Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 1 April 1932 Crossley
Title Bout For Crossley?
May Meet Harvey
Mexboro’ Man Confident
After holding the British cruiser-weight title and Lonsdale belt for practically 2 ½ years without finding a challenger of the accepted class for a championship bout, there is at last a probability that Harry Crossley, of Mexboro’, will be given an opportunity of defending the title, which he is confident of retaining. Manchester Belle Vue have made an offer to stage this fight, in which Len Harvey, the British middle-weight champion, is the challenger, and that offer has been accepted on behalf of Crossley by Mr. W. Bridgewater, his manager. The date mentioned for the bout is April 25th, but Mr. Bridgewater said to a “South Yorkshire Times” representative yesterday: “The position is that Harvey is holding the matter up. He is the challenger but has not accepted the offer. I was satisfied and probably further negotiations will be opened.”
Though at present he is above the required weight (12st. 7lbs.) for a cruiserweight bout. Crossley in an interview yesterday said: “I shall do this weight. I am confident about it.” He expressed a great desire to meet Harvey, and explained that the advantages of weight and height were on his side as Harvey is at present only a little over the middle-weight scale (11st. 6lbs.)
“I think I can beat Harvey,” he said. “I can lick Len Johnson to-day, and Johnson is a better man than Harvey. He has beaten him at least once.” In connection with the talk of challenges ‘ from Jack Peterson, who on Monday knocked out Charlie Smith. and from Eddie Phillips, the London cruiser-weight, Crossley said he knew nothing definite, but if arranged the bout with Len Harvey would probably take priority. Mr. Bridgewater, questioned on the matter. said: “It is only newspaper talk, but, of course, the best offer that comes along will be the most acceptable.”
Referring to the meeting with George Slack, of Doncaster, in the northern heavy-weight eliminating tournament, Mr. Bridgewater remarked: I cannot understand it, Slack’s party won’t accept terms at Doncaster or Mexborough, they wanted to go to York a little while back. The manager of Theo Sas the Belgian heavy-weight who was to have met Crossley at Mexborough on March 14th has mentioned April 11th and 18th as dates on which Sas is at liberty and would be willing to meet Crossley, but it is unlikely that the fight will take place at Mexborough, should it be arranged. In fact, according to Mr. Bridgewater, there is little chance of Sas meeting Crossley for the time being.