The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-14
(By James J. Corbett, Former Heavy
 weight Champion of the WOEAd)

weight Champion of the WorAd)
 Especial to the Farmer.)
 When Willie Ritchie won the light weight title I prophesied that the new champion would upset the order of things in the way of poundage and that while he reigned as head of the division contests involving the title would call for a higher scale than that set by Battling Nelson and re- ugiously adhered to by his successor. Ad- Wolgsst-
 WiIlie's recent refusal to make 1SS rfngstde for Joe Rivers bears out the prediction made at the time. In spite of the oft-repeated assertions of Manager Billy Nolan that Ritchie is a 1egitimate 13S pounder and that he would defend his title of champion at that weight, 134 pounds at g o'clock the morning of the contest was the very lowest Willie would agree to scale for Rivers. This arrangement had it prevailed would have allowed Ritchie to pick up several pounds be- fore ring time and have given him an enormous advantage over Rivers, who at his best Is probably a shade or two under the lightweight limit.
 While the American scale of weights calls for 13S ringside to gov ern all bouts for the championship it has been the custom of champions of former years, barring, of course, our friends Nelson and Wolgast, to ignore that ruling, and it will be found upon investigation that the title has chang. ed owners at a higher mark oftener than at 133- Several writers ques- ton Ritchie's right to arbitrarily raise the scale after winning at 133, but he only follows a precedent set years ago and the public is disposed to re- eard him well within his rights as champion. Nevertheless his action comes as a surprise at this late day and is hardly consistent with the many declarations of his intention to de- 1end the title at 133 ringside or not at all.
 One cannot blame Joe Rivers for refusing to concede the weight de- handed by the champion even though the chance to battle for the title passed with his refusal from the match It-is unfair to say that Riv-| CTS showed the yellow" as number Of sporting writers put it.. Joe is only a ~kid'' and has lots Of time ahead to go after the championship. To give four or five pounds away to the clever Rftchie would be suicidal on his part. to my way of thinking.
 The cance1Iing of this bout may force California promoters to change their plans for the Fourth of July. Several matches scheduled for that day may be shifted and substitutions made, although I think it will finally be decided to let them go as they lay, and that the champions oppon- ent for the holiday bout will be none other than the former tit1e-hoIder, Ad WolgasE know for a fact that tt wzs arranged long ago ht9 give Vol gast first chance at his ~conqueror. but for his poor showing in the last bout with Tommy Murphy the match would have been announced before this Therefore will not be d bit surprised if the new deal calls for Rftchie versus WoIgast in San Fran cisco on July {.
 Ritchie, or rather Billy Nolan will have his work cut out from now on trying to explain why the weight linn it Is raised on the little fellows and lowered for men of the Mcfarland type. One result of Ritehie's de- mand for a higher scale with Rivers will be that he can no longer hide be- hind the 1S3 pound scarecrow and ig- nore the challenges of such good box CTS as Mcfarland, Brftton and Welsh st a more liberal adjustment of weights than heretofore proposed.
 Leach Cross, the New York light weight. Is booked to box Bud Ander- son at Los Angeles on the Fourth provided the Ritchie-Rivers hzzle does not result in a general shift in the programs of promoters And to judge from what young Anderson has aI-
  fessfon Doctor Cross (he's regular tooth butler at home), is In for the time of his career.
 Gross has it on Anderson in ex- per1ence only. Tom McCarey, the veteran promoter, recently expressed the opinion that Anderson is the hard est hitter of his weight he has ever Reen. and it must be said that boxer who can put the tough TX. O." Brown away for the long sleep must wieId a mighty wa1lop- Bud has also shown he possesses considerable boxing slxill$ Reports of the fight with Joe Mandot gtafed that the clever Joe had little on Bud in matter of science He can also stand the gaf like a major which is something many doubt Dr. Cross can assimilate successfIIllv Tn his many New York engagements Leach has never showed a liking for punishment and has always resorted to clfnching and staIling tactics when up against a hard-hitting propositiou who could stand his artillery fire and hand out a little of thes same sort himself. Leach is a cagey fighter who admits he is after the coin and cares nothing for the glory of the game. and that's why he takes no 11n necessary chances And it is also why many local fans accuse him of rowardice- There's no denying Leach Is a bear when facing an inferior man and resembles a third rater when opposed to clever boxer When one stops to consider how heIpIess Packey Mcfarland made him look several years back, and more recently Jack Britton, it is utterly impossible to figure Leach a charnpionshi1o nos sfbflity.