The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-29
LITTLE CHANCE
 FOR TITLE BOUT
Widespread Opposition Is Caused by Willard's Lack
 of Patriotic Spirit.

For the mortifying position in which Miller, Willard and Fulton find them selves the champion is chiefly to blame. His attitude in reference to the war has been humiliating from the beginning, and if he is not per mited to box he will have no one but himself to blame.
 Unquestionably Willard has not Jagged more in his support of the war than many other athletes, but his pacEWardneSs has been more consnic- uous because of the fact that he holds the title of champion heavyweight boxer of the world. He therefore is a shining mark for all those who op- pose boxing.
 lie first aroused adverse comment oy permitting the publication of a statement to the effect that he at- tempted to enlist but was rejected on account of his height.
 Chicago recruiting sergeant punc-
 tured that yarn and declared that
 Willard would have no trouble enlist.
 ing if he so desired. Willard did not l HIS pOS4llOu dQnOunC1nS
 that he had offereid to fight for the
 Red Cross and his proposal had been
 rejected. Had he been sincere in his
 proposition he could have devoted the
 receipts of a ring encounter to many
 othaE war funds and thus solidified
 himself with the public.
 The champion made a match with Fulton by the terms of which the pro- moter and boxers were to divide all the profits between them and not a lpenny was to be handed over for war purposes. Proof of this is found in the articles of agreement signed March 25 last, the chief clauses of which are
 as follows:
 That whereas the said J. C. Miller
 is promoting a boxing contest between
 said Willard and Fulton.
 Now therefore it is hereby agreed
 by said Jess Willard that he will box
 Fred Fulton on the 4th day Of July,
 1918, at such place and hour as said
 J. c. Miller shall hereafter designate;
 and said Fulton agrees to box said
 Willard at said time and place; said
 bout to be governed by the Marquis
 of Queensberry rules and to go the number of rounds allowed by the law of the State or place where said bout , is staged by said J. c. Miller. . It is further agreed that said Full ton is to receive as his share of said . bout the sum of twenty thousand dollars Cs20 O00), which is to be in full 5 of every claim pertaining to and in } connection with said bout; and that said Willard is to receive seventy-five C75) per cent. of the net profits made 7 by J. c. Miller from said bout. Following this effort to box for per sonal profit solely Col. Miller made Q , desperate effort to find a spot to stage t the contest and the only place that = consented to accept it is Minnesota f but only after the fighters had beer 9 forced to consent to give a large ; share of the profits to various wal e funds.
 In addition the opponents of boxing 3 in Minnesota, who have not raised 0 any objections to the hundreds O s bouths that have been contested il n that State, have trained their guns og l. the Willard Fulton match and art . trying to prevent it.
 ] Morally the Willard-Fulton bou e would be no worse than al the other
 that have preceded it, but the op 0 ponents of the sport invariably try t stop a. championship match owing t Y the prominence of the boxers. The, U feel that the prevention of one titl z bout is a greater victory than tn D stoppage of a thousand contests be $ tween boxers of moderate reputation