El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-09-28
By James
j. Corbeft
FOrmer HeaVyWeight ChampiOn
of the World.

English title holder. In fact, it might
be said he was enjoying considerable
prestige at the time and ,CrOSS's eX-
cuse that he would prove a poor draw
ing card after his great battles with
WOlgast and Welsh was rather a
lame one. Richie had come to Gotham
in search of bouts, but round no one
willing to give him trial When it
was proposed to match him with
Cross, then as now one of the leading
Hghtweights in this vicinity, he
jumped at the chance But Cross
couldn't see it at all and turned Willie
down cold.
Richie could do the same thing with
Cross now if he wished to do so and
be subjected to criticism But from
all I hear of the champion he is not
nounced that he would take on all
corners and leave the selection of his
opponents to the matchmakers. And
in signing for Cross it looks as if he
ognized the country over as one of
the most dangerous men in the light
weight division today.
But to get back to Cross and his
luck. It is a well known fact that
Leach is a splendid drawing card in
this city, and as money is what the
promoters are after the preference was
given him by matchmaker Gibson
when Ritchie's consent to box at the
Garden had been secured. Leach, to
GibSOn'S surprise, demanded a raise on
bid offered and for a time it looked as
if some other opponent would be chosen
for the champion But when Leach
learned that other candidates were be-
ing considered he quickly changed his
mind and reopened negotiations. Re
suit, he got the match and will draw
down 20 percent of the gross receipts.
According to expert calculation this
should be worth somewhere in the
neighborhood of $4,000, the promoters
figuring on a $4,000 house. And, by the
way, if his share aggregates anything
near that figure it will be the most
money by several thousands that Cross
has ever received for any contest in
which he has figured
Pretty good money, Ell? Many a man
would take worse beating for less
currency.
The amount to be paid by Richie
has not been made public by the pro-
motors, but taking a line from his
methods of doing business out west it
can be said without fear of construc-
ton that Willie's bit" will be big
one
Packey Mcfarland has exercised that
prerogative of women and boxers and
decided to remain in the game while
Harlem Tommy Murphy 10 rounds
Packey has made it as easy for him
self as possible as the weight has been
afternoon. Mac will probably come
into the ring close to the 40 pound
mark which was his weight in the
bout with Jack Britton last spring.
1 can't see Murphy in a 10 round
contest with the fast Chicagoan- In
fact, it can hardly be considered in the
light of a contest Packey is far too
speedy for Tommy and for 10 rounds
should go so fast that the Harlemite
viii have trouble in landing on him
at all A longer bout, however. might
prove a different story for Murphy
was giving Packey all that was COM
ing to him in the last round or two
of their fight in San Francisco, ac-
cording to reliable report.
Leach Cross has several times been
offered a match with Mcfarland over
the limited round distance, but Cross
is too shrewd q customer to get in
the ring with Packey again. Once
was enough for Leach. He tried il
two OF three years ago and said after
the mill that he never saw so many
boxing gloves flying through the air