El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-11-05
lew YORK Now wi

lew YORK Nov, Willie Ritch-
M les friends. finally convinced
L that he is not a lightweight even
by the widest stretch Of the magma
ton, are now endeavoring to elect him
weller weight champion. They are en-
deavoring to hand him the office not
on any fights he ever made against
welterweights, but on the strength Of
his performances against light weights
II Willie had ever fought. and licked
few boys in the welter class, he
might be entitled TO a lien on the well
ter weight crown. but as a general
thing Willie has gained his honors by
whipping men who did not weigh with
IN several pounds Of his own heft. We
are not saying that Richie could not
win the welterweight championship if
he wanted to declare himself in on that
class but We do say that he ought to
meet few welters before accepting
the nomination Of his friends. He
might tackle Soldier BartfieId, who
claims the title, as a starter.
Rltchle's allegation that he can make
the lightweight limit If he desires is
probably nonsense 1t is doubtful if he
can even make the 135-pound limit at
the ringside. He is too good fighter
10 be lost TO the game, but, nevertheless
he viii never again see the day he can
crawl through the ropes as a Iegiti-
Johnny Dundee, Charley White and Joe
MandOt-
should Revise Weights.
II the boxing commission desires TO
perform a real service to the pastime.
II might begin by readjusting the scale
Of weights in the various classes, as
the scale now prevails in this state. and
by putting the weights back where
they belong
Under the commission scale, a boxer
IS allowed several pounds leeway in
nearly every class over the old limits,
while there is another ridiculous rule,
which clearly conflicts with the com
missions own scale of weights. per
hitting one man to enter the ring ten
pounds heavier than his opponent He
may not weigh over ten pounds more 2
than the other fellow but he can weigh Z
up to ten.
wherefore. we have the spectacle of /
Willie Richie boxing as a lightweight :
at IA Ia pounds against Dundee's /
1929 pounds, though the conn Tsion's I
rules say that the ughtwe.gL scale I
shall be 1875 pounds-weishins IN to /
be done at ringside- Willie was barely
within his rights under the rule Of the
commission, but he certainly violated /
another definite rule-that relating to I
the scale Of weights-if this was
lightweight contest
II the commission IS going TO per-
nit such a variance in weights, why
not abolish the weight scale entirely
Or if they intend continuing the scale
Of weights, why not erase the ten
pound rule from the books, and insist
upon both men coming into the ring at,
or under a certain definite mark2
The Lightweight Class.
The lightweight limit should be
showed back to 133 pounds. ringside. and I
no lightweight contest should be per
mitted above that scale. The feather
weight limit should be pushed back TO
122 pounds and the weller and middle
weight marks readjusted- It might
work a hardship on some of the boys
at first but in the end il would clear
the atmosphere, and reestablish the va
rious classes on a definite basis The
ten pound rule should be abolished en-
Jirely-
It is idle TO say that a man should
not be forced TO make weight for
ten round encounter, because the boxers
get more money for their ten round
efforts in New FORK than they do any
where else in the country for longer
fights II a fighter knows he will have
10 make ringside weight, he viii enter
the rinE in good condition, and not IN
hap-hazard, any-old-way, trusting TO
his experience to get by with nothing
worse than a newspaper decision
against him
Would Chase Some.
A strict weight rule in some Of the
classes might deprive US Of the sight