Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-07

49, Jose Rivers of
.ss%ssss southern California
and DR.. Louis Wal
ZACH, better known to fame as Leach
Cross, of Gotham.
Two weeks later Ad -WOlsast, former
lightweight champion, and Harlem Tom
my Murphy will box a twenty-round re-
turn engagement. Wolgast is stalking
his future in the ring on the result of
this match. And on April &c. three weeks
from today. Johnny Kilbane is to de-
fend his featherweight title from the at
tack of Johnny Dundee. a New York
boy. without doubt one of the best Of
younger feathers.
The Rivers-Cross contest was arranged
months ago, but interest in the bout has
been greatly enhanced by the local boys
recent Knockout victory over Joe Man.
dot. Mandot and Rivers have twice
gone the full twenty round course and
are even-steven on the decision thing.
New Orleans Joe coping the first and
LIS Angeles Joe getting brackets in the
second. Cross defeat of Mandot has
not altered Rivers opinion that he will
prove the master in next week bout.
Rivers and Cross put up an Unusually
interesting setto last January. 1t was
a referee could have rendered would have
been a draw. True, in the closing round
Cross was nearly exhausted and 1t is
doubtful if he could have stuck it out
another three minutes. But In the early
part of the going Leach had decidedly
it was about an even thing. \ mistake
most common with the average referee is
to allow condition at the end Of limit
ed round match to influence him in giving
TIT to- 49,.
weaker boxer has led on points until the
last minute or two of fighting. While
Cross was a bit sroggy at the finish it
would have been doing him an injustice
to award the verdict to the Los Anselan.
| would like to be in New York for
next Tuesdays bout. 1t ought to be a
hummer. Neither boy can truthfully be
called scientific boxer, but Rivers is
such an aggressive little party that he
forces an opponent to step his fastest as
a matter of self-protection. and that s
just what a sluggish type of fighter like
Cross needs to show at his best Leach
always looks good when the other fellow
brings the battle to him. At that their
style of boxing is similar. BY which I
mean their methods of offense and de-
Tense. although there is less monotony
in Joe's. he changes his tactics con-
stantly. Rivers would be the biggest
kind OF mark for u boxer of the scien-
tific brand like Mcfarland or Welsh in
made to look foolish whenever he gets
after the clever ooys. but Joe's endur-
ance is remarkable and he would be
dangerous opponent for any man of his
weight over the longer route.
Rivers has a splendid physique for
successful lightweight. He is far more
rugged than the average fighter has
wonderful chest and powerful shoulders,
and the necessary punching power to
finish an opponent once he gets him GO
Cross does ca
we'll from physical standpoint. In fact.
Leach does not look one-half the tough
proposition he has developed into recent
~ He is very deceptive individual. Is
dangerous man to take chances with. To
look him over one would not ina CINE that
he carried X. O." punch. but there are
few OF his weight who hit harder. Poss-
blS' Rivers is one of the few.
However, it is not always the scrapper
with the greater physical development
who brings home the bacon. although
where boys are evenly matched in point
of skill the fellow with the strength has
Just that much of percentage in his
faVor And that's where / figure Rivers
advantage. and look for him to earn the
popular verdict.
But will not be surprised il either lad
wins with knockout
kilbane and Dundee should furnish Los
Angeles fans with some good sport The
latter with his pyrotechncal style Of box
ing never fails to create an impression on
those who like plenty Of acton. even
though that method is not particularly
effective. From what I've seen of Kill
bane | like his style very much. He is a
clever. heady boxer, one who has excel
lent control of himself in the ring, and
not likely to permit the roofing of the
fans for or against him to upset his plan
of battle. He has shown on several oc-
casions that he is a hard hitter. but like
the intelligent young man he is believes
in taking no unnecessary risk to win with
one punch. AS a rule he is satisfied to
outpoint his rivals. and while he con-
tinues along these lines will be in little
danger Of losing his title for some time
to come. Certainly there are no feathers
among the present crop who look good
enough to upset the dope on Attelrs con-
querOr
The great twenty-round battle AID VOL
cast and Tommy Murphy put up last
February means that Jim Coffroth will
nave banner crowd at his arena .tor.l
-. The San Francisco critics agreed
that il vas one of the fiercest fights ever
held on the coast. and as they have had
e majority of the classiest lightweight
Years CT SO. the scr.bes ought to have a |
prett" .csj li.ie.
Some adn.rer Of Murphy las taken the
trouble TO send Tie a clipping from a |
codst PAPER IN Wnicn II was st2seQ tnat
the referee gave the New Yorker a raw
deal, that Tommy outfousht his man all
the way, and was therefore entitled to |
the decision. While Murphy's manager
has also uttered mild protests. Tommy |
himself has made no complaint to date. |
and was apparently well satisfied with a |
draw. The newspaper accounts I read |
after the mill made it a |
pretty even thing. and I lima CINE 1t was
a rather difficult matter to pick the w.n- |
ner when it was over.
Wolgast has announced he will never |
fight again il he doesn't win thiA !
match OF course. other fighters have
said the same thing and have retired |
for a while. only to resume later on.
Wolgast however. is better fixed finan- |
cially than the average pugilist and
in a position to quit the game if he
feels like it. There is no denying the 1
fact that this fight will mean a great