El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-04

M prove to a tickle boxing public
\ that he is champion worthy of
the name has cost Freddie Welsh a
tidy little fortune Since attaining the
premiership in the lightweight division,
Harry POllOk's Industrious little charge
has demonstrated that he is a capable
title holder and is willing to consider
as an opponent anybody who has pre-
tentiOns to his crown.
When Welsh, upon his return to this
country after relieving Willie Richie
of the title in London, engaged in six
fights in as many weeks, the cry went
UP that the new champion was aVari-
ci0us and was trying to corner the
money market. But Welsh has a differ
ent explanation, and one that sounds
plausible. Freddie insists that the de-
sire to fight at least once a week was
not actuared by cupidity, but by sin
cere desire to prove that he was real
champion.
Cleared Up $4,000.
True, Freddie cleared up apprOXim-
ately $4,000 in those few weeks but
look at how long he has been passive.
He has been idle over a month now, and
the compulsory layOff has cost him
thousands. He was forced to rest up
in order to reagan his waning strength.
The strain of fighting week in and
week out Slapped the champion of vigOr;
and it was deemed advisable by man
ager Pollok that Freddie take a pro-
lOnged siesta.
But Welsh is not the sort that
shirks work when there is work to be
done. While enjoying his little Yaca-
ton he has found time to combine
business with his pursuits for pleasure.
Freddie has had an eye for the future
ever since he embarked on a boxing
career, and it will soon be seen what
a fOresighted young man the worlds
lightweight champion is.
Watches ENf1baue Fight.
When Johnny Kilbane, boss of the
featherweight, fought over in Philadel-
phia the other day (his opponent being
Willie Houck) there was one specta-
tor who watched with a microscopic
eye every movement made by the Kill
bane person. That spectator was none
other than Freddie Welsh kingpin
lightweight His disguise was easily
silence bespoke great thinking power.
For Freddie was thinking hard as Kill
bane went through the mazes in beat
ing up his unschooled rival.
Welsh's presence at the bout started
all sorts of conjectures Finally the
champion was asked point blank the
reason for going all the way from New
York to see his most persistent chal-
lenger in action. Welsh evidently
was not unprepared for the inquiry; he
seemed to divine the question, and I'M
hesitatingly answered:
well, what 1 saw tonight may come
in handy soon. I had heard so much
about Kilbane's cleverness that I
thought 1 would see for myself. He is
clever, extremely clever; but I do not
think he can deliver hard punch.
XiIbnne Must Await His Turn.
'Kilbane has been molesting me to
fight him with my championship at
stake. That's go. But he must wait
his turn. The fact that he is the
featherweight champion cuts no figure
with me: there are any number of good
who are more entitled to
meet me than is Kilbane.
I'll fight Kilbane before any club
that offers suitable inducements. And \
I'll make weight for him too-133
pounds at 6 o'clock. I will do this more
to show l am a legitimate lightweight
than to please Kubane's whims.
Yes, I am confident I can lick Kill
bane, and 1 stand ready to prove it. AT
best I will have only three or four
pounds the best of the weights, but
this should not be a disadvantage to
him, as he would possess his full
It 1870 pounds while I would
have to train down to the notch"
So a WeIsh-Kilbane match is not SO