The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-19
WELSH MUST BOX GOOD MAN SOON OR
 SURRENDER TITLE

OOUEHGg " U@aa GG
 It will be one year on July since Freddie Welsh, the recognized worlds cha pion lightweight, won his title from Willie Ritchie in a London ring, writes Billy Recap, a PhiIade1- phia sport writer. The decision after 20 rounds was one of Eugene Corri's close ones, which was not approved of by a majority of the spectators. The margin of difference, while in Welsh's favor, was not sufficient, in the Judgment of the writer, to war rant a worlds title changing hands.
 It pleased the 1,600 enthusiasts from Cardiff and other towns in Wales, who occupied an entire sec tion of seats at Olympia, but Corri's veredict met with general condemna- ton from the British sportsmen who, like Americans, want to see decisive victories. However, Freddie Welsh was acclaimed the victor, and the glory is all he got out of the battle at that time, for Ritchie was shrewd enough to get all the money.
 His purse, $15,0OO, was deposited in New York before he left for Lon don, and he sold his interest in the moving pictures for $10,0OO more
 The receipts of the contest were less than $22,0O0 and the expense of staging the bouts aggregated 1000 so you can readily see where the promoters come in.
 As for Welsh, for the sake of get ting a crack att Ritchie for the title in a London ring, he was willing to gambIe,sand for that matter sacrifice eVereyt he did, excepting thee hamp1onship. The next day at the Waldorf Hotel he threw a few shil1ings on the cafe table to pay for some ginger pop and he laugh ingly said, .sthat is what I got out of the fight" and he came very near telling the truth, but the worlds championship proved a real good as set for Welsh.
 Through the business acumen of Harry Pollok, his manager, an Amer ican tour was arranged. Welsh is no stage attraction, so 8 series of limited round contests were planned; none over 12 rounds, mostly 10. was the result In less than II months Welsh had picked up a, small fortune. His ring earnings in that
 brief periad are estimated at $65,- 900.
 American sportsmen> have been pa tient with the worlds champion. They gave him this chance to re- plenfsh his exchequer, and even help ed him to the limit. Now Welsh
 must deliver the goods. He has not fought a cham mpionship battle for nearly one year, and a trio of Amer jeans are cIamoring for his scalp. He | must meet one of these men, the. best of the lot. in a, 20 or 25 round cham pionship battle, or else confess that he is fearful of the result.
 The three men are Willie Ritchie, Charley White and Joe Yelling. Welsh gave Ritchie another chance,
 but it was over the 1O-round route, while the Californian won the pop ular decision. Welsh met White twice in 10-round no-decision bouts. and the Chicago lightweight was ac- credited with a popular victory each time on points and for his aggreS- siveness. Joe Yelling is a newcom- | CT in the lightweight division. He is the pride of the middle west. Chicago fans believe he is the com | ing man. He has beaten 80 per cent l of his men in the last year by the | knockout route. His manager and friends believe he can send Welsh to l dreamland inside of 10 rounds, and
 based on that belief, they have peti- l toned the New Y ork clubs to match l him against Welsh. Yelling is the only one of the trio of candidates who has not been tested in fast com pany. /
 He must be fast to keep up the pace which Welsh is sure to set. Now, | if the admirers of Yelling are so sure 1 that he is the one boxer in these | United States to beat Welsh inside l the limit, they should take every pre- !
 at 133 pounds ringside. Then, if 1 Yelling should drop Welsh for the 1 count. he will be the real champion.
 You can rest assured, however,
 when it comes to discussing the de- 1 tails of the match. especially the all- i important question of weight, Welsh l will have plenty to say. If he has the
 slightest apprehension of the out | come he will not agree to 133 ring | side, but will fix the weight at 134 1855 or perhaps 136, so that the title will not be in jeopardy. Welsh is just as clever 9 matchmaker as he is | a boxer. Harry Pollok is his man. | ager, but when it comes to fixing the l weight limit. and the hour of weigh l ing in, the champion has all the say i the astute little fellow from Ponty- 1 pridd, Wales, will never sacrifice his | title in a short bout, unless the money l end is abnormal.
 But Welsh must fight a champion-
 ship battle before the snow flies. The | unwritten law of the American ring | demands that. He has had a most | restful and profitable year. The con | tests in which he has engaged have l been little more than gymna siuna
 work for him. He always trains
 faithfully and works hard while pre-
 pairing for a battle, that a linn
 ited-round bout is but an exercise
 gallop.
 It does not matter which one of | the three Hghtweights in line for a
 battle with Welsh is nominated to
 meet Welsh, he should be made to l fight or else reinquish his title.