The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-10

| forms than TO inauGprate them, and
that is why the promoters shrug their
shoulders when asked what IS to pre-
vent return to the old order of things
Mr.. Fight fan-aud Mr.. Fight fan IL
| right-says there was more spirited
| boxing in the years when set Of ar
| ticles called for a winner g end and
loser IS end 1t is pointed out that un-
| der the present system of paying pugil-
| lists fixed sums there is no incentive
TO struggle on once after boxer begins
| to see defeat staring him in the face.
f'Don't YOU think Joe Rivers would
have taken more interest in his work
and have shown more stomach for il
| had he not known that there was $1,000
waiting for him in the box oficef"
| was suggestive question asked after
the Fourth Of July bout. SO as to bring
about new condition the promoters
! are talking of standing together, but
whether they will do SO or rot is a
mooted question. What they would like
TO do Is to establish a custom by which
championship fights which are naturally
| the highest priced pugilistic commodi-
| ties. do not call for the paying over Of
more than 60 per cent of the gate re-
ceipts.
Is Knotty Problem.
But how is such an arrangement to
be established, and what are the
| chances Of its being lived up TOT
Even some of the promoters are ask
ing the double-barreied question, and
by the same token are answering It in
| such way as TO make it appear that
the situation is in measure hopeless.
cussed the matter in this wise: EfThere
are promoters and promoters and
a uniform scale would result in
the most businesslike handler Of
glove contests securing all the at
| fractions. The fighters themselves would
| 90 to the promoters who have the repu-
tation OF being the best money getters-
and they would be sure TO do business
with them. This means that a fixed
| rate for championship fights will work
| TO the detriment of promoters who are
not as smart as their competitors. And
what would be the RESULT Would
man who has paid for n high priced
yearly license, and who has a lease on
his hands, stand by and see his rival
in business get away with all the plumsl
Not on your life He would approach
the champion, or the champion s man
ager, with a side proposition of some
kind and the uniform rate would 90
glimmering.
Champions Are Queer.
"Anyhow, said the same wise head.
"you have the champions to reckon
with before YOU can establish percent
ages again. The rank and hle of the
| boxing brigade may be willing enough
| to conform to scheme of that kind.
| but champions are different. A cham
pion is queer animal. He feels that
the world is against him, and [ guess
be is right You know, and [ know,
| that there is more JOY in sportdom over
one champion being humbled than there
| is over 100 second raters being knocked
cold.
"The champion says to himself,
| fThey want to see me licked and they
| will have to pay dearly for the privil-
ege. Maybe even then III ool them
but want my price in any case. Then
be names his figure and holds out for it
The public may rail at him and the
promoters may tell him that they can
not pay such price and live, but he
sticks and finally his terms are accepted.
His stubbornness simply increases the
craze for sight of him in action And
at the same time l suppose. adds gla-
mour to the prospects of seeing him
flattened out,
Commission the Solution.
"You can see therefore that so far
as the fighters end Of it Is concerned
this thing of exorbitant prices is largely
a one man proposition. A champion
stands alone and is master of the stu
alton. Tt does not look as If the pro-