Evening star., 1914-07-08
WELSH Wins EASILY
Outpoints Ritchie in Twenty
Rounds. Winning Title.
THE LOSER GETS $4,000
Fine Exhibition of Boxing Through
out. Neither Man Going to
the Floor.

LONDON. July Sired Welsh. light
weight champion of England. last night
outboxed Willie Ritchie, the American
champion. and on the referees decision
won the lightweight championship of the
world.
The fight took place at Olympia and
the 5000 spectators witnessed last ana
clever bout Rapid footwork and a good
deal of infighting were pronounced lea-
tures The British victory was cheered
to the echo although there was some dis
satisfaction among the American specta-
tors with the decision because neither
man was bested at the finish. Although
Welsh scored the greater number OF
bloWs. those of the American appeared
to be the more telling.
Fine Exhibition of Boxing.
1t was fine exhibition of boxing
throughout. Neither man went to the
floor and the struggle during the last
six rounds was of a hurricane character.
Welsh was the quicker and tapped Richie
repeatedly on the face, finally drawing
blood
The American tried continually for a
knockout, but either ne was short or
Welsh got inside or under the swing.
Richie won the championship he sur
rendered last night from Ad Wolgast No
vember 2s. 1872 at DAILY City. Cal. when
he gained decision on foul in the SIX
teenth round.
Ritchie in Tears Over Decision.
Richie broke down when the decision
was given against him, and was in tears
when seen in his dressing room.
hottt
but otherwise was not much damaged,
except for a few bruises on the face.
All the old-timers are agreed that the
contest was one Of the fastest and finest
exhibitions of boxing witnessed in Lon
don in recent years. Some OF them eN-
pressed the opinion that Rltchle' would
have come out on top IN a hHlsh hsht
The Welshman's footwork and dodglng
were. far quicker than the American S and
he preferred much Of the time to get to
close quarters where Richie could not
use his powerful swings. There was
altogether too much holding throughout
to please the English spectators.
Ritchie the Aggressor.
During the last four rounds Richie
forced the fighting hard for knockout,
while Welsh was plainly playing to win
a decision on points
The success of the affair is likely to
kndle great interest in the coming con-
test between Gunboat Smith and George
Carpenter. the French champion. Smith
was given warm reception When lntro-
, duccd last night.
The office of Father Boulder in cler-
icaI garb as announcer was a novelty.
but the expected appearance of batta-
lions of women tiZZled to a mere hun
dred or so. The American contingent
t.,t,
others We're the members of the Har-
ward and Union boat crews.
Nobility and Clergymen at Ringside.
Many of the nobility and several cler-
gymen sat close at the ringside.
In the opening rounds Welsh scored
more points than Ritchie In the fifth
| round, however, Richie forced the fight
| ing and in this and the next two rounds
there We're some sharp exchanges and
heavy iniighting in which Ritchle gener-
ally got the upper hand. Several times
the American was cautioned for holding
| in the clincheS.
| In the eighth and ninth rounds the
Weshman forced the fighting and had
| the better of the encounter. When half
! the match was over Welsh led easily on
points. Richie revived somewhat in the
! eleventh. He had the thirteenth all his
| own way. The fourteenth was also all
RitcheS.
Both Fighters Slow Up.
| Then both slowed up. In the seven
| teenthe Ritchie got home a number of
sharp body blows
| Welsh obtained more points in the
eighteenth which left Richie with a
| bleeding lip. The nineteenth was even,
| with Ritchie forcing the fighting. The
final round was the swiftest of the whole
fight and Welsh had the better of It,
| OF the twenty rounds ten were un-
doubtedly Welsh's, five went to Richie
and the other tive were about even.
| 1t is estimated that the gate receipts
| were S125.O00. of which the beaten Ritchie
| will receive $+OOOo.
Welsh's rngside weight was announced
as 134H pounds and Ritchie 134A. The
| two men advanced to the center Of the
ring and cordially shook hands The
fight started at 1914