Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-04
A REVIEW OF SPORTS,
Some Pointed Remarks About the
Coming Battle Between Dempsey
and FitZsimmons.
WHO WILL LIKELY BE TIE WINNER
The Americans Best Chance of Victory Lies
in Making the Encounter
Very Long One.
ABOUT TIE SUSPENDED AMATEURS.
The Weeks DOngs in Bsssbsn-spaldings Chicago Deal
Conslmmated

The Weeks DOngs in Baseban-spaldings Chicago Deal
consanmated
The absorbing topic in Sporting circles at
present is the coming fight between Jack
Dempsey and Bob Fitzsimmons There will
be but one more opportunity to discuss the
probabilities of the proposed encounter
before it takes place, as it is down for the
14th inst, and propose to deal with it now
at some length. 1t is long time since
there was such general interest in a middle
weight fight as there is in the one in ques-
tiol. 1t is not unsafe to say that ''all sorts
and conditions of men, are more or less in
terested in the battle, not only, l presume,
because it is OF an international kind, but
because of the exceptionally bright career
of each contestant. 1 expect to see the
national interest in the fight at an exciting
point few days before the contest takes
place, and if it is not one of the best kind of
battles that we have had thousands of people
will be disappointed. Well, the great question
is: Who is going to win? have already been
asked that question scores of times and am
free to confess that an answer is not easy to
get. that is, an answer that one can with
some amount of safety RELY upon. At first
sight it would seem that Fitzsimmons could
not very well lose the battle but if we be-
stow a little thought and reflection on the
matter we will soon find that his task is not
so easy as we would at first think it to be.
1t is quite true tnat everything is in favor
OF the Australian and should Dempsey de-
feat him he, Dempsey, will certainly prove
himself very remarkable pugilist or Fitz-
simmons will turn out to be very much in
ferior TO what he has been held up TO be. AT this
3uncture il may be interesting to say few
words abont the antecedents of Fitzsimmons.
-
Something About Fftzsimmons.
The Australian has been more or less before
the public for ten years, and during that time
has had quite busy and victorious time of it.
He made his first appearance as an amateur,
and won the amateur boxing tournament pro-
NOTED By Jem Mace in New Zealand. He
knocked out five men in one evening. and won
a gold watch. The same evening he had a 'set-
to with Herbert Slade, and we are told he had
the better of the big Maori. But whether he
had or not, the fact remains that he proved him
self to be very good man. He then became a
professional. and he very soon began to win
money and fame as good middle-weight pugi-
list under London prize ring rules. In rapid
d.
ply and Jim Crawford, and then he
left New Zealand and went TO Sidney. At
the latter place he defeated Brunsmead
in two rounds, Brunsmead being
% pounds heavier than Ftzsimmons. The lat
ter continued to add to his list of victories, de-
feating among others jun Hall, champion mid
dle-weight of Australia, and Starlight. the col
ored champion. Hall was knocked out in five
rounds and Starlight in nine. Of course we all
know how easily Fitzsimmons defeated Billy
Mccarthy before the California Athletic Club.
and Arthur Upham before the Audubon Club.
Altogether FitzsimmoRs has an excellent re-
cord, and it goes very long way toward prov
ing that he is great puglllst his class. 1
may here remark that previous to his coming
TO the United States his fighting weight was l4S
pounds. So that when he meets Dempsey he
will likely be six pounds heavier than when he
scored his victories in Australia. There is one
very important fact connected with the career
Of FItzsimmons, viz. that in all his battles he
has defeated his men in very shor: time He
has had no prolonged fights.
A Few Words About Dempsey.
1t is not necessary for me to say much about
Dempsey as his career is very well known to
every American patron and admirer of the
manly art" He has a very brilliant record De-
hind him and it is only tarnished by orfe defeat
OF course there are many victorious connected
with his name that were only four-round glove
encounters ana 4 ten-round glove contest with
Dominick McCaffrey. Dempsey's victory over
McCafrey. if such it was, goes very short way
with me. and only proves that Dempsey is very
active and artful. We're he to do no more fight
ing against Fitzsimmons than he did against
McCaffrey he could not by any means defeat
The Australian. Dempsey defeat by La Blanche
was not so much OF a nuke as many people i'm
agIne, because the latter was doing Just
as much fighting as Dempsey was.
right up TO the time when the alleged
chance blow was delivered. But it was no
chance blow because La Blanche had made sew
efal attempts to land" that blow before he
succeeded Altogether then, it is reasonable
TO say that Dempsey and La Blanche are very
even ralr. Personally hold Dempsey TO be |
slightly the better OF the two but only slightly
Dempsey will likely weigh about l4S pounds
when he meets FiIzsinmOns. because that is |
about his best weight. According to accounts
he viii be In excellent condition if all goes well
when he enters the arena, and most certainly
If ever be was anxious to win battle he will be
when he faces the Australian. because defeat
will be serious loss to him, while victory
means a fortune. He will undoubtedly prac-
rice all the art and cunning that he possesses,
and be possesses as much as any man living to-
day.
Who Will Win?
Well, the great question presents itself again
who will be the winner? While my syInpathies
are all for nv own countryman, fear he has
TOO hard 4 task on hand. l am aware that he
only entered into the contest after thinking the
motter over very seriously and comprehensively
He is an excellent judge and feel certain that
he thinks he can defeat FitzSimmons. but if
the latter is as good a record makes him,
fail 70 see how Dempsey can win. Certainly
there are one or two points that may be favor
able to the American. AS have Just pointed
out above, Fitzs;mInons has not been required
TO remain in the ring very long in any of his
battles, and it may be that he is not stayer On
this point Dempsey will test him except Fitz-
simmons is really the wonder he is stated to be.
II he is that wonder then Dempsey, l expect,
will not get much chance to prolong the fight
But venture to say that Dempsey will not be
BY any means an easy victim He will keen out
OF the way, and the Australian will have very
much difficulty in hitting the American. In
short it may safely be presumed that Dempscg
will act on the defensive. and that means long
contest. EltZsimmons is ''rusher" and it
may be that If he fails to get his rushing tactics
into operation he will lose confidence Such
things have been, and we had good instance
OF IL when Mitchell and Sullivan met in France
If Dempsey defeats Fitzsimmons, il eau only
be by waiting, and that means a long fight and
in long drawn out battle Fitzsimmons may
be quite different to what he is in short one |
AM not forgetting the fact that Dempsey is
sadly az . disadvantage both in height and
reach. These are two points that. in my estima-
fion, Dempsey will be unable to overcome. 1t
IS indeed, very difficult TO hit an opponent who |
is at all active and whose reach is the !
longer by two or three inches, and it
is certeinly much more difficult to hit |
him when he is also several inches |
the taller of tEe two. Dempsey will be fighting |
uphill IN al respects. He will also be wearing ]
gloves, i've ounce gloves. that will be more i
Suitable TO FI;zsimmons than to himself To |
sum the matter up briefly the records prove |
that titzsimmons is a more powerful hitter |
than Dempsey; be is in all respects bigger and |
Is favored ny the size Of gloves. Dempsey may |
be more tricky and is the cleverer of the pair. |
Mace, S3yers and Others have all defeated men |
who were as much larger than themselves as |
Fitzsimmons is bigger than Dempsey. but these |
victories were under prize ring rules 1t seems |
20 mo then that Dempsey has SO many disad- |
yantages to overcome that it is too much to |
ask him to do whom he is required to defeat |
Fitzsimmons. / hope he is returned a winner, |
but / do not expect him to be. He viii un- |
hfsall.-