Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-11
The Championship Battle.

The Championship Battle.
1 had so much to say about the approaching
fight between Jack Dempsey and Bob Fitzsim-
mons last week that don't intend to say much
to-day. Of course, interest in the event is be-
coming very intense, and one cannot help won-
dering at the change in public feeling during
the last so years. Here are two glove fighters,
they are only glove fighters, to face each other
Just think of that sum and let me draw
your attention to what the recent
death Of Harry Poulson reminds us Of
gave Sayers one of his hardest fights. They
fought three hours and eight minutes, and
three or tour times Sayers was about beaten. 1t
was only the indomitable pluck of Sayers that
caused him to win. and the battle was for $3.50
a side, ana Sayers never had won more than
that amount although that was nearly his last
battle. If mistake not Poulson never had
won battle for ESQ or $3.50 side, and the
fight refer to between him and Sayers took
place in 1856. i could go on giving interesting
facts regarding these big battles for small
stakes, battles that will be thought of as long
as pugilism is talked about. But what change?
had Sayers, Poulson or any of the famous
old timers lived now and In their prime, in
stead of getting about slOo Tor lighting
historic battle, managers and club presidents
would have been ofrlng thousands of dollars
10 ''put the gloves on for a few minutes"
Surely our so-called gugilists have been born
in fortunate times. Well the purse for which
Dempsey and Fitzsimmons are to fight is the
biggest that has ever been offered Tor any kind
OF fight, and l think the managers will make
money at that The betting on the result has
not during the week.been at all commensurate
with the purse; indeed. there does not seem to
have been any betting at all: 1 did notice one
rumor to the effect that the friends of Fitzsim-
mons in New Orleans were wanting to bet l to
ION their man. This is Simply bosh,
because 1 don't think that anybody
would have nerve enough to ask that to be
bet on Dempsey. While / am inclined to think
that our champion has a bigger task in hand
than he can manage, l don't think there is a
point OF odds in the matter either way.
A Few Final Words.
During the week reports from the training
quarters of each man state that the champions
are in the very best condition. Each, we are
told. is well within weight already Eastern
opinion is all In favor of Dempsey, and would
be very much surprised ii it was not that way.
know some very good authorities who are in
clined to think that Dempsey will win, and,
therefore, l am BOT extremely enthusiastic
about Fitzsimmons' chances. He is too tall
for my liking, but if heacan fight I fail to see
where Dempsey has anything like winning
chance. To be sure, Fitzsimmons may be
'quitter." If he is, he is done. l am assum-
dempsey will be over-matched all around.
l cannot help thinking that Dempsey
viii always have to bend SO far back to
keep out Of the Australians way that his
lDempsey's) blows will have comparatively
little effect But whoever wins, he will un-
doubtedly be the lion of the day, or it may be
the year. Victory will be worth small
fortune to the winner, and I suppose
they both know this. Sometimes 1 am
inclined to think that the loser will get more
than 81, 600 out of the $1,000 offered. 1t may be
take S. 600 and the loser s., 600, Of course this
Is only surmise and even if 1t were done there
would be no harm in it. 1 did see statement
few days ago to the effect that there was a
n fhnr
would be used Fitzsimmons would object to
this and it is safe to say that five-ounce gloves
will have to be used. All that I now have to
say is; let the better man WIN.
-
Jack Fogarty's Retirement.
Jack Fogarty after valnly trying to secure a
battle with any middle-weght in America, or
any other country, for that matter, has decided
TO retire from all pugilistic business His
judgment in this instance may be wise; certain
ly, he will in the long run be the gamer. have
always held the opinion that Fogarty would be
dangerous opponent for any man his weight
Apparently champions and aspiring champions
have held similar opinion, because they have
steadily declined to meet him l know per-
sonally that all kinds of efforts have been made
in behalf of Fogarty to secure him con-
test with either La Blanche, Dempsey, Young
the world. The clubs, or "pub-clubs," as
somebody calls them have strictly adhered to
their custom of keeping their favorites busy
and as result some of the veriest pugilistic
frauds have been put into these pub-club rings
to light for big purses real alleged. 1t Isl
pity that Fog arty has not had a chance since he
became man TO tackle one of the very best of
the champions. He may, however, change his
mind. He says he won't
Sampson's Opinion of Coburn.
Henry Sampson. (Pendragon). of London,
has the following interesting remarks to make
regar ding the late Joe Coburn: SIN the course
of last week two old-time fighting men passed
away, Harry Poulson and Joe Coburn. the one
an Epglishman and the other an American.
suppose it is correct to say that Joe Coburn
was an American. He was always an American,
and very much an American, as fighting
man; as a matter of absolute nationality he was
born at Armagh. in the now more than ever
distressful country. somewhere about Sc or 81
years ago. and was, at the beginning of the
hegira which took place shortly afterward,
transported to the land of the star-spangied
banner There is not much opportunity of
knowing exactly what class of fighter Coburn
was, as when he came over here with the ex-
pressed intention of fighting Mace, who was
then champion, the men did not get into the
ring, and so far as 1 know, Coburn never
showed his form even with the gloves in this
country. The conditions of the match with.
Mace were that it should be for $500 side. the
battle to be fought in Ireland and Coburn was
to receive flOO for travelling and other expenses
Coburn received his fl0O, but on his arrival in
Dublin, where the high contracting parties all
met, he would not consent to enter the ring
or take off his clothes unless his mother or his
aunt or some other near and dear relation
was appointed referee. The affair. ended in
one of the hollowest and most Iamentable fail.
ures that even the prize ring has been able to
bring about. To say this is to say a great
deal, as some of the worst and most ludicrous
fascos this world has ever known must one
way or another, have come in connection with
prize fighting. But it was So and there is no
use attempting to disguise or deny it. l re-
member the circumstances (just over 26 years
ago) perfectly well. and don't know where
their equal could be found lor blatant false
pretense and arrant humbug. Till this day
what class of man Coburn really was remains a
mystery. If he could fight Mace for three hours
and half, even in swamp, and our old man
really meant fighting, he must have been bit
of good one. But our old man didn't always
mean fighting; and it might have happened be-
sides that any uudue desire on his part to
punch Coburn's head would have ended in his
own being riddled with score or SO of bullets.
Tom Connors and Evan Lewis,
There certainly has a very interesting con.
troversy been going on during the last week or
SO between Tom Connors and Evan Lewis the
wrestlers. Jack Carkeek's name ought also to
be added. 1t seems that the claim of Lewis to
the title of champion is what has caused the
talk and exchange of opinions. Certainly am
not going to contend that Connors is the cham
pion catch-as-catch-can wrestler of America but
in proportion TO his weight he is vastly superior
to Lewis as a wrestler. If Connors had the
strength of Lewis the latter would mot be in
ii" with Connors. Probably a smarter little
wrestler than Connors never stepped ON to a
carpet, l say this In fairness to Connors' abill-
ties, but there would not be anything fair in
asking Connors to wrestle a man like Lewis on
even terms; we might as well request Dempsey
to fight Sullivan. But fail to see how Lewis