Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-06
CARPENTER AND
WILLARD MATCHED
International Heavy W Ell G h t
Bout Will Be in New York
in Few Weeks.
FOR WAR RELIEF FUND

New York, Dec. 5-Georges Car
pentier, heavyweight champion Of
France, and Jess Willard, world
champion, are virtually matched for
a ten-round no-decision bout to be
fought iii this city within the next two
months. While the final signatures
of the pugilists have not been secured,
the verbal consent of both heavy
weights has been obtained and they
are now waiting for the articles OF
agreement to be forwarded to them.
The sum of $4,000 from the profits
of the match is to go to French war
relief fund, and it was on account of
this arrangement that permission was
obtained for the release of Carpenter
from the French army.
Final contracts for the contest are
expected to be signed by Promoter
Tex Richard and the representatives
Of the pugilists here within a few
days. The date and place of the bout
has not yet been definitely decided,
but the battle will probably be staged
in Madison Square Garden or SINH
lar place.
The match has been in the making
for several months and the CORE
spondence and other arrangements,
both domestic and foreign, lift the
promotion Of the bout within a notch
or two of international Diplomacy.
Carpenter, soldier of the European
heavyweight championship, has been
serving with. the French army since
virtually the beginning of the war.
He has repeatedly refused excellent
offers to re-enter the prize ring, as it
was impossible for him to secure the
furlough necessary from the French
army authorities.
Richard, who has gained pugilistic
fame as the promoter Of the Johnson
Jefferies, Nelson-Gans and Willard
Moran bouts, with their record
purses, failed in all his early attempts
to bring the. French and American
champions together. 1t was not un-
til he enlisted the aid Of the members
of one of the French relief commit
tees that the contest was made pos
sible. Pressure was brought to bear
upon the proper officials in France
and their consent obtained for Car
pentier to leave the army and the
country, for about three months.
In order to secure this unusual
concession it was necessary for Rick
ard to agree to give this fund the sum
of $4,000 in addition to paying Car
pentier's travelling and training ex-
penses TO- the bout with Willard.
This money has been put up in the
form of bonded deposit, and in re-
turn those interested in the fund have
agreed to deliver Carpenter in this
country within the next few weeks.
The only possibility of a hitch in
the arrangements is demand on the
part of Willard for share of the
purse out of proportion to the esti-
mated gate receipts. If this develops
it Is Richards plan to match Carpen-
tier with Les Darcy, the Australian
middleweight champion. who is un-
derstood to be enroute to this coun-
try at the present time. Among other
American pugilists under considera-
ton should Willard or Les Darcy
fail to sign are Dillon, Miske, Lee
whisky or Weinert.
Willard recently called Richard to
Chicago for a conference regarding
the proposed bout with Carpenter,
but his terms at that time were un-
derstood to have been considered en-
tirely too high. 1t is said, however,
that the champion has since reduced
his terms to about the same amount
he received for meeting Frank Moran,
which was $47,500.
Willard, should the pugilists meet,
will outweigh Carpenter fifty to sixty
pounds and will tower fully six inches
above his French opponent