Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-13
Great Time Expected Among the
Leading Pugilists Within the
Next Few Days.
CONTESTS THAT ARE PROBABLE.
Some Reasons Why Charley Gtchell
Should Not Be Afraid to Meet
Our James Corbett.
A FEW ADVANTAGES OF FOOTBALL
The Local Baseball Affairs ind the Outlook Il the
General Situation

In q few days from now there win be
more pugilistic talk in the United States
than there has been in a very long time.
Champions and aspiring champions will be
assembled in our land, and what the result
will be none of US can definitely say. But
II is safe to predict now that when Charley
Mitchell, Slavin, Fred johnson, Peter
Msher, James Corbett and John L. Sulli-
van all get within talking distance of each
other there will be lots OF noise, lots of
Dragging and bluf1ing. Altogether 1t now
seems as If the present was going to be one
of the most remarkable winters as far as
pugilism is concerned. Probably before
next Sunday we'll have Slavin, Mitchell
and johnson in this country and let it be
fully understood that they are coming here
to do battle if there is a reasonable chance.
of late there has been very strong desire
on the part of Sullivan partizans to make
Slavin out a rank blow hard; of course the
Eame people have for years been acting SINH
s-lv toward Mitchell. Ever since the latter
had the better Of Sullivan in prize ring in
Trance he has been a target for host OF
verv partial writers and takers.
Now. l cannot for the life of me see why
either Slayin or Mitchell should even be
suspected Of cowardice. They may be good,
bad or indifferent pugilists, but surely it is
onlv fair to credit them with being willing
TO do what they travel thousands of miles
TO do. The pair are crossing the broad At
lantic to meet Sullivan and Corbett, and.
although they are on their way to carry out
their intentions, many people are still
charging the travellers with "blufing"
This is not fair, and l venture to say that
there never was a man who entered the ring
reader to meet an opponentthan is Paddy
Slavin But ali this unfair talk regarding
Mitchell was Indulged in prior to his meet
Ing Sullivan in a 24-foot ring. All those
viseacres who presume to know call about
1t" day after day told us that Mitchell
would not, on any account, meet Sullivan
in a ring. But be did, and John L. and his
friends know it. Just let us for one mo-
nent consider the storm of jeers that would
have assailed either Slavin or Mitchell if
they had put up forfeit to fight IL months
from now.
Some Probable Battles
Well, the meeting together of the gladis-
toys will probably mean an important glove
battle or two While do not think that
Sullivan will care about meeting Slavin
within four months from now, l yet have
some hope that a contest will be arranged
between Mitchell and Corbett. If Slavin
and Sullivan do meet this side of next
Auril, of course, shall have a strong fancy
for the Australian, but it may be that the
the Sullivan party may request Slavln to
get through with jackson, and John L. Will
meet the winner 1t really won't surprise
ne il the Sullivan party now turn round
md say the proposed contest between Sla-
win and jackson is just the thing that
ought to take place. SO that Sullivan can
tCckle the winner.
During the last few DAYS there has also
been lots of talk about how Mitchell will
try to wriggle out of fight with Corbett.
There was never such an unfair and rldlcu-
lous notion. Why Mitchell is travelling
over 1000 miles to meet Corbett and surely
the Englishman has already faced better
men than Corbett. But why should
Mitchell not want to meet Corbett? That's
a question 1 would like answered. What
has Corhett done? Much has been said
about Mitchell's "sprinting" when he met
Sullivan in 24-foot ling, but don't let us
forget the long distance race Corbett had
with jackson. Why bless Corbett, who has
not 80 far done anything at all that need make
Mitchell afraid The Californian may be
wonder, but be has not proven it yet, and
1t will, indeed, be wonder to me If he
finds Mitchell such an easy marx as ne
expects. Nobody knows better about what
he is doing than Mitchell and depend upon
Il Charles must have very strong notion
that he can defeat Corbett or else he would
never tackle him. And if Corbett faces
Mitchell ne will meet one of the most &C.
complished and one of the tTickiest boxers
Of this century. 1 will go further and say
that if Corbett cannot avoid Mltchelis
stomach blows he will soon be beaten. And
certainly Corbett will be either very clever,
OF too cowardly to stand up, If Mitchell
does not land his favorite blow more than
once. But let us wait and see what is done.
The Little Fellows.
When Fred johnson gets here we are
sure to have a contest between him and
George Dixon. Already l have said few
words regarding the comparative merits of
these two teather-weights 1 still think
that johnson Will meet defeat, except he
has gained in strength since last year.
During the week Tom Callagan, North
Of England youth, has demonstrated the
fact that he is quite handy and effective
little fighter His hackers are now inclined
to put him against Dixon, SO that the col
ored champion will have plenty of work for
O while. But Dixon is not Kenny, and
that Callag.n will find out if ever he meets
the little Boston hero. The truth is it will
take an extraordinary man TO defeat Dixon
at weight, and l do not think that either
johnson or Callagan are extraordinary.
Plimmer is getting ready to face kid"
Hogan, an amateur. Great things have
been said about Hogan, but whether it is
true or not is another matter. One thing is
sure, viz. that Hogan must needs be very
tough little chap to defeat Plimmer, and it
will surprise me if Hogan, just coming
from amateur ranks, can defeat the recent
ot
weight and he is eager to fight.
About Qusensberry Rules.
Readers of these reviews will have noticed
tha. from time TO time l have assailed the
brutal features of the Marquis of Queens
berry boxing rules; they are really fighting
rules now The London Referee has evil
IDENTIFY taken up the matter, and is arguing
that one Of the inhuman features of the
rules IS the length of time two men are
compelled to fight in each round. The
LetE7es saws:
Il should rejoice exceedingly if the ANA
teur Boxing Association would alter its
rales as to duration of rounds, cutting them
down bv third. If you want to see swip-
Ing, soCging punching such as sailors give
and take laShed on sea chests and slid up
70 within range of each other, don't have
rounds at all save after the earlier method,
when, combatants being throughly winded,
would take a spell by mutual consent. I
am fain to confess that a majority of our
new school of boxing patrons seem to care
more for outing-or h0utirg, as it is pop
ularly rendered-than for skill and dexterity
In leading up to or evading that achieve
ment or catastrophe, as it is variously re-
garded by principals. In case one
does most like good wook, the dura-
tion OF rounds ought to be cut down.