Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-24
saIIRH AND sLAvIN.
An Interesting Letter About Their Approach
ing Prize Fight.

An Interesting Letter About Their Approach.
ing Prize Fight.
NEW YORK, November 23.-Richard K. Fox,
now in England, writes the following letter re-
garding the approaching battle between Frank
P. Slavin and Jem Smith, which takes plac
next month for Sc, 900 side and the champion
ship of England:
The next great fistic contest which is excit-
ing the attention OF the sporting world on this
side OF the Atlantic is the battle between
Frank T. SlaVin, the champion heavyweight
pugilist OF New South Wales, and Jem Smith,
the champion of England who are to face
each otner In the orthodox 24-foOt ring in De-
cember, and contend according to London prize
ring rules for $1,000, open to 5000, side and
the championship. Slavin. since his arrival in
England, has gained considerable prestige,
and he Is by no means looked upon as an i'm
postor, as he has demonstrated he is not by
easily knocking out Bill Goode, one of Eng
lands pugilisIlc pets, and putting Arthur
BObbett another pugilist of considerable
reputation, to sleep without any trouble.
Slavin outclassed both of the pugilists he con-
Quered, and he had the advantage in height,
reach and weight; but, nevertheless, the quick,
oh-hand way In which he put both hors de
combat proved, beyond all cavil, that he is a
foeman worthy Of any fighters steel.
In his match with the English champion he
has one end and the middle the best of the ar
rangemenT, for he is several inches taller than
Smith, possesses by far longer reach and will
have decided advantage in weight. The only
part of the contract in which Smith has any
advantage is that the English champion Is a
regular bare.knuckle fighter, thoroughly con-
versant with all the unfair practices and tricks
perpetrated in a prize ring encounter in which
LONDON prize ring rules govern, such as goug-
ing, Jot1ng, breaking fingers, etc., while SlaV1D
has yet to become thoroughly acquainted with
many of the tricks resorted' to in a prize ring
encounter, not only within but outside what is
STYLED the magic circle"
1t has been decided that the battle between
Slavin and Smith shall take place in Spain, and
it is the intention of the mems hackers to
bring of the fight in the same manner as the
battle between Smith and KilTain for $40 900,
the Police Gazette champion belt and the
championship of the world was fought in 1887.
1t has not yet been settled definitely what will
be charged for tickets. but the tariff will be
either f25 or ESQ, independent of the fare to the
fighting ground and return. The tickets will
be limited to 30 on each side, Over 100 or more
could be sold even at the above figures, but the
nobility, who have been booked to attend,
would object II the managers allowed over the
quota named to go, or if they sold over 80
tickets. The 30 side does not include the
4seconds and bottle-holders and newspaper
men.
At the posting Of the final deposit the price
of the tickets will be settled. Smiths manager
will insist on so side if the tickets are to be
925, and 30 side is the number agreed upon if
the tickets are ESQ. Already great interest is
manifested over the affair, which promises to
be either desperate and protracted struggle
or short and decisive one. Smith has been
taught two lessons in regard to holding his
opponents too cheap by Kilrain, the American
ex-champion, and Peter Jackson, the Black
Wonder, and it is whispered that this time it
will be win, tie or wrangle. for at Brighton re-
Gently he said he was not fighting to lose again.
Chippy Norton, who paid such attention to
Sullivan when he was in this country, will take
great interest in Smiths welfare in the coming
fight. Norton, or Harry Bull. had more than
one finger in the Greenfield-Smith pugilistic
pie when they fought for f400 and the cham
a lat Cnnitb hav
only for Harry Bulls deep interest in Green
field, who betrayed the expenses Of a few Of
Birmingham's choicest residents to see that
Smith did not win.
Probably Harry Bull desires to atone for the
injury he did Smith and his friends by doing
him similar turn. Slavin will have strong
corner, for the men behind him are not by any
means jossers, and they will protect their
money and their champion, no matter who op-
poses them. One would suppose that a cham
pion who met with such a reverse as smith did
at the Pelican Club would lack for supporters,
especially when he was to meet a pugilist who
evidently possesses the proper caliber, besides
the stamina and pluck and hitting powers,
Slavin has proved he possesses, both by his
victories in Australia and this country.
| Nevertheless, Smiths friends stand ready
| to back him from a sixpence to a
monkey that he will win, and already
| several fancy wagers have been made at the
| Pelican, Albert and Victoria clubs at to on
| the English champion. On Smiths perform
| ance with jackson, and Slavin's display at the
Aquarium and his defeat of Bill Goode, the
| odds should be on the Australian. Beside,
| Slavin has the same advantage over Smith as
Jackson had, height, weight, length of reach,
| all in his favor, and why Smith should be the
1 favorite is probably because Harry Bull and
his Birmingham constituents are to be behind
him and because Smith is to have the able
| Jack BaldOck and Jack Harper to second him,
| two experts who would not crush gooseberry
| if they stepped on il, let alone attempt TO do
| anything unfair that would further Smiths
| chances of winning if he was not able to do so.