New-York tribune., 1922-09-26
Norfolk or Wills Would
BE Probable Opponent; ;
Demands Million Francs
BY Jack Lawrence

BY Jack Lawrence
Tex Rickard, American promoter,
sent cablogram to Paris yesterday
Offering Battling Ski, conqueror OF
Georges Carpentier S100, 600 TO come
TO this country and mcet an opponent,
black or white, to be selected BY R.c6~
ard and those associated with him in
the management Of Madison Square
Garden, Boyle's Thirty Acres, in Jer-
sey City, and the Mount Royal Arena,
in Montreal. 1t is understood that the
opponent Rickard intends to enter
against the SenegGlese is either Kid
Norfolk or Harry Wills, preferably
the former.
Frank Flournoy, representation Of
Rickard in al his recent ring dealings,
departed Yesterday for Montreal and
it is known that the purpose of his
visit there is to arrange a bout be-
match fails to appeal to the Comedians
Mr.. Flournoy viii offer Wills as
stsr spangled subctitute and VIII ascer-
tain what the folk across the border
think Of that proposition.
Richards cffer cf 500 600 Will prob
ably be received with 4 jeor in Paris,
where the African heavyweight has
been shunted suddenly from cbscurity
to fame Yesterday ne Was a soldier cf
l.
ties To-day he is turning down small
fortunes in American dollars.
Sili Assumes Business Front
Sikh said to be dazed and befuddled
in The blaze of unexpected and blind
ing plory that has come his way as a
result of his defeat of Carpenter, eX-
hibsted yesterday a businesslike and
calculating front. His first American
offer came from Tom O'Rourke, match
maker for the Republic Athletic Club,
holder Of the boxing license for the
Polo Grounds. This cabled proposition
offered the Senegalese $4,000 to come
to this country and meet Harry wis,
colored heavyweight champion OF the
world, in Il decision fight at the Polo
Grounds on Octobr 26.
This offer was scorned, MANAGER
Hellers, the astute but quite unknown
individual who looks out Tor Skis wei.
fare, cabled back that the despoiler OF
Frances fistic idol would like nothing
better than to come to this country,
but that he could not consider such an
undertaking at figure under one
million francs, which in the coin of our
United States would measure up to
something like $4,000.
Hellers added, according to Associ-
ated Press dispatches, that he consid-
cred Tom O'Rourke s offer totally in
adequate and altogether uninviting.
Sikh has received an offer to meet the
winner OF the Joe Reckett-Frank Mo-
ran battle in England on Boxing Day,
which falls on October l2. If the AfW-
can boxer accepts this offer he will
meet the winner of that fight IN Lon
don on the day after Christmas
Doubt Chances Against Wills
Hellers is quoted as saying that only
Wills stands in the way Of d battle be-
tween Sikh and Jack Dempsey. In local
fistic circles yesterday this was consid-
cred as quite an obstacle. The unani-
nous impression seemed to be that II
the new European sensation succeeded
in subduing Kid Norfolk he would
be exceedingly lucky. His chances
against Harry Wills were not given
serious considcra ton.
The message that Tom O'RourSe re
ceived from Hellers last night read a
follows:
"I want 400. .oooa francs net, cxclu
sive of income tax. Am ready to Leave
Immediately and have Ski fight wills
October 2G.'
The sum above the million francs
was for training expenses, it was ex
planned.
That no such sum viii be Offered
Sikh, with his present feputat on
which is considered somewhat quec
tionahle in this country, is a foreg2h
conclusion. Despite his victory owe
the French champion, Ski is real
only mild sensation here. Te
Richard yawned yesterday when SIX
name was mentioned. He evinced
great eagerness to have the new Euro
pean champion come here at his in
vitation.
May Be Only Flash in Pan
"I'd like to see him come over here
10 mix with some Of our heavyweight
coIitenders," the promoter remarked
"But his affair with Carpenter may be
only flash in The pan. From this dis
tance 1t IS hard to tell just how good
he really is"
According to The Tribune's Paris
correspondent, however, the French
capital has gone wild over the con
queror of it's pet fstic god. There