The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-09
CHARGES CLIQUE HAS CONTROL OF
 MIDDLE GROWN
"Club Through With Him. Says Mike-ApOstOli to
 Meet Conn Again
By JACK CUDDY


 New York, Jan. g. CUP Pro- moter Mike Jacobs blasted "that certain middleweight clique" today as he prepared to close for 15- round return bout between Light Heavyweight Billy Conn of Pitts burgh, and Fred Apostoli, the half crowned" middlewieght champion, at Madison Square Garden on Feb urary 10.
 Jacobs, who returned last night from a three weeks vacation in Flor ida, gave of such torrid statements about Middleweight Solly Krieger of Brooklyn. and Solly's 160-pound predecessor and their controllers" that friends feared Promoter Mike had been blistered by the tropical sun.
 Krieger is recognized by the Ma tional Boxing association as world middleweight champion: and Apos- tol iis king of the middleweidghts in the eyes of the New York commits sion.
 Sounds Off
 "There is dispute over the mid dleweight title" Jacobs explained. We have been trying to settle it.. We have been trying to get Apostoli and Krieger into the same ring again. The last time they met, on April IA, 1887, Apostoli scored tech- nical knockout over Krieger in the fifth round. But that was before either claimed the title. Nv that both claim the crown, Apstoli is ready to meet Krieger in any ring at an ytime, but Krieger is trying to give him the run-around.
 "So Apostoli has to fight light heavyweights. Apostoli lost to Billy Conn in a else 1O-round fight at Madisn Square Garden Friday night. Conn is light heavy, and very god one. Apostoli wants to meet Chm again. He figures he can turn the tables over the 15-round dis tance. We expect to close for that fight today. Conn already is signed. No titles are invovled in their meeting.
 49uJ W11db WC 11lO0U d11}AO1OO " do is to match Apostoli and Krieger. Why won't Krieger accept such a match? I'll tell you why. Because Krieger and his manager. Hymie Caplin, belong to certain clique that has controlled the so-called middleweight tile through Babe Risko, Freddie Steele. I'll Hostak and now Krege:. s, what will Krieger do? He'll fight Hostak agan, prob ably in Seattle. Hostak is the guy he wn his claims firm. He won't fight Apostoli. But, I'm telling you now-regardless of what happens in anther Krieger- -Hostak fight, the 20th Century club is through with Krieger. He'll never fight Apostoli or anybody else under our promo tion."
 Wants Fighters
 Mike charged that Krieger and Caplin and their associates" were trying to "phenagle." and i've don't have any phenagling here. All we're interested in is fighters who can fight. We don't care about their connections. Certainly I've been in touch with Hymie Caplin while I've been on my vacation-indirectly and otherwise. That's why I'm sayng that Krieger is through, as far as the 20th Century is concerned"
 AS a cooler, Promoter Jacobs was asked if he again had first call upon the services of Tony Galento, the blubbery heavyweight tfrom Orange, N. J., whom the National Boxing aSsciation regards as N. 1 contend CT. He snapped, "Yes. have. I ex- pect to make a match this week for Galento at the Garden, probably on February 24."
 And what about Billy Conn? We'll after Conn fights Apostoli on Feb ruary 10, he will confine his activi- ties to the light heavy division. Ul- timatley he probably will meet the winner of the Melio Mettina- Tiger Jack Fox bout. Battina and Fox are virtually certain to meet at the Hip podrome on February IT to decide which shall take over John Henry Lewis vacated light heavy crown.