Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-28
GOSSIP AND NEWS OF BOXING
STARS DISHED UP BY ANDREWS
Duty of Referees According to Queensberry Code.
Rough Road Ahead for Charley White.
Wolgast to Meet Rivers Again

already has the battle won. Rivers will
surely have to be at his best to go the
distance with AID, for the little bearcat is
looking for big game with White and
Ritchie later and wants to defeat Rivers
decisively this time. just to show that he
is still there for the title match.
Matt Wells, the former British light
weight, who lost his crown to Freddie
Welsh has put in claim for the welter-
weight championship of the world. Wells
returned recently to England from Aus
tralia and issued a challenge to any
weiterweight in the world and offers to
back himself from 81 900 to 5000 side.
While in Australia Wells defeated Ray
Bronson. who laid claim to the title in
America, and he has also defeated Tom
Mccormick. who twice defeated Johnny
Summers. holder of the European title
of welterweight champion. Considering
the record made by Wells and his offer
to back 1t up in a substantial way, there
is no reason why he should not be looked
upon as the real title holder in so far as
Europe and Australia are concerned. II
there is any man in America who thinks
he Is welterweight champion he can have
crack at the worlds title by getting in
touch with Mr.. Wells.
middleweight. will have his work cut out
when he meets George Chip at San Fran
cisco July 4, in twenty-round battle
Billy has been claiming the worlds title
since he was given thenewspaper deci-
sion over Al Mccoy in New York, which Is
uncalled for. as neither Murray nor Nc
Coy had any license to claim the cham
pionship. However, no one will deny that
the California boy is a good one at the
middleweight limit. but he will have to
work his way up the ladder the same as
the rest Of them. George Chip was con-
sidered real contender for the title un-
til he bumped into a left hook from AL
Mccoy and was then relegated to the
rear for time. Chip gave Sailor Petros-
key beating at Los Angeles and now the
coast fans are wondering what will hap
pen when he meets Murray. Chip has
the punch If he can land it and the
chances are that the battle will be hard
one and pretty even. Murray has every
reason to try exart hard win, for if he
can whip Chip he will get a good offer
to visit Australia and fight Jimmy
Clabby. Eddie McGoorty and Jen Smith
for the championship.
Willie Richie. lightweight champion of
America, Is evidently taking the precau-
ton to protect himself when he meets
Freddie Welsh in London July 4. Willie
KNOWS very well that if Welsh We're to
gain twenty-round decision over him
his power as a drawing card would be
shattered to a great extent He also
knows that il Mr.. Welsh wins the title
he will keep Richie chasing after him
for a contest the same as Richie has
had Freddie following him for the past
year. Therefore Willie insisted upon ar
tcles being signed and forfeits posted for
return match in England between No
vember 4 and II. The chances are that
II Rltcnle wins this contest he will not
be SO anxious to go ahead with a second
meeting. but should he lose, 1t will then
be up to him to go through with 1t and
have an opportunity to win back his lau-
reis- Willie has no manaser at the pres
ent time, but from the way he has been
handling things he has a pretty good
sized head on his shoulders, just the
same.
Gunboat Smith. the white champion OF
America, who is to meet Georges Car
pentier, the French champion, in London
July 16. has made a big hit with the
tight fans of England. He has been wined
and dined by many of the big followers
OF the boxing game. and they are net
backward in stating that they expect the
American to defeat the Frenchman when
they come together. Soma of the critics
have even gone so far as to state that
Mr.. Gunboat is a better man now than
John L. Sullivan ever was This same
estimate was made by Mike Donovan, the
famous boxing instructor of New York.
However, all cannot agree with them in
regard to this. statement. One who has
seen John L. Sullivan in some of his big
fights. and Smith in several of his ten
round contests in New York, and getting
down to cold facts. believes there is no
comparison between the two men. Sulli-
van was around the 21-pound mark, and
as agile on his feet as a cat. Not only
that, but-he had tremendous hitting pow
er. and while not processing to be a clever
boxer, he had a remarkable defense just
the same, and his Judgment of hitting
was almost perfect. Gunboat Smith in
all his battles has demonstrated that he
is not hard to hit, but, like all other box
ers he is improving as he goes along.
And IL he continues to do SO. he will be
frst-class heavyweight in the near fu-
ture. He will have about fifteen pounds
advantage in weight over the Frenchman.
and If he cannot win with this handicap
he certainly cannot be classed as a real
champion. The Frenchman
is not to be sneered at, even though he is
little more than a middleweight. for he
has demonstrated of late that he has tn
class. And it is moral certainty that ne
will give Smith the battle Of his life