Omaha daily bee., 1916-07-09
FREDDY WELSH IS
KIDDING Us AGAIN
Lightweight Champ Promises to
Retire July Z, and Then
Forgets ALI About It.
END, HOWEVER, IS NEARING
BY RINGSIDE.

tNSW 1Oint JuAy O'AASooJ VS'ohj
besides being the lightweight cham
pion of the world, Is q base deceiver.
Here it is July 8, and Frederick, some
months ago, threatened-or rather
promised-to retire from the ring on
the second anniversary Of his defeat
Of Willie Ritchie, whom he de.
throned. This anniversary occurred
yesterday, and, to make the outlook
more gloomy, Freddy promises or
rather threatens-to remain in the
game until he is knocked apart from
his title.
However, every cloud has a silver
lining, we are told. II Welsh really
intends to daily with the gloves until
he is relieved Of his title, the time for
this interesting event cannot be
far off.
Just at present Welsh is engaged
in laying the foundation for the in
evitable. Instead Of restricting him
self, and keeping in condition, Freddy
prefers living a HE of ease. He is
rapidly accumulating weight, which
will later prove a detriment to him
in the ring; his lax manner Of living
Is robbing him Of his wind and stam-
ina, and he is gradually but surely
losing the braggadacio that has car
ried him through many fights when
less confident fighters would have
been beaten. - :. ..
Welsh is poor excuse for cham
pion. He is likeable chap, person.
ally. But his methods Of clinging to
the rcmunerative lightweight title lack
the stamp Of public approval. The
boxing community insists on a cham
pion that will fight. Welsh will not
fight. Each day it is getting harder
to drag him into the ring. And when
he finally does condescend to box his
opponent is pretty certain to be .
novice or a "set-up." Freddy has no
fear of that kind.
However, mention such names as
Johnny Dundee, Benny Leonard and
Charley White to the Briton, and
he quite suddenly remembers an i'm
portant engagement and departs.
Welsh does not even like to hear
those fear-inspiring names. They
mean trouble to him, and the longer
he can avoid a meeting with any one
Of these three, so much longer will
he cling to the title.
1t is quite unlikly that either White,
Leonard or Dundee will be the next
lightweight champion. Not because
they do not possess the necessary
qualifications for champion, but SIM
ply because Welsh will have nothing
more to do with any one Of them
that is, so far as meeting them in the
ring is concerned. For that reason it
would occasion little surprise from
this quarter if some unknown were
to come along and knock out Welsh.
Welsh has had several narrow
escapes in the last year. He bumped
against a newcomer in Ever Hammer,
and suffered one Of the worst beat
ings of his championship regime. Sew
eral other equally unknown light
weights have taken Welsh over the
hurdles. One of these fine evenings
Welsh will crash into a wild swing
and some village favoritc will be her
aided as the new worlds lightweight
champion.
Gibbons Picks Soft Spots.
Mike Gibbons will not fight Les
Darcy-at least not for some time to
come. Michael prefers easier game,
and is picking on Packey Mcfarland
The St. Paul Shroud desires to
atone for his miserable showing
against Packey at Brighton Beach
last summer. However, Mike need
not hope to go through another hip
podrome with Mcfarland in this
town. There is not promoter on
this island that would even consider
staging another clash" between the
two. Some other town may stand
for it, until it gets wind OF the great
exhibition put up by the pair here
nearly year ago.
1t has been suggested that Gibbons
and Mcfarland meet again on the an
OF their memorable battle.
1t would be fitting way to COM
the choicest "lemoH" hand
ed the New York boxing pubic IN
years.
Britton 10 Sick.
lack Brittoh is a pretty sick boy.
The leading contender for the welter-
weight championship, along with
Ted kid Lewis. has cancelled sew
sral lucrative matches because OF
lingering illness. .." Il
One OF the bouts Britton was froced
10 cali off was with Joe yelling. the
Chicago lightweight under the man
asement Of Jimmy Johnston, the boy
promoter. This match will be staged
On July l8, il Britton is able to enter
the ring. III
Welling is especially eager that the
bout be Staged. He has little dif-
ference to settle with Britton. The
after recently secured twenty-round
decision over Welling's stable-mate,
Kid Lewis, and little Yelling desires
o ayenge the defeat. yelling is pre-
pared to concede as much as ten
to Britton. The Chicagoan
believes he can defeat Jack
-, ,,a;r,ht .s.. .. ...r"