Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
BY w. W. NanghtOn.


y Champion Willie Ritchie's de-
termination to force an extern
sion OF the lightweight boundaries
will be far-reaching in its effect. For
one thing, it viii bring Packey Nc
Farland to the front as a candidate
for the title.
While Richie was working his way
over the footlight circuit and keep
/ ing close lips as 10 what was pass
ing I'm his mind in respect to the
weight terms he would impose when
| fighting began again, a good many
thought that Willie was confronted
with a double-horned dilemma.
He is a growing boy and II he
elects to stick to 1873 pounds ring
side he may weaken himself making
/ the weight" said one sporting man.
| "On the other hand, If he raises the
/ limit a couple of pounds he VIII
/ have TO box Mcfarland and I am not
| sure that he Is looking for trouble of
/ that kind"
| When these remarks were repeated
/ to RitChle at the time when the ar
gument over weight with Rivers was
| in progress, the champion said:
That's all a mistake I'd Just as
| soon meet Mcfarland as the next
man"
Continuing. Richie said: at one
/ stage OF our tour, Nolan agreed TO
| allow PaCkey 10 weigh 1875 pounds az
| six o'clock in the evening If MCFar-
/ land and myself were matched. For
a night fight that would mean
/ weighing IN three or four hours be-
| fore and no offer that has been made
since would be an Improvement on
/ that SO far as Mcfarland is con-
| cerned / wanted the weight for the
match with Rivers to be 1874 pounds
! three hours before fight time, and
Mcfarland is as welcome az the
| flowers in MAY TO this arrangement
| II he cares TO accept it.
| Asked II he did not consider Nc
Farlaud his most formidable OppO-
nent at the new weight scale, Richie
said:
Not in a championship battle. l
know Packey very well and ] like
| him personally. / have worked with
I him in training quarters and with Al
/ eye 10 the possibilities that are nj
ways attached to pugilism I made
| a close study Of him. He is an amaz-
I ingIy clever boxer know Of none
I better, in fact-but he is not
puncher What is more. he does not
! like the long route. IL YOU look over
! his record you will find that he has
/ h.d only two or three twenty round
| usltchCs. and won only one Of them,
and that by no very great margin.
| ! mean his twenty rounds with Tom
my Murphy, in San Francisco.
[ PaCkey is grand performer over
| a short distance, but I am satisfied
| that / can take his measure when
get him IN the ring for a contest or
/ the regulation championship length.
Boxers Fib About Weight
l II is long standing belief that
I boxers fib Systematically about their
I poundage and for this reason eVerv-
4 thing that any of them has to say
on the subject is taken with grain
OF salt Richie insists. however,
/ that under suitable conditions he
/ as ne did for Wolgast We want
a little leeway for that Fourth Of
July match because ! had been
I long time out Of training and did not
care 70 reduce at too short notice.
said Willie Right here I want TO
/ brand that story that / was weak
after doing that rinEside weight for
l WoIgast. I weighed less than l32
l when ! stepped on the machine for
that bout and did not take any uour-
/ ishment after weighing. as has been
claimed They gave me A little not
beef tea and the taste OF It did not
suit me and I refused IT, And an
other thing Even though I may
want TO weigh hours before 1 VII
] not take on more than a pound q
the outside by fighting time. This
I is mainly because ] don't eat or
I drink anything TO speak OF between
. the weighing hour and the time 10
/ begin boxing know that any
weight gained by putting stuff into
ones stomach in a case of that KIND
I is a detTimcnt rather than help
and therefore I avoid it,
Richie Puzzles Fans.
/ With Richie SO emphatic about his
] ability to defend his championship at
I the weight at which he Won il, and
( in view Of his claim that he does not
Z benefit 20 the extent Of increasing
I his pounGage If he weighs hours be-
I fore. the sports are nystified as %
: why the champion sought so deter
miudLv TO change the old order %
things for his match with Rivers
And the answer with a good many
fs-'No.an" "Ritchie is "a legitimate
lightweight. ali right but Nolan
I wants something Gltfereu-.' said one
. fight fan. He likes 10 hear people
saying Well yog see Nolan has ms
way"
or course Nolan denies This soft
impeachment. He says IL is his duty
tic watch his boxers interests close
fIv and hold out for what he 00nsiG-
prS his best interests, even though
/ wrong motives may be attributed to
him.