Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-07-07
WEI SH IS A FAVoRITE
so FAR AS BETTING GOES

London, July Willie Richie, light
weight champion of the world, will
defend his title at the Olympia here
tonight against Freddie Welsh, light
weight champion of England. Both
fighters are reported fit as the grind
Of training can make them and boxing
enthusiasts looked forward to the
greatest lightweight battle England
has seen in a decade.
Richie and the challenger weighed
in this afternoon. The champion tipped
the beam at 1874 while Welsh was half
a pound heavier. Willie was smiling
and at ease while Welsh seemed to be
extremely nervous. The challenger s
hand shook as they exchanged greet.
ings.
All indications this afternoon pointed
to Welsh entering the ring pro.
nounced fayorite. Several thousand
miners from South Wales arrived in the
city early today and Immediately
started betting their money on Welsh.
~ result the odas shifted from even
money to 10 to with Welsh on the
long end.
Welsh spent the night at Cardiff
He arrived at Paddington this after.
noon going at once to the Olympia,
whore the two lightweights woig he'd
in Ritchie spent the night in private
residence near the arena.
A Big House Predicted.
Promoter c. b. Cochrane predicted
that a 100000 house would greet the
men when Referee Eugene CORR send
them on their 20 rounl journey. OF
the audience he predicted that at least
ten percent would be women. He de.
clared that fully fifty percent of the
tickets for tonight s performance-of
which more than 90O0 already have
Deen purchased by women. He doesn t
Know, however how many of these
were designed as presents for brothers,
Sweothearts or husbands, but he felt
safe in estimating that at least Is
per cent of the audience will be women
One woman S club reserved block of
seats and number of the private
boxes will be occupied by women.
Among the men spectators will be
round an unusually large proportion of
mombers of the nobility and at least
three clergymcn of liberal tendencies
are known to have reserved seats. the
prices of which range all the way from
Sl25 to $50.
Big boxing matches in England al.
ways rartake more or less OF the nature
OF society functions and il was ex-
peeted that the two scrappers would
race one of tho elassiest audiences in
the history OF the ring. Full dress IS
worn by the occupants Of the higher
priced seats near the ringside. To-
night fistic entertainment will be
de luxe, not to say recherche.
Both In Pink of Condition.
Glowing accounts of the condition of
ooth men were printed in today 5 news
papers London sport writers con.
tended that Ritchie had been side.
stcpl ing Welsh in the past he appeared
ut an eager today and the Britishers
was equally prepared for the encounter
Nelther was overturned Both arrived
from America barely three weeks ago
the final articles were signed several
days later, and they have boon anoaoeJ
IN the serious work of training for only
ten days, Ritehie at Bombardier Wells
framing quarters in Brighton and
welsh at his home town of Pontypridd
IN South Wales. w
sporting opinion in England natural.
y favored Welsh. Boxing the leading
sporting publication in London. com,
mented on the battle as follows:
welsh ought TO be able to win, and
ne clearly thinks that he will, but don I
run away with any idea that Ritheie is
cheap proposition.
Eugene CORR the Referee.
4 "We have had a few hard words
aoout the champion, and ii is equally
certain that American sporting writers
nave had much harder things to saw.
But the fact remains that Willie is a
good boxer, with real right hand