Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-10-24
FREDDIE TO RETIRE IN YEAR
Lightweight Champ Says He'll Quit
the Squared Circle Within
Another Year.
WHICH Is ONE YEAR TOO LATE
by RINGsIDE.

NEW YORK, Oct. 23-Freddie Welsh,
who tapped his way to the worlds light
weight championship. has come out of
his four-month Information with two Inn
portant announcements. The first will
sadden the hearts of devout fight lovers,
while the second will gladden. these same
hearts. In almost the same breath
Frederick says that he is coming back
to the ring and that he Is going to retire
within a year.
The last portion OF the statement
sounds good to the ear. All. we'll. II
Freddie threatens to go on fighting
for another year, there is nothing we
can do but let him: he can't flight
more than twelve or fifteen times during
that period anyhow.
II Freddie were to leave his return to the
ring to a popular vote. the answer would
not be pleasing to his sensitive nerves.
As far as the fight fans are concerned,
Freddie can stay out Of the ring for
another year, and then retire. Which
would be the only way Welsh could re-
gain some of his waning popularity.
But, waiti Freddie has another idea.
He fears that once he retires he
might be unable to resist the lure Of
the shekels; and there Is nothing Freddie
breads more than to come back" after
he has retired.
Freddie realizes that II is not going to
be an easy matter to retire. He says
that 1t doesn't seem real to him that
he is going to forsake the ring forever
in another year. All Welsh wants. be-
fore sinking out of the limelight. is to
collect a few more thousand dollars from
the guillible public. Then only will he
be sufficiently reinforced. financially. to
abandon the game he has loved so we'll
for the money in 1t.
Would Revive Dead Ones.
Welsh's ambition is to go away from
the madding throng, and establish him.
self as an honorable keeper OF sanl-
tarium. He thinks he can build up such
decrepit battlers as Battling Nelson and
Ad Wolgast. and send them out after
tho lightweight champion-Welsh's sue
cessor. to be sure. Good luck to you.
Freddie; may you realize your ambition
right soon, so that we can glimpse at a
regular fighting lightweight king.
And, holdl Freddie would like to quit
the ring undefeated. Hasn't he been
defeated enough since he boxed Richie
out of the titled Welsh may rest as
sured that he will retire undefeated IL he
merely maintains his insistence on ten
round no-decision bouts. Freddie is too
willy a ring general to permit himself
to be knocked out inside OF ten rounds.
Twenty rounds may do the trick. but no
one will ever get the chance to take
Freddie over the route-not II Freddie
can help 1t.
One thing we can say in favor Of Fred
die, he has never been connected with
any shady dealing in his bouts-so far
as we know. Many OF his battles
looked suspicious enough. but they were
excused as every one knew Freddie
could not. or would not. do any better.
He has served an honorable term in the
ring. quite true. but he has outlived
his usefulness and 1t would occasion
little surprise II he were to retire before
the year Is up.
The heavyweight influx has started.
The town is full OF neutrality-suspicious.
we mean. The horan-Cofrey fight
started It all. and no relief is In sight
And to top II all. Jess Willard will be
with us soon. Then a sudden exodus
Is pleasantly anticipated.
Willard has been doing some light
training the last few days so as to be
in fair fighting condition before he signs
with his first challenger. Big Jean will
be ready to talk business within two or
three weeks Then, heavyweights, be-
werei
pilly Gibson, who has succeeded Bill
wellman, as matchmaker OF Madison
Square Garden, has offered Willard
tempting purse TO appear in the garden
arena before the year is out. The new
heavyweight champion is considering the
proposition, and has promised to give
Gibson his answer In two weeks.