Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-01-31
WILLIAMS DEFENDS HARRIS
VIII Stick TO Manager and VIII
Live Up 10 ANY Of His
Contracts.
FRANKIE BURNS 10 FRONT


~ AhN0bhDB.
NEW YORK. Jan. so.--John Gutenko IL
an appreciative little youth. Perhaps
that statement doesn't interest you
Well, then we will say that Kid VIII
iianns, tho worlds hantamweight oharn-
plon, win defend a friend 70 the last
ounce OF his fighting ability-which.
taken by and largo, is some fighting
ability; else he would never be worlds
champion.
You may want to know the connection
between John outenko and KID williams.
Gutenko is Kid Williams and Kid Will
iiams Is John Gutenko.
We started out to say that Johnny
'Kid' williams does not forget friend.
He has considered Sammy Harris q
friend ever since the latter discovered
latent fighting possibilities IN him when
he drew on his first pair Of boxing
gloves. Harris has been wIlIIams' man.
ager since that day.
OF late Harris has been the subject Of
newspaper criticism the breadth Of the
country. We will not attempt TO say
whether or not these attacks were de-
served. However. williams has sent
broadcast a circular letter defending his
much abused manager, and declaring
that he win fulfil any boxing contracts
Harris maires for Kid Williams.
Ready 20 Defend title.
In the same screcd williams takes cc-
CASTOR to dispol any doubts anyone may
have entesfained as TO his bantamweight
status Williams says he II stlil a iegiti-
mate bantam. and that he Will defend
his title against all corners at the rec
osnised weIght-i1s pounds at the ring
aide
The other day the writer asked viii
narns why he was over tho stipulated
poundage in recent bouts, thereby losing
several hundred dollars IN weight ior-
feits His reply was:
III you noticed, was only few
ounces over ZIG pounds each time. l as
sure you that II my championship had
been at stake--I mean IL any OF these
fights had been decision affairs-I would
have been far below the iie-pound notch.
AZ Il was. overweight meant the loss Of
q few hundred dollars, but / did not
have TO force myself in training. / was
not going 70 let my preparatory work
sap my strength for the mere matter OF
dollars. II win be time enough to train
down 10 fine fighting odEe when the
distance IL over ten rounds and my
worlds championship Il in the balance"
Names His ContendeFs.
Then Williams attempted 70 enumerate
the contenders for his title. Re named
eleven lads whom ne considers his most
logical rivals. The boys he thinks are
most entitled 10 q chance TO box him FOR
the crown are; frankie Burns OF Jer-
soy City, Jimmy Murray Of New York
Eddie Canpi Of San Francisco. Dutch
Brandt OF brooklyn. Battiips Rsddy Of
New York, 'Pouislana' and Eddie
o'Keefe. both of PhiIadeIphia; Eddie
cou.on OF New orleans. Patsy Brannlgar
of Pittsburgh. Al shubcrt OF New Bed
ford and Johnny Ertle OF st. Paul.
Williams added that mentioning THU
array does not necessarily mean that h
win not tackle any OF the others thai
have championship aspirations.
"on the contrary" he says, II hay.
named tho toughest boys In my division
and the others must surely be cAsiei
than any ! have selected"
Chance for Burns.
So II appears that frankie Burns IN,
Jersey Wash" will get whack Al chs
title after ell For years and year
Burns has been a neAr-chaInpion. bn
not until now has he had chance I,
win the championship he oovets 20 muci
namely. the hantamwelsht title.
Burns has expressed himself mani
times on the subject He declares he 4
confident he can outpolnt wlllIans Il
ten rounds. but Il Il not ten-rounl
bout Burns Il seeking. He wants 70 ~
Williams into the padded arena 10
twenty rounds with decision attached.
Il Il probable that Burma and William
win be awarded the March date 1T New
orleans. where twenty-round contest
have been revived