El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-11

HERE are boxers who have the
great gift of making friends and
Z of keeping them in defeat the
same as in victory. 1 have known
bows of little skill and to whom sue
cess in the ring was the exception and
not the rule, who could boast of regu-
lar armies of admirers. The mere an
nouncement of a match in which one
of these boxers was principal meant
a guarantee of house well filled with
Then there are others who never
succeed in striking the popular chord,
even though their ring careers are
brilliant. When Jimmy Britt was IN
the heyday of his career and winning
every start, he was one of the most
cordially disliked boxers who ever
- claimed San Francisco as home The
antipathy to Britt was intense, and
the majority Of those who went to see
him box did so with the hope that ne
would be soundIy thrashed- He never
knew popularity in his home town un-
til he had tasted defeat
Leach Cross occupies a like position
in New York to that Britt held in San
Francisco. Leach is good drawing
card, besaUse a great many fans would
delight in seeing him licked, and for
fear they might miss that pleasing
performance attend regularly While
the authorities have decreed that all
persons who patrOniZe boxing matches
must conduct themselves in manners
BETTING gentlemen, the aversion TO
Cross is so marked that 1t is an ex-
ceedinglv difficult task to prevent the
hoOdlum element from giving express
sion to their feelings. During the pro-
gress of a bout his opponent IS inVar1-
ably applauded and encouraged and
Leach reviled good and plenty, and at
times the language is not OF the
choicest. This reverse roofing has not
seriously interfered with Cross sue
cess, but in the opinion of the fans
that is largely because he is a shrewd
matchmaker and has so far sidestepped
the classiest lightWeights-
Cross surprised the talent by sign
ing to box the great Joe Rivers 10
rounds and when the boys step in the
ring next Tuesday night it is cinch
that the house will be crowded to the
doors 1t is the biggest attraction in
sight at the present time, and Rivers
has created such a favorable impress
sion during two weeks of training that
the hopes OF the 'antI-Cross contln-
gent are running high.
JOe's record speaks for itself. Dur
ing the short time that he has been
boxing professionally the little Next
can has met and defeated number
of classy men, As a featherVeight he
won a 20-rOUnd decision over Johnny
K1bane, but in a return match was
knocked out At that time Joe had
OutgrOWn the featherWelght class, and
in making the weight was forced TO
rigorous training which
robbed him of his strength His re-
cent battles with AID WOlgast and Joe
MandOt established his class beyond
all doubt
Those who have looked Rivers over
at the training quarters predict his ]
success in the Cross encounter But /
Leach, when he tries, is able % give a |
good account of himself, and if he /
gets off on the right foot, may make |
things interesting for the visitor. To 4
give the local man credit. it must be /
said that in all his bouts during the 1
last year the only boxer to earn a /
popular verdict over him was Jack I
3rittOn, and that's nothing to be /
of, for BrittOn is ranked sec
Ond only to Packy Mcfarland when It ]
comes to cleverness-
If Rivers wins decisiyely from Cross /
It is unlikely he viii be seen again in 1
New York for some time. He has been
offered matches with BrittOn and Nc
Garland, but as he has so far insisted
upon 133 ringside for all important
,Oncede weight TO either Of those
Speaking of Packey Mcfarland. that
-Oung man has declared himself on
he weight question, as per the re-
luest of Billy Nolan and offers to do /
IS pounds, four hours before the fight, |
f Willie Richie viii consent to meet
lin.
There is as much chance of Packey
Getting a match under those conditions
While Nolan looks after the champion