The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-05
JAMES J. CORBETT SEES U. s. TAKING
 LEAD IN BOXING
Ry James J. Corbett, former Heavy weight Champion of the world.)
 Special to the Farmer.)

O
 weight Champion of the World) l Special to the Farmer.)
 1 New York, Sept. 53The impression
 prevails in local sporting circles that
 1914-15 will be a lean season for boxing
 Why, can't see for the life or me l Unless something happens to pull tn1s lcountry into the big battle of nations it looks to nne as if the cofning season ought to be the best in many years The trouble abroad has stopped a4A lring activities in Europe which means
 that most of the American talent ID | the game must remain at home uncle Sam's only real rival in the boxing lime at present is Australia, and the game over there, while booming. IS nor
 of sufficient proportions to corner al lthe stars. For several years past | American boxers have found England and France particularly the latter 1 country, fruitful fields of operation and with those avenues closed Tor the present American promoters should be l in position to provide high class of ldstic entertainment for their patrons during the coming fall and winter ses- sions.
 The local game has been none too good the past year or so, butswith gen era1 business conditions improving land things ought to boom in this coun- ltry. as a result of the troubles of the lother fellows-I look for the sport to enjoy a greater season of prosperity than at any time since the Frawley flaw put boxing on legal footing- But local promoters can not expect to reap much financial reward if they Icontinue the throat cutting policies of the past couple of years. This thing lof. trying to steal the stars from each lother spells losses for everybody con cerned, barring the lighters The I boxers are not to be blamed for ask ling big guarantees long as pro- motors will bid against one another they would be foolish not to press 4 their demands. But I believe that boxers should be paid according to their drawing powers and also that the promoters who risk, their money in T staging the exhibitions are entitled to la fair share of the receipts So much T rivalry has existed in local boxing cir I cles for some time past that no one | engaged in promoting matches has made any money worth mentioning, Even at Madison Square Garden, the most popular of all the arenas, the men \ ldnaneially interested lost smoney last il season. As a. rule the principals in j the star bouts want about all the change that comes in at the box of lice. The policy of granting their I demands proved a disastrous one hnan- Icia1ly, unless some sort of an agree ment to regulate the percen tage to be paid boxers is reached before the Iseason opens it is extremely doubt tful if the Garden will be in the field this J lyear-
 Billy 1Gibson, the McMahons and oth- Il CT big promoters should call a meeting land try to arrive at an und erstand- ling if they want to make nancy; as
 1t is only natural to suppose Pay
 the boxers a fair percentage of the ,i igate. The fellows who draw will get 1.-the big money, which is as it should be, and the fellows who can't fill the
 seats will be paid in proportion to their popularity. But this plan can't be carried out unless the promoters their agreement. In the end it would be better for all concerned as 1t would lbring about a higher average of at
 fractions and that means greater pop- iu1ar interest in the sport
 II Live and let live is a good policy to cling to and the stars of the game ' will learn that a little less greed on T their part will mean greater financial Ereturns in the long run in that it will Sl enable promoters to stage the best of it is only the classy matches the pulp lie is willing to pay literally to see. I Charley White, -the Chicago boxer ? is claiming the worlds lightweight title Charley is a little tardy in his lclaiming stunt Freddie welsh beat him to it. Through his; manager
 Nate Lewis, Whi@ contends that he is the legitimate title-holder because I he Whipped Ritchie before Welsh won } Inner champion.''
 I Charley may have done all he says he did to Fdtchfe in that Milwaukee meeting. and there Is no denying that a : number of critics decided in his favor
 at the time But White should know, if he doesn't. that a title does not
 change hands ,except in the case of a
 knockout or a decision by an official Ireferea. In the Milwaukee battle Charley received a majority of the had been a referees decision it is only
 fair to assume that he would have re-
 ceived that, too, but as 1t stands he
 has no legal claim to the title at all
 Of course. Nate Lewis knows all this
 But he is a good advertiser and prob ! ably figured when he started his championship claiming that it would
 stir the writers up and the more space u the newspapers devote to White and his affairs the more money for the pair.
 However. believe that Charley
 White ought to be given the first
 chance at Rdtchie whenever the Amer . ican champion elects to return to the
 ring. Any boy who can put up the ] battle he did at Milwaukee is unques- tionably top notcher, and a danger 3 ous contender for the championship.
 And R1tch1e owes 1t to the public to ( have it out with White at the earliest possible opportunity. There are those
 who believe White the better boy of the
 pair, and the Chicagoan will not lack
 supporters in a longer bout.
 It may be that Charley will beat
 Wilhe-a number of experts think he
 wilI-but he will also have to pyJ1n one Fred Welsh before he can lay claim
 to the worlds title. Ritohie was the
 recognized lightweight champion al a the time he lost to Welsh, and the V English boy now holds that title Ii . White can win decisively over Ritchie N it will put him in line for a contest fo1
 the greater honors, but until such tirns