Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-27
Lightweight Champion Lost No
Prestige by Not Stopping
Tommy Murphy.
TWO OTHERS HAVE CHANCE
Jim Thinks Young shugrue OF
Jack Britton Might Give
TitIe-Holder a Fight.
BY JAMES ]. C0RBETT
Former heavyweight Champion of the
Worldly


lightweight title just because the
champion did not stop Tommy Muir
ply are taking the wrong stand.AIf
ever boxer was completely out
classed ii was Murphy in the bout
last week. That he stayed the limit
is tribute to Tommys gameness
and powers of endurance. From re-
ports of the battle which have been
sent me by eYe-witnesses, men who
know the game backward, l gather
that Tommy gave one of the greatest
exhibitions of gameness ever seeniin
the ring. --
Tommy Murphy has been in the
game a long time and is no easy
mark for any ghtweight-charfipio
or near champion. He took terrible
laeing from Ritehie and only hiayiex-
perience, coupled with his never-say-
die spirit, enabled him to assimf1ate
the punishment for twenty rounds@A
less experienced fighter would pfdb-
ably have succumbed long before 4the
limit; but Tommy knows every angle
of the game, and when the gaff came
too steadily he would stall and rest,
and experienced fighters know what a
Few seconds respite, grabbed here and
there, mean in a long bout to a man
on the receiving end.
Murphy Entitled to Praise.
Murphy is entitled to praise for his
exhibition of gameness and entfttr-
ance and Ritchie for his splendid
victory. Murphy was fit to fight his
best the other night. Whether The
VIII ever be able to come back after
the beating he took Is doubtful ~IIe
Is about thirty years of age, and that
Is getting along pretty we'll from an
athletic standpoint
Leach Cross fought ten terrific
rounds with Richie at Madison
Square Garden last fall and took 4
fierce lacing. But Leach has failed
to accomplish very much since that
time. And l reckon the future will
prove that last weeks battle exhaust
ed much of Murphys store of stamina
and endurance
Richie "A Real Champion
Willie Ritehie has proved himself, a
real champion. Since winning tho
title he has defended the honors N
battle with four of the acknowledged
best boys in the American lightweigft
division. OF all the other legitimate
lightweights there appears to be aofllv
two who might make the champion
extend himself. One is the veteran,
Jack Britton, and the other Young
Joe Shugrue, of Jersey City, at pres
ent on the way to Australia.
Freddy Welsh, the English title
holder, might outpoint Ritchie but I
doubt very much il even his great
skill would avail in a twenty-round
bout with the champion.
Cross and Welsh Bout Next
Joe Riyerss Wanted strength and
punching powers proved UNEQUAL to
the task of humiliating Freddy
Welsh Leach Cross believes that his
wallop can accomplish what Rivers
failed to do. Anyway, next Tuesday
! night Freddy and Leach are to meet
| in a twenty-round bout, and paven If
| Leachie does lose, he will draw down
I a nice piece of change. And the prob
ability is that he will have to be sat
isfled with the losers end.
Rivers is a better boxer than Cross
He has several times proved that
Therefore 1t Is a pretty safe gamble
that Cross will be beaten by the Brit
ish champion At the same time the
indications are that the bout will go
the limit. Welsh has never been
noted as fnocker-out. and it is not
| thought that his punches will dam
age Cross very much. But what will
likely worry Leach will be his ina
bility to land a damaging punch ON
the little Englshmans anatomy.
FREDDY is one of the finest boxers Ia
the world. and ought to ontpoint
Agioo9 Ill iAiIA Ipnllu DI Tie INBlll4.
Barring the always possible chance
of lucky" punch, Cross does not
appear to have a chance on earth to
defeat Welsh IT, -
Wolgast and Rivers. Too. -At..s
Another lightweight bout that win
attract considerable attention from
fans the world over is that arranged
between Ad Wolgast and Joe Rivers
for the latter part of next month.
This match has been talked abdtft
ever since Ad won that questionable
verdict in thirteen rounds several
years ago, and MeCareys decision to
stage the match at his Los Angeles
Club is approved by ring followers
everywhere. nae
- ali
Gibbons Peeved mt Mccoy.
Mike Gibbons has again declared
| himself in the race for the middle
weight title according to REPORTS
from st. Paul. the 'phantoms Is" home
| town. Gibbons is worrying now be-
cause Al Mccoy refuses to acknowl-
edge receipt of his communications
| requesting a match at the earliest
convenience Of the Brooklyn man.
Mike had Al in the ring with him
several months ago. and, though lie
did not put n knockout punch over.
those who saw the mill agreed that IL
was only through kindness onwhts
part that Mccoy stayed the limit
Gibbons must realize now that he
| has been altogether too shy in press
| ing his championship claims. [. haxe
| contended right along that GibRqns
| on all form outclasses the rest of file
aspiring bunch of middleweights, asid
| Mike probably feels that way abuur
| ii himself Just about this time. Nc
Coy's knockout of Chip was the con
| vincer.
Mike Has Declared Himself Befove77
This will not be the first time Glib
| bons has "deelared" himself in on Che
| championship thing. Mike has sew
eral times intimated that he was go
| ing right after the title. but solne-
! how or other he never got very far
! Eddie MeGoofty is the only mar.
/ Mike has boxed in recent years who
! appeared to have anything lilzeHel
| chance with the ST. Paul expert. aud.
considering his remarkable lighting
| ability, Mikes retiring disposition
| where the question of the title us
| concerned has always been mystery
/ to ring followers, the majority or
whom regard him as the class OF the
| division.
1t is to he hoped that Gibbons viii
profit by his experience and asstIllee a
| more aggressive attitude in the
| future As a championship POSSIBLE
| ity he appears to fill the bill and
would undueafionably prove a utl9-
| holder the pubic would respect and
have confidence in-which it certhiii-
| Nv has not in the MeCoys, C.hins
Mohas and the rest Mike is a cleNer
| two-handed fighter and represents
the highest standard of ring craft aS
| il Is understood today.