Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-24
Sullivan and jackson.

There evidently Is going to be considerable
talking and beating about the bush before
match is definitely arranged between Peter
jackson, the colored Australian, and John L.
Sullivan The latter has been holding out for
an extraordinary purse. He wanted nothing
short of purse of $4,000 to meet the big COZ
ored man, Whether OF not he will get it is an.
other matter. If it comes to question of
$40 900 or no fight few admirers of the hstic art
will, think defend SuliIvans actlon; but tne
latest report is to the effect that Sullivan Will
fight for the SIS, 900 offered by the San Jose
Club. battle between these two gladlators
may therefore take place. The sporting
world is undoubtedly waiting with much
curiosity for a contest between jackson
and Sullivan. Already opinions as TO the re-
spective merits of these two men are as numer-
that is, form by comparison-goes 1or any
thing Jackson should have considerably the
better of Sullivan in battle, but IN TINS IN
stance. as in many others, public form goes lot
very little with me. 1t may be interesting TO
recall little of this kind Of form and make
comparison. By doing so we will at once see
to what one-sided conclusion we can De leo
Smith aud Kilrain fought almost an entlre al
ternoon and draw was the result Inc pre-
ponderance of American opinion at the time
was to the effect that Kilrain was the better
man. Later Kilrain and sullivan had very
long argument and finally Kilrain was beaten.
Later still Smith and jackson met and the lat
ter fairly settled Smith IN two rounds. This
would certainly place jackson ahead
y
defeat Smith and Sullivan had to fight very
long time to defeat Kilrain. Again IL mas al
ways been considered that Smith 10 the superior
of Mitchell and Sullivan failed to defeat
Mitchell: thus again comparison gives Sullivan
the worst of it. But as have already lntimated
little credence can be placed on this line OF
public form; at any rate don't rely very mucn
on it However, 1 am inclined to think that
jackson is quite eager to fight Sullivan and in
addition to this eagerness is conhdent OF de-
feating John l. Were the men to meet in
24foot ring under London prize ring rules l
would be inclined to share considerable OF
Jacksonis confidence because after having
two good tries Sullivan has failed to show that
he is among the irst-class ring fighters. But II
ever Jackson and Sullivan meets it will,
l think be upon a club stage or plat
form and with good sized gloves. This will
undoubtedly be in favor of Sullivan. Under
these conditions jackson will face difficulties
that he has not faced yet; he certainly has not
met a man who is at all near Sullivan as
glove fighter, even assuming that the latter Is
not up to his best form. Were Sullivan little
out of condition he would fight Jackson so ter
rifcally for few rounds that the latter
would fail to keep up his record for cool
ness and activity. He is not by long odds the
hitter shat Sullivan is, and two or three OF the
Bostonan's blows would certainly be sur
prise to Jackson. But then again if the Aus
tralian should survive the fTSt two or three on
slaughts of the champion, what then? This is
the question that we want settled. If such
result should take place Jackson would very
likely be winner, because it seems safe to
say that Jackson will for long time to come
be in a much better condition to stay than
will Sullivan. In short I am of opinion
that if Sullivan, in soft glove battle,
of three-minute rounds, cannot almost finish
jackson in a comparatively short time, the big
Australian will have sufficient the better of it
to enable him to win. OF course, l am as
suming that Jackson is a game and plucky
man. Whether he is or not, don't know. That
there have been game and plucky coIored
pugilists is a fact. The records of Molyneux,
Travis, "Plantagenet' Green, Congo and others,
all relate to very courageous cOlored men. II
Jackson is as game as any of these men, pre-
dict that Sullivan will have a tough man to
meet