The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-04-24
7H#7@ - IN The WORLD OF SPORTS - $$s
WILLIE R|TCH|E CONFIDENT IF
DEFEATING LEONARD IN BOUT
CALIFORNIA BOXER DISPLAYS RE-
MARKABLE FORM IN TRAINING
STUNTS.
Invites Sono Frtonds to Play Golf With
New Champion Hay l.
Bv RICHARD FEEYER

II confidence, rs tho saying goes. ts
half the battlr. Willie Eitchic. who is
scheduled To box Benny Leonard. the
lightweight champion. shortly at New
ark. will have four rounds in his favor
before he enters the ring.
Yesterday afternoon | had the pleas
urc. and il was indeed pleasure. or
watching Richie go through his daily
training stunts and conTcrStng Win
him in his dressing room later. About
800 other fans crowded Billie Grurp's
gymnasium to watch litchie's work.
and from the applaus" he received at
The conclusion the fans considered
themselves we'll repaid for their appear
unce. One fight enthusiast who has
seen Ritchic IN several Of his battles
claimed hr had never seen the boxer
looking moro Mt.
He has pair o. middlcwniEht shout
dcrs." continued the enthusiast. Tie
blocks better than before and seems to
b. moro on the alert
In his first bout Willie boxed three
two minute rounds with Matt Herbert
as sparing partner. and tn" latter made
tho contender for the lightweight crown
step Mt lively pace Charley Shrpherh
was then taken on for n like number OF
rounds. and he also made very credit
nblr showing.
At the finish Of the SECOND bout tho
Dugilist was not even breathing hard
He danced around tho floor a short while
and then went through about ten min
utes Of cafisthcnics. After that he 10
tired 10 his dressing room and was
taken IN charge by Or. jeffrey. 1t was
in the room spoke to Richie. asked
him how he fclt- whether hc would have
any trouble making the weight and his
probable chances.
Feeling fnc." thank you" said Ritch1"
Never felt better. I'll bet tho weight
question Is bothcrinE the other frllo"
moro than It is me. You know they
wanted me to weigh in Mt 46 in our TO-
cent bout on tho coast and when
tipped the beam at 1872 II was some sur
prise. When 7 weigh in this time II
will bc more Of n surprise"
Here DR. Jeffrey informed me that the
weight question was bothering Willie sr
much that he was able to eat soup end
drink milk.
Eating soup and drinking milk VIII
put vNght on anyone" added the doc
tor land it's just ten days before thu
fight Think it over"
rs to my chance" said Rtchic. sup
posing you hoxrd a man just tw" months
ago and you know YOU defeated him
Isn't II proper should feel NOR" conf
dent OF defeating the same man twS
months later and feel confident of de-
fenting him moro dccisivclyc:
IT was considered by some people n!
has been before that contest. and i
was thought n TIM fight hal nren Of Nv
rounds duration inst rad Of four tha
Leonard might have knocked me out
that ! was firing.
The people who made those remark!
forr-ot that Leonard was firing also. HI
! knew he WAS defeated. and put every
thing hc had In him in that hnnl round
He couldn't possibly have kept up ina
pace.
, "On the 18th Leonard win remrrnnel
what sort Of has been 7 turned on
tn he, and that will worry him Erca
deal. Tho hout is worrying m" 40 muol
that 7 have invited some friends OF nint
To Nay soft with ,hc now lightweight
chan'pion on May L.