South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-29
VIEW YORK To GET
FIRST CHANCE At
Richie NOV. 10
Serious Test in Store for Light
weight Champion When He
Meets Leach Cross, Who is
Experienced 10-Rounder.
BY W. w. NAUGHToN.

York will have its first glimpse Of
the lightweight champion. Willie
Richie. IN action. Nov 10. and just
what kind Of an impression Richie
viii make upon the eastern fight fol-
lowers remains TO be seen. Willie
and Leach Cross are 10 clash IN
1G-round bout. Richie, according 10
what has been flashed across the
wires has unlimited reliance in his
ability TO handle young Mr.. Cross In
mastery manner. AS Willie oc-
cupies the proud position Of king Of
the lightweights, he could hardly be
expected TO talk in any other strain.
In Difference TO his exalted station
a champion has 10 radiate confidence
as an emery wheel emits sparks If
he failed to do so the public would
slacken up its hero worship and II
may be the man he is training for viii
not come with that feeling OF awe
which from time immemorable the
under-dOg is supposed TO labor under
when he finds himself in the presence
OF pugilistic royalty.
Hard Test For Richie.
Apart from all that. however. Willie
Richie Is "A thinking individual and
he probably recognizes that the com
ing test will prove a serious one.
To begin with Leach Cross has
specialized over the 10-rOund distance
and is thoroughly at home In bout
Of that length. He has started on so
many 1O-round journeys that he
knOws-Or should knOw-how fast he
can rate himself without oyertaXing
his condition.
This IS something that works both
ways. 1t enables q man 10 tell If the
other fellow is CrOwding on more sail
than he will be able TO carry. FORTH
fled with powers OF discernment OF
this kind. "A man who knows the short
bout game from y to 4 can cOntriVc
10 keep something in reserve and
make IL decidedly uncomfOr-a bic for
an opponent who has fought himself
into a state OF WEAKNESS.
Leach is Tricky.
Then again Leach is a tricky fellow.
In the matter of sending III a sting
ing punch when least expected, he is
n veritable surprise package. There
is no particular continuity to his work
IA he shows 20 poor advantage oc-
casiOnally against mediocre boxers and
performs brilliantly in high class
company. He is not to be guaged by
what he did in his last battle or the
one before and ne sandwiches good
shOWings in amongst bad in such
Wav that the highest tribute one can
pay him is TO pronounce him a dan
gerOus man.
While Willie Richie is to all in
tents and purposes product OF San
Francisco's four-rOund phase of box
i
advantage over short distances.
Maybe the coming bout with Cross
will mark the beginning of a new or
der of things so far as Richie is con-
cerned Far be II from the writer TO
discloe any mans scheme or bat
tie. but as Willie has made public
property OF his system, no condolences
are betrayed in this especial in
stance.
Warning For Leach.
Just watch out. Leach. if Willie
comes into the ring with his face
flushed and his forehead moist with
perspiratiOn depend upon II he mas
had a spirited set-to with one OF his
aides back in the dressing room.
IL was the fight with Rivers that
convinced Willie he would have been
the better for little warm-up prior
TO taking the ring. Ii also convinced
the spectators that Ritchie Is slow To
get going IL did more. 1t made
fellows who had bet heavily on
Richie feel for while that they had
barked up the wrong tree.
Little wonder. for OF all the bedrag-
gled worlds champions that were
ever seen RitChie was the worst in
the early rounds OF that match. His
knees hit the ground; his hair came
down over his eyes and his head
snapped this way and that under
Rivers Fostering fire. But Rivers
gave out and il came all right after
awhile.
Wasted No Time on Ad.
The four-rOund bout with Ad Vol
CAST was about the only match in
which Richie got 20 work quickly. He
staggered Wolgast with we'll placed
rights hut even this was condoned on
the score that il was WOlgasts first
essay after his operation, the argu-
ment being that Ad at the time was
more a subject for a sanitarium than
the prize ring.
In his match with Joe Mandot at
New Orleans Richie was very late
in putting IN his best hcks. and, strik
he is more at home in long bouts
than shorter ones.
Ritchie albeit his ring work is not
or the sCintillating kind. is "a hard
man 70 down. He is game beyond
question. although YOU might not
think SO ON account Of the extreme
caution he displays in making OF
matches.
lie has far greater assimilative
powers than might be supposed after
making a study of his physique and
his facial characteristics. and he has
shown that he can stand all kinds or
wear and tear and still retain a
stifIening right hand punch.