Evening star., 1916-05-07
BY T. S. ANDREWS.
spccial Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star
MILWAUKEE. May 6.-At last the MS
tic critics of the east have taken rreo
Fulton, the Minnesota giant, seriously
and no longer refer to him as paper
contender for Jess Wizards crown.
Fulton's defeat-technical knockout
of AL Reich in New York last week
convinced the most skeptical that ne
has all the qualifications for the max
ing of a great heavyweight champion.
He still has few rough edges to ne
polished off, but there have been very
few champions in history who have not
gone through the same mill. Finished
artists even in boxing. are not MADE
right off the reel They may have all
the qualifications. but it requires ex-
perience to bring the polish. That is
the case of Fred Fulton. He has the
size. strength. weight. knowledge'
stamina and considerable cleverness-
what he needs now is little more eN.
perience. Fulton has been accused OF
being yellow and everything else, but
in recent fights he has proved beyond
doubt that he can take punishment. for
he has taken some pretty severe wal
lops. and fought back as strong as
ever Reich has been boosted by the
eastern press as the most dangerous
man among the heaVies. because he
had terrific wallop, although ms
gameness was questioned. He proved
his ability to hit by putting over two
terrific SmasheS to Fulton'S jaw in the
first round of their scrap. For an in
stant Frederick was dazed. but only
an instant. for he came back so last
with a series of left-hand jabs that
the New Yorker was swept completely
off his feet. If Reich had chance to
win it was brief. for never did he get
an opportunity thereafter to land
stinging haymaker Fulton battled as
he planned-to use his long left and
protect with his right against possible
swings. Fred went about his work like
a master mechanic and at the end of
the sixth round Reich was pitiable
sight. His left eye was completely
closed. his right eve almost as bad and
his nose and mouth bleeding and Swol-
len. He was cut to pieces. but still
was strong and had a wallop. Al COW
cred up all the way after the third
round and Fred took chance of
breaking a hand every time he let go
for the body or jaw.
Fulton did damage his left hand in the
second round. which prevented him
from putting his usual force behind
his jabs. but he used it enough to
make Reich look foolish. He did not
use his right because he deemed it
best not to do so. although he would
have made a bigger hit with the
crowd had he taken chance and let
go a couple of haymakers. However,
he was out to win and played safe.
The referee. Bill Brown, warned Reich
in the seventh and eighth rounds to
open up and fight or he would award
the verdict to Fulton. and when AL
would not do SO. in the ninth, he stop
ped the bout, Fulton winning on a
technical knockout. Fulton was fast
in his movements and his jabbing was
lightning fast. Bill Brown! the ref
cree. was much impressed with the
Minnesota giant and predicted great
future for him. He needs about fif-
n6
then he can safely tackle Willard
said Mr.. Brown. after the contest.
Frank Moran was there, but did not
express an opinion as to what he
thought of the man he may have to
night, except to say that he had a
good left hand. Jim Coffey thought
he could whip Fulton easily and he
may be given chance. as Mike Col
Inns. manager of Fulton. already is ne
gotiating for matches with both Cof-
fey and Moran. There is no doubt now
that Mr.. Fulton. if he takes care of him
self and continues to improve. will be
the man to dethrone Jess Willard. If
ever there was a large edition of Bob
Fitzsimmons that man is Fred Fulton.
With several lightweight contend
ers for the championship seeking spe-
cial matches with Freddy Welsh over
the marathon route. there promises to
be something doing in that division in
the near future. especially in view of
the fact that Welsh has intimated that
he may retire for good before long. In
fact, Freddy announced that he may
quit the game July !, but there are
reasons for believing that he may
change his mind. Charlie White, Richie
Mitchell and Benny Leonard are hot on
his trail for title matches, also Milburn
Saylor of Indianapolis and Ever Ham
mer of Chicago. Welsh demands his
price for title match, but there is
club willing to put up the desired
amount for such a contest White had
the match nearly cinched some time
ago. bat a difference over s2.500 spoiled
IL at that time. Now Ever Hammer
and his friends have made bid for a
title match, having offered to pay
Welsh his price Richie Mitchelrs
friends in Milwaukee also have been
busy along the same lines. and it
would not be surprising to hear of
another syndicate offering Welsh his
price for a championship match with
the Beer city boy. Should Welsh retire
without losing his title il would leave
the lightweight championship in as
pad muddle as the middleweight and
welterweight titles have been since
the death of Stanley Ketchel and the
retirement of Ray Bronson, who
claimed the 145-pound crown
Most boxers nowadays do not take
the time to learn the rudiments of
the game They start very young, as
rule, and get their lessons watching
other boxers in sgymnas siums, the re-
suit being that most of them become
what the fans term Shell boxers" from
the start. 1t is certainly most disgust
ing to the followers of the game who
pay their money to see real boxing
matcn 10 go TO an entertainment of
this KIND and watch two exponents of
the manly art crouch about the ring
Ike two tame bears in a cage They
get into their SHELF and out OF the
three minutes duration OF the round
,hey may open up" and box probably
thirty seconds or sometimes one min
ute In ten-round contest this aver
age would constitute about ten min
utes or real fighting. No wonder the
fans howl at the shell boxers, II is
enough to make them swear off from
attending such shows The trouble
seems TO be in the starting To ,,,...