over the shock absorbing hghter
OF the Nelson and Wolgast type.
Toe Rivers, meek and Inundated by his
defeat, is asking for return match
Ritchie is willing II the terms are Fight'
but II is hardly probable that the pair
will meet in the near future. Promoters
in the West are Disguised with the MeNl-
can and his lax training methods ana
arc not showing eny symptoms OF JOY al
the prospect OF promoting second bat
tie. Furthermore. there are several men
with clearer claims for precedence. Among
Anderson I'm Los Angeles on July 4; Fred
die Welsh. the lightweight champion OF
Great Britain. who defeated Richie two
years ago; Tommy Murphy. Of New YORK
and Jack Britton. of Chicago.
OF this quartet Cross Will probably re-
ceive the first chance. Richie agreed
some time ago that he would meet the
winner Of the Cross Anderson battle.
Cross IS at present in San Francisco, IN
conference with the champion, and since
ne is willing 10 concede everything 10
get a chance at the title everything looks
rosy for the match.
Anent the Cross-Anderson battle. box
ing owes a debt OF gratitude 10 the keen
ness Of the physician who correctly d.
agnosed Andersons trouble following the
fight and successfully operated on him
for appendicitis. II was more than fortu-
nate that Cross did not strike Anderson
low on the right side for II he had death
would have followed swiftly. and boxing
would have received another staggering
blow.
Boxing enthusiasts are not inclined 20
gloat much over the victory OF Cross, all
things considered. In the first place, the
showing OF Anderson, who. II was noted.
fought a sluggish battle, is now consid-
cred little short of wonderful II Is amaz-
ing that he was able TO stand up before
Cross so long. Anderson. furthermore, Is
not a natural lightweight. He would
make a better showing were he 70 box at
10 pounds Big boned and heavily mus
cled. the final days OF his training for all
his bouts have been devoted 10 drying
out. Again, he has boxed only forty
three battles while Cross has been meet
ing the best in the ring for years.
Anderson will probably never regain his
form. 1t is generally believed that after
a boxer has undergone a serious opera
ton he seldom II ever comes back Ad
wolsast Is leading example. Jim Stew
art. Jim Savage and others serve TO bear
out the theory.
To-day Richie is In a quandary His
weakness IN the ring against Rivers
showed all too plainly that he can no
longer box at 133 pounds and do himself
1ustice. Since he is champion. with the
power 20 dictate terms, he will probably
box at is5 pounds. the lightweight limit
before Billy Nolan and other modern
shylocks forced Il back or. rather. dowr
TO 1913 pounds At the ringside AS soon as
Ritchie begins 10 browse around 49,
pounds the shadow OF Packey McFar-
land. dark and foreboding. will loom
ACROSS his horizon Few there are who
will contest the statement that McFar-
land is tho last word among the light
weight boxers and he has always said
that for a championship battle he would
weigh 1875 pounds.
To risk a prediction on the probable out
come OF meeting between Mcfarland
and Richie would be borrowing trouble.
but IL is the consensus OF opinion among
critics that Mcfarland is about the king