The Washington herald., 1916-04-02

fifteen rounds this time the result should
be decisive.
Lightweight Champion Freddie Wc,sh
and Richie Mitchell. Milwaukee. ChaI-
! longer. viii be the principals in tho othc,
hstic fixture This bout will be staged
at Milwaukee next Friday night.
Has the lash Of criticism aroused
Champion Welsh to righteous anger
Within the past year it has been IN,
! custom for sporting writer's and box.
| ing fans in general TO unite in con-
domination OF Welsh for his safety first
tactics in battle and for his refusal IN
sign articles that would hind him to
| long distance match in defense OF his
! title. Tho money making methods OF
! the champion have been held up 10
public ridicule continually. and it is not
making a broad statement to rsy that
Welsh has been moro universal lv cen
sured than any boxer that ever held the
championship crown in any division Of
lpugilism.
! Frequent attempts have been made BY
| Welsh and his manager. Harry Pollok
I TO CounteraCt this hostile feeling on the
part OF the fans but without avail. Both
I Welsh and Pollok have insisted that they
| did not object TO a championship en-
counter and would sign W as soon IS q
| promoter could be found that would orer
Welsh the guaraItee that the champion
felt was his due. Instead OF having the
J effect that Welsh and Pollok hoped for,
however. the result was quite the CON
trary. Sensing public sentiment It was
easy TO see that the big body OF ring
fans felt that the time had come when
Welsh should make concessions in his de-
mand for fixed guarantee and take on
any one of half a dozen good Ameri-
can light-weights In a twenty-round con-
test to q decision either at New Orleans
or at Denver Colo.
Recently the criticism Of Welsh has
become more vicious than ever The
typewriters OF conscientious sporting
writer's have been pounded overtime in
the campaign OF condemnation Of the
methods Of the champion. and this storm
OF censure undoubtedly is the cause Of
the pronounced change in the fighting
and matchmaking tactics Of the cham
pion.
Just a few days ago Welsh and Pollok
were in the Middle West for a ten-round
contest with Ad wolgast at Milwaukee
and at that time Pollok went on record
as stating that in the future Welsh
would be willing TO meet any one OF
his challensers more than half way In
discussing terms for a title bout. Pol
lok's statement was aimed particularly
at Charley White. as the Chicago light
weight has been the most persistent Of
all in dems nding q twenty-round contest
for the championship.
Welsh has been the victim Of NOR.
unjust criticism than any boxer IN tn.
game" Pollok declared. What does
the public want? Freddie has met every
boxer OF note since he won the title and
II is matter OF record that he has
never lost the popular decision. OF
course. there have been occasions when
some sporting writers have claimed that
Welsh was shaded by an opponent, hut
no writer can be found Who viii decIsre
that Freddie was outclsssed. We ar.
willing at all times to engage IN a long
distance title match, but 7 want 20 tell
you frankly that a definite offer has
never been put up 20 us Tier, have been
many offers made through the new,px-
pers and that's all