Evening star., 1914-04-26
Special Correspondence of The Star.
BY T. s. ANDREWS.

MILWAUKEE,. W is. April %, 1914.
1t is possible that the miX-up re-
garding the title in the welterweight
division will be settled during the pres
ent year, although there is nothing
certain about it at this time. 1t is
still in a chaotic condition. the same
as the middleweight class. However.
since Ray Bronson announced his re-
tirement from the ring, there appears
to be chance to bring about a match
which will result in the recognition
of an American welterweight cham
pion. Bronson laid claim to the title
over year ago and was prepared to
defend it against all comers. Late last
fall he went to Australia and discov-
cred. after having two fights. that he
was not the Bronson of old and wisely
decided to retire from the ring. AS a
result of this Kid Graves, a former
Milwaukee boy. has put in claim for
the title. and 1t Is just one. Writing
from Brooklyn, N. Y, Graves has this
to say:
Having noticed that Bronson had re-
tired. 1t appears to me that the well
terweight title lies between Wildcat
Ferns and myself and I will be only
too glad to settle the matter in the
ring and have a recognized champion
OF that class. 1 wish you would an
HOuHCe IOF me tndt L am issuing
challenge to Ferns to contest for the
welterweight championship at las
pounds ringsfde or 142 pounds at 3
o'clock. This is the legitimate Ameri
can weight and 1 am ready to put up
any amount of money as a side wager
and also a forfeit to make the match
and decide the title. There may be
others who have a claim to it the
same as We have. but / think from past
records that we are the ones best en-
titled to compete for the championship
If Ferns declines to meet me. then L
am prepared to claim the title and de-
fend 1T against any welterweight In
the game. except colored fighters. /
VIII post a forfeit with you or any
one you may name at any time. Yours
very truly, Kid Graves"
The statement of Graves is a very
fair one and Will go lohg way toward
settling the much mooted question.
There is a little difference of weight
between the American and foreign
classes. the American being 142 pounds
at o'clock and the foreign 147 pounds
However. if American champion
can be decided upon. 1t is very likely
that match can be arranged with
the titleholder of Great Britain and
Australia to bring about a worlds
champion.
The trip to Australia of Milburn Saylor,
under the guidance of Ray Bronson. was
very successful one. Before leaving
these shores for the antipodes Saylor
was considered only a fairly good light
weight, although he had battled with
many of the best boys in the country
There was considerable dispute regard
Ing his contest with Freddie Welsh at
winnipeg, which one side claimed he lost
on foul, while the other claimed a VIC
tory by the knockout route. However.
in Australia Saylor left no ground for
dispute in any of his matches except the
one he had at Brisbane. and from all ac-
counts he should have won that on a
Knockout and not lost it on a foul, as the
referee decided. The papers of that city
were very plain in their statements, and
said that Saylor should have won the
contest without any doubt. Prior to the
flrst contest the Indianapolis lightweight
had in Australia he made a wager with
the five contests by a knockout The
wager was for $780, and Saylor won it.
He met the toughest men they had over
there. starting with Alf Morey. whom
turning the same kind of a trick with
Hughie Mehegan, the former champion
OF Australia; next stopping Herb Mccoy
In terrific battle of sixteen rounds and
Hams whom he put to sleep in two
rounds. 1t is certainly a splendid record
Tor the young American, and when he
returns to this country in May he will
no doubt be given a chance to go against
the topnotchers. Bronson has already
sent challenge for match with Willie
Rtchie, and 1t is possible that they may
be hooked for a championship battle
later on
1t seems peculiar that the British
fighter does not take more to the ,Ameri-
can style Of boxing, knowing that 1t is
much more successful than the old style
English Of straight lead and get away"
Most of the American fighters going over
to England seem to have it on the other
fellows. simply through their fnfighting.
They may be out-boxed for while, but
when they get to close quarters they in
are practically new at the game, but they
have been taught more of the American
style and have proited by it. The result
is that some of the French boxers, even
when inferior to the British. have won
contests simply by their inf1ghting 1t
is about time that the Britishers got
wise to the fact that infighting is a great
factor in modern boxing and when they
DO this, the American will not be SO sue
cessful on the other side. It was Car
pentiers infighting that enabled him to
make such a good showing recently with
Joe Jeanette, although the Frenchman
Billy Papke and Frank Klaus won prac-
tically all their contests on the other
side by close work in the clinches. Joet
Borrell. the Philadelphia, middleweight,
who Is now in England. has been winning
his contests along these same lines: that
Is. at infighting. OF course, there are a
few Of the British boxers who have taken
up the American style and these boys
have been most successful. especially
Freddie Welsh, Jim Driscoll and Mat
Wells.
Willie Ritchie. the lightweight champion
OF America has demonstrated in his last
three fights that he is improving steadily
In his work, and If he keeps on at the
rate he has been going, he will soon be
ciassed as one Of the greatest weights
also shown that he not only possesses
cleverness. but also a punch and he is
not afraid to take a punch In order to
hand one back. There was always some
dispute regarding the match with Ad
Wolgast, when he won the title on a foul
In sixteen rounds at Daily City, Cal, No
vember %, 1912, but since then he has
proved conclusively that he is we'll able
to take care Of his title. Ritchie put up
a wonderful battle against Joe Rivers
when he knocked him out in eleven
rounds July 4. 1913 Leach Cross. the
New York lightweight. had a great repu-
tatfon as slugeer. but when they met
In New York last fall over the ten-round
him cleverly. but also slucged with him
and beat him at his own game. He won
over Wolgast in Milwaukee in their ten
round contest on March II last. using his
cleverness to good advantage and also
his hitting powers In his fight with
Tommy Murphy at San Francisco last
week Ritchie again demonstrated his gu
periorfty as a lightweight by beating the
New York boy all through the twenty
rounds. The only reason he did not
knock him out was because Murphy was