Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-26

Paris, Sept. 25.-One million francs
is what Battling Ski, the conqueror
of Georges Carpenter, asks to go to
America to fight Harry Wills at the
Polo grounds on October 20, Manager
Hellers cabled Tom 0Rourke. the
American fight promoter, this evening
in respons TO an offer of $4,000.
Hellers said he considered o.
Rourke's offer totally inadequate. He
added that he had received an offer
of a large sum for Sikh to meet the
winner of the Joe Beckett-Frank
Moran fight in England. on Boxing
day." the day after Christmas. Beckett
and Moran will fight October 10.
The message sent by Hellers 10
O'Rourke this evening was as follows:
Want 100000 francs net, ex-
elusive of income tax. Am ready. to
leave Immediately and have Sikh fight
Wills October 26.'
The extra 10000 francs above he
million mark. Hellers explained. was
for the expenses of the trip 70 the
United States and for training eX-
penditures.
Ski was accorded a tremendous
ovation in the sporting center of taris
this evening when he arrived by auto
mobile at the office of Echo des
Sports, one of the foremost French
sporting papers. There were such
crowds in the streets that traffic was
stopped for more than an hour.
II am through with absynthe from
now on" Sikh said to the Associated
Press. Il am a champion now and |
must behave like a champion" He re-
fused to partake of a glass of cham
payne which was offered him during
a toast to his victory.
Carpenter Lies Battered
Meanwhile Georges Carpenter is
lying i'll and badly battered at his
home. He is not yet aware that he
lost his laurels to the man from
Senegal. He still is under the impress
sion that the negro was disqualified.
This morning Georges asked to so
the newspapers. Those at the bedside,
however, told him the doctors instruc-
tions were that he must have absolute
rest and that he must not read. He has
not been told hat the judges reversed
the decision of the referee awarding
him the bout on a foul and still be
lieves himself the light heavyweight
champion of the world.
Regret is expressed on all sides
over the downfall of Carpenter. but
no attempt is made by the sporting
newspaper to hide their satisfaction
over the discontinue of Francois Des-
camps, Carpenters manager.
The physical makeup of Battling
Sikh has been likened to that of the
leopard. In action his great muscles
play fascinatingly under a dark skin
he is extremely fast of foot and is
wont to take great leaps when evading
the punches of an opponent. This
form is striking contrast to the grace
full Carpenter, whose foot movement
is that of the aesthetic dancer.
Sikh Typical SenegaIese
Sikh is typical of the brigades of
picked Senegalese soldiers brought to
the western front during the world
war. S%talwart, possessed of great
strength and endurance, e and an ir-
resistible foe when excited, he
crouches and bundles together his
massive muscled shoulders, much after
the fashion Of Jack Dempsey.
A broad grin, exposing the perfect
white teeth so typical of the negroes.
lights up his face as he goes into
fistic combat. At times this grin mar
rows until it becomes somewhat of a
leer, perhaps intended to brighten an
adversary.
In all of his ring engagements in
France Sikh has been successful. But
in none prior to his bout with Car
pentier did he display any terrific
punching power. Carpenters manager,
Frances Descamps, who is credited as
being a shrewd judge of fighting
ability. had asserted that Sikh was
such a poor fighter that be would not
permit Carpenter to meet him.