Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-15
CURBTNG BOXERS AVGUTCE
Fight Promoters Like Organization
Proposed by Tom Andrews
Of Milwaukee.
FAVOR THE PERCENTAGE PLAN

come: and Il has come at last. The ava
ricious topnotch boxer is to be curbed
Tor the first time and all we can do now
Is TO settle back and note the outcome
and the effect on the boxing situation.
a remained Tor Tom Andrews. the Mil
waukee fight entepreneur. TO evolve ways
and means for the curtailment Of the
exorbitant purses demanded by suppos-
edly first-rate boxers for their services.
The idea win be adopted within week,
and tested shortly thereafter
1t has been Diannea 10 hold conven-
tion OF fight promoters Of America, Eng
land, Australia and France, and other
countries where boxing thrives, and
universal organization formed for the
regulation OF weights and sizes Of purses
for the various front rank mitt perform
ers The conciavs will be held In Cleve-
land next saturday and Sunday. consti-
tuition VIII be submitted, and possibly
adopted. and officers elected for the Box
Ing Federation OF America. France al
ready has boxing federation. and It is
likely that the two organizations win
aniasgamate when the American body
gets things in working order.
The thing which most perturbs the box
ing promoters at present and the thing
which will be considered first after tho
federation assumes concrete form, VIII be
TO regulate the size Of purse TO be re-
celvcd by tho hitherto grasping Fighters.
sliding Percentages.
There Is only one way OF regulating tie
price 70 be received by the mitt singers;
and that Is 70 make them accept per-
,cntase OF the gate receipts for the fight
they participate In. II ls likely that DIFF
ferent percentages will prevail in the DIFF
ferent divisions. For instance. leading
bantam will be offered twenty per cent
Of she intake. featherweight, twenty
five per cent Of the receipts; a light
weight. thirty per cent Of what IL taken
in. and 30 on.
According 10 that scale. heavyweight
would be entitled TO about 80 per cent Of
the receipts. However. It. may be that
a standard percentage will be adopted
for all. classes, something like 30 or 30
per cent OF the gross.
A boxer is not worth any more than
he can attract to the box offica. any
promoter will tell you. But up to now
there was nothing ne could point 10 10
support this contention. when II came TO
signing a champion to n set OF articles.
The champ would thump himself on the
chest and bellows
Il am the champion. People corAe TO
zee me-so / want lo2 per cent and your
watch II you want me 20 fight for you"
An very fine But In the case Of such
a champion as Freddie Welsh. Il does
not all apply. II IL unlikely that Welsh
draws % per cent OF the crowd that
sees him IN q fight; Il is invariably his
opponent that draws the major portion
of the assemblage. At that rate. Welsh
would receive only 20 per cent Of the
house, and that would never do for a
champion.
Under the new order. a champion would
receive no more than his % or IS per cent
OF the receipts. and II would be up TO
MIN to take II or leave Il. A promoter
dlsregarding the mandates Of the govern
ing body would be ostracised and would
no longer receive the protection Of the
federation.
Another benefit 70 be derived from
such an organisation would be that sus-
pensions inflicted on recelcitrant fighter
In one section OF the country would hold
in every section, and thus the offender
would be deprived OF his means Of liveli-
hood until he promised to behave. This
would be conducive TO a better brand Of
lighting than is now displayed by most
topnotchera.
They wOuld Have 90 Fight.
Up 70 the present a boxer would be
content 20 ease along for ten rounds. re-
ecive his money and sign up for another
no-decislon contest. and so through the
same performance, He didn't have 70
light hts best, for he knew he would not
suffer as a consequence of his indifferent
showing. except In the estimation Of the
alectators. but they didn't count a. Ions
as the bank roll was not affected Hs
did not care how poorly he fought.
Under the new regime he would have
10 put up q satisfactory fight or run IN,
chance Of losing his share OF the purse
he would be disqualified II he didn't pui
forth has best efforts. This would be Z
deadly blow 20 such tango dancers a
Freddie Welsh. Al Mccoy and the like
How they do detest fishtlnglN
Promoters from all over the country
are expected 20 attend the meeting. Il
Is even possible that ringside weighins
aill be abolished; that Is. ringside weigh
for championship contests. II is PROPOSED
10 have the weighing take place about
o'clock on the day OF the fight. Thil
would do away with fighters weakening
their frames in order to be ready for I'm
rortant mills.