Evening star., 1914-08-01
with Willie Ritchie again. or the new
champion, Freddie Welsh.

Private advices from the other side of
the big pond are to the effect that Colin
Bell. the Australian heavyweight, who
was put to sleep in two rounds by Bonn
bardier Wells week or more ago, was
not fit to enter the ring at the time. IL
is alleged that Bell was suffering at the
time with bad abscess back of the ear
and that he endured intense pain for two
nights before the fight, but rather than
forfeit to Wells he took chance and
went on.
It may have been brave on the part of
Bell, but it showed mighty poor JudS-
ment on the part of his manager and the
promoters. \ man in such condition
might have been seriously hurt and be-
sides he was in no fit condition to do him
self justice nor give the people VINO paid
to see a real boxing match a run for
their money. 1t would have been better
for the boxers and the promoters. too.
had the affair been postponed a week
or two.
Ever since the Jack Johnson-Frank Mo-
ran championship battle in France there
have been rumors OF fake. etc, attached
to the same. These were mostly from the
Moran side, but now comes a report from
the other side, alleged to be from johnson
himself, in which the big colored cham
pion states that he entered into an agree
ment ito let Moran stay twenty rounds. =
All this talk about fake, double crosses.
etc, is disgusting to the followers of the
boxing game, and it is to be regretted
that such charges should be heard after
supposed real championship matches.
1t is hard to believe that the men who
have made fortunes out of the game would
be the ones to try and kill it by such
means. l am inclined to the belief that
the principals were not mixed up in a de-
liherate fake; that there may have been
some understanding as to the splitting of
the money and such, but II there Is any
iptn f1a oh n
fake it. then tine promoters throughout
the world should bar them forever from
the game, whether they are cards or not.
and teach them lesson that will not be
forgotten.
Another pair of American boxers have
decided to make the trip to Australia
and try their skill against the best boys
wanderers will be Johnny Griffiths, the
clever Akron, Ohio. lightweight. ac.
companied by Bernie Strapp. the pro-
moter of that city who taxes charge of
Johnny, as the latter's father, who has
always managed his son, is hardly able
to make the long trip, and Gus Christie.
the Milwaukee middleweight, who has
met most of the top-notchers, but has
always been just little bit under the
required class to be a champion. How
ever, Gus is a kid as yet, being only
twenty-one years of age, and he has
plenty of chances still to climb to the
top of the ladder. Gus, who has been
managed by Sam Murbarger of Indian
apolis. will go alone, but will imme-
diateIy take up with Sam on his return
to this country.
Christie thinks Murbarger is just
about right as a manager and trainer.
and will have none other. While in the
antipodes Gus will throw down the saunt-
let to Eddie McGoorty again and also
Jimmy Clabby. Gus has fought Nc
Goorty, Gibbons. Dillon. Al Mccoy and
the best OF the lot. and thinks he is in
better shape now to win than ever be-
fore. AS for Griffiths, there is no doubt
about the Ohio lad making good He is
a great little fighter and clever, and
should be able to hold his own against
the best of them.