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Show WILLARD WILL MEET ANY BOXER AND H . GIVE ALL RECEIPTS TO THE RED CROSS IP GREAT POSSIBILITIES. Just how big a sum of money a championship heavyweight bout would draw next spring, especially If It Is held out of doors and In one of the big cities In the middle west, Is a problem. prob-lem. It would, no doubt, bring In several sev-eral hundred thousand dollars. The- largest amount ever taken In at tho gate for a boxing contest Is $270,775, the gross receipts of the Jeffries-Johnson fight at Reno, July 4, 1910. The attendance was 18,020. The two boxers, In this contest, divided S" $101,000 and a $20,000 bonus. r" CHICAGO, Dec 17. Jess Wlllard, champion heavyweight prize fighter, announced tonight that ho would reenter re-enter the prize ring for the benefit of the Red Cross. Ho declared he would defend his title against any person Anywhere and any time, the sole provision being that all of the receipts should go to the Red Cross. Wlllard said ho proferred that a match bo niado for next spring so that it could bo hold In the open air. Ho also declared ho would manage his end of the arrangements himself in order that no part of the proceeds could bo diverted from the purpose for which he planned. The champion will leave for Washington Wash-ington at once, he said, to confer with officials of the department of justice to learn If there was any way in which moving pictures ol uic maicn coma oe shown legally, the receipts from the pictures also tfeing pledged to the Red Cross. "I am ready to receive challenges T myself from any fighter anywhere," g. he said, "and If a match can to made, Hpr4' will go ahead on arrangements at once. It would serve better if it can fl be hold when the weather will permit an open air exhibition as that is likely to Increase the receipts." He's Bluffing, Says Fulton'6 Manager. MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 17. Mike Collins, manager of Freddie Fulton, Minnesota heavyweight, tonight characterized char-acterized as Insincere Jess Willard's offer to defend his title against any fighter. "Wlllard is only bluffing," opined Collins. "On November 20 Fulton posted $1000 forfeit and gave notice to Wlllard that unless the forfeit was covered by December 20 he would forthwith claim the heavyweight championship. Tf Wlllard posts hfs monoy and signs articles by that time Fulton, too, will gladly donate his share pf the receipts to the Red Cross. Furthermore, if Wlllard signs before December 20 Fulton will send the Red Cross a check for $1000." Collins said Fulton would call off J two pending battles for which forfeits! are posted if Willard wouLd consent to meet him. |