The Washington herald., 1917-01-01
.CURLEY IN Charge
OF JESS Willard
Jack Has Option on Champions Serv-
ices for Title Battle in Near Future.
BY RINGSIDE.

Chicago, Dec. 81.-Plsns of all the heav-
les have been knocked sky high pending
the result of the efforts to bring Georges
the pond to battle for the French War
Relief society's benefit.
If Willard fights anybody within the
next few months II will be some one of
Jack Curleys selection. Curley has
signed the champion to a set of articles
by which Willard agrees to meet anyone
Curley may select for the small sum
of $4,000. II there are any higher bid
ders Curley has the option of meeting
their price or going them better.
Fred Fulton, the Rochester MINI.
giant. is not going to press Willard for a
match, in view of the champions
declaration that he proposes to recu-
perate from his strenuous summer with
the circus before entering the ring.
Fulton figures that Carpenters ar
rival in this country would take all
the glamor off Fulton-Willard
match, and he won't insist on a battle
or it has definitely been decided that
Carpenter is not coming across the
water.
Willard himself does not believe he
will be called upon to meet the
Frenchman. Unless Carpenter is over
the 200-pound mark Willard believes
a fight between them would be joke.
If. however. the public demands II,
Willard will meet him. because it will
mean more money than a match with
Fulton. which would scarcely bring
more than $4,000 into the Willard
Golfers.
I'VE don't consider Fulton a real
contender at this time" said Tom
Jones, willard's manager. Let him
go out and lick Frank Moran. and do
1t soundIy. and he can have a fight"
The handy way in which Richie Mitcell,
Of Milwaukee, disposed OF Joe Rivers in
their 10-round encounter the other night
stamps the Beer City fighter as more than
paper contender for the lightweight
laurels.
1t Is probable that the way to a battle
with Welsh will be paved for Mitchell in
New Orleans. from which city Promoter
Dominick Tortorich has sent him an oner
to appear in a 2o-round bout with Ad
wolgast, former champion, on New
Years Day If Mitchell can successfully
hurdle the Cadillac Dutchman, he likely
will be named to oppose Welsh during
Mardi Gras week in the Southern city.
Welsh, II is said, has tentatively agreed
to battle for his crown then.
Mitchell is a superlatively clever boy
with a rather Indifferent punch, but seems
to be improving along the swat line, as
his bout with Rivers demonstrated. He
has marvellous speed and skill and i'm
pressed the ring experts who saw him
mix II with the Mexican that he has i'm
proved wonderfully in the last few
months.
He looks every inch a champion" said
Jess Willard.
Nate Lewis, manager for Charlie White,
was enthusia site over Mitchell, but in
clined to believe a fighter along the style
OF Irish Patsy Cline, OF New York, would
be troublesome for him.
White told me Mitchell was a good
boy after he had tried for 10 rounds to
hang his left hook on him" said Lewis
"Cline, though, ought to make things
interesting for him II they get together
It would be a splendid match. pre-
dict that both these boys will be causing
havoc in the lightweight ranks before
another year rolls around
Perhaps the hest indication of the NIL
waukeean's prowess is the fact that Tom
Jones who has picked the managershtp
of quite a number of headliners in his
day, is angling for chance TO phot
Mitchell Reports are he stands good
chance, too.
Joe yelling will get together in Racine
shortly. If they do, put II down that
there is going to be one bear OF a hGht
in the Wisconsin town. Welling Is some
little championship challenger himself
MitchelTs left hand is uncanny IN ts
abiIitv TO find the mark and damage 1t.
He used it repeatedly on Rivers and ne
had the Mexican wild trying to get away
| from its merciless jabbing. That blow
alone would have been sufiicient 10 nave
beaten Rivers, to say nothing of Mitch
eIrs right cross with which he foored
| Rivers for the count of seven In the
fourth round after series of left jabs
had the Mexican befuddled.
There was one thing peculiar about that
fight. Mitchelrs legs seemed to crumple
under him when he. took solid blow.
He declared after the fight. however,
| that It was because of slippery moor
that he fell down in trying to sidestep