Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-19

4 SPORTING writer recently
n stated that Freddie Welsh
does not figure high up in the
list Of Hghtw eights."- To let such d
statement 90 unchallenged would be
unfair to the Welshman, equally IN
fair TO the boxing game.
The writer holds no brief for Fred
die Welsh, is not the special pleader
for any pugtlist, but 1t Is his business
to write about boxers, and write as
the facts present themselves.
Welsh requires no special pleaders;
his record can be offered in evidence
and the fight fans can then draw
their own conclusions.
If Freddie Welsh does not figure
high up in the list Of hghtweights,
who does?
Welsh holds 2 decision over Willie
Richie. He beat him to twenty
round decision in Los Angeles on the
afternoon Of Thanksgiving Day, 1911.
And Freddie Welsh holds a decision
over Matty Baldwin. And MaLy
Baldwin holds a decision over Willie
Richie.
Freddie Welsh boxed the greet
"Packey" Mcfarland three times.
once, in Milwaukee, Mcfarland
gained a ten-round decision over
Welsh. The late Malachi Hogan ref
creed that bout. So incensed were
the fight fans and newspaper men OF
Milwaukee over the verdict rendered
by Malachi Hogan that, though Ho-
gan had refereed all the big Milwau-
kee bouts previous to that time, he
was never again allowed to act as
the third man in the ring In any bout
in Milwaukee.
Subsequently Freddie Welsh boxed
''Pa clZey" Mcfarland to 25-rouud
draw in Los Angeles, and good judges
Of boxing who saw that affair claim
it was one Of the greatest battles II
had ever been their good fortune to
witness.
Later, IN London, England, Freddie
Welsh boxed Mcfarland a twenty
round draw.
Welsh's Great Record.
Freddie Welsh beat Matty Bald
win in a twenty round bout in San
Francisco on the night of June %,
1911.
The same Matty Baldwin whom
Welsh beat defeated Willie Richie IT
San Francisco on the night of August
81. 1911, and unless the writer is hor-
ribly mistaken, Harry Foley, who is
now Willie Ritchie's manager, ref
creed the Baldwin Richie bout. Now,
surely Richie could hardly have felt
that Foley gave him raw deal in
the Baldwin bout If he did, Harrl
Foley would not be his manager -
day.
Freddie Welsh has been fighting
since 1905 In his entire ring career,
to the best of the writer's knowledge
and belief, Welsh has been knocked
down only once, and that was in his
bout with Packey Mcfarland In Los
Angeles Welsh always claimed that
in reality he slipped down in this
bout. Anyhow, the mishap to Welsh
occurred very late in the contest. and,
allowing that Mcfarland did score
knockdown. It must not have been a
very severe one, in view Of the fact
that Welsh got a draw with PaCkey.
Matt Wells and Packey Mcfarland
are the only men IN the ring who hold
decisions over Welsh. The MCfar-
land decision is explained above. Aft
err Matt Wells defeated Freddie Welsh
for the lightweight championship OF
England and the Lord Lonsdate belt,
Freddie Welsh came back and reWon
his lightweight title and his Lord
LonsdaIe belt And right here it is
interesting to note that Freddie Welsh
is one of the only three men who ever
lost a championship and then rewon
il. The other two were Stanley
Ketchel who lost his title to Billy
Papke and rewOn It. and Tom Allen,
who lost his title to Mike MCCoole
and came back and defeated the same
man who beat him for the crown.
Speaking OF Freddie Welsh, Packey