The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-12


absolutely necessary, so in case of cramps
of the legs the seconds between the rounds
may have chance to rub his weak points.
1t is expected that Dixon will be the
aggressor in his combat with Willis He
will endeavor to make it short and very
rapid. He is naturally very swift fighter
and will try TO .'kill" Willis with his great
pace. There is certain to be no draw, and
il it won't result in decision of mo con-
test either, as in the Jackson-Corbett bat
tie. O'Rourke, the colored feather-weight's
shrewd manager, made this agreement
when arranging the match recently with
the California Clubs directors. He in
sisted that there should be finish, and
that the one having the better of it in the
end-wh' form that they may take
should get s.e decision and the purse.
The purse is 5000, of which $3.50 goes to
the loser. It is the largest prize ever
offered to men in this class. The first offer
from the club was So 600. Willis was per-
fectly satisfied to do battle for this amount,
but Mr. O'Rourke would not agree to any
thing less than 5000. At first the club
pooh-poohed the idea of so large a sum for
so small men, but eventually came to
O'Rourke's terms.
This is indeed big money for little Willis
to fight for-more than twice as much as
was ever before offered to him. He will
make tremendous effort to whip Dixon
him if he does. The little Australian has
often fought hard battles on his native
soil for a couple of hundred dollars He
is training hard and earnestly at Sausalito,
not far from the city of the Golden Gate,
and the same place where Corbett trained
for Jackson. He has been looked after by
Billy Thaber and other good handlers,
and is getting in splendid form. The little
fellow has agreed to weigh in at lis pounds
or under at 3 O'Clock in the afternoon of
July %. They win have from that hour
till 2 o'clock in the evening to gain what
ever flesh they can, and it is probable that
they will both enter the ring weighing
from lis to 1I9 pounds.
Tom OiRourke and young Mitchell will
be the seconds for the Boston colored lad,
and Billy Maber and Billy Mccarthy will
go behind Willis. Maber may be re-
placed on account of his illness by Jack
Callahan.
of the Dixon party regarding the referee.
Hiram Cook. who has officiated in that
capacity in the California club for the last
few years, will probably be replaced by
some other competent man. Great objec-
ton has been mad. TO Cooks refereeing
since the Corbett-Jacksonb battle.
Dixon has found the California climate,
as have many Eastern men who have
trained there before him, very difficult
one for the reduction of weight. A man
going from the East finds that he makes
flesh very fast, and has to work extremely
hard to reduce himself. The fruits of the
Pacific coast, which are very large and
tempting. are also said to be a very bad
diet for an Eastern athlete TO partake of.
1t has tendency to disarrange the diges-
tive organs and otherwise interfere with
the progress of training. Jimmy Carroll
found it extremely difficult TO get TO
weight in California when be fought Mike
Lueie, and was Obliged to forfeit, on the
night of the battle, part of the purse for
not being down TO the mark. Willis, like
all Australians who have landed at the
Golden Gate, has found the California air
very agreeable, and has become easily ac-
climated. Willis has certainly the adyan-
tage over Dixon in this respect.
But in general way it comes down to
this: IL Dixon's fast, long range fighting,
going round his man as n cooper goes
round barrel, does not accomplish its OBJ
ject in the first ten or fifteen rounds, the
Australians chances of winning will GER
tainly increase. From all | can learn
Willis has a good right hand, far more eff
fective than that of the colored boy, and If
after Dixon gets through with his grand
rally Willis still retains enough of steam
in his blows he will very likely defeat the
Boston boy.
ON the other hand, if Dixon plays on the
defensive, enough 10 size his man up, as he
generally does, his superior skill should
enable him to land on the Aus
trslian often enough to seriously
weaken him in the early part Of
the tight The element of gameness
is one of the uncertainties. In none of
Dixon's battles has he ever been severely
punished. There are many who think
that if George sees his own blood flowing
freely he will be likely TO weaken. Nc
Carthy in neither of his fights with Dixon
did any damage 10 speak of. In both cases
the colored boxer came out with but few
scratches. In his fight with Nunc Wal
lace in England he was hardly marked,
and il is a question whether, if the battle
is a reverse one he will stand the ''gatf.
The fact that Willis has fought several
game battles in Australia with men much
heavier than he, proves him 10 De some
what of glutton IN taking punishment;
that is. he'll take as much as any one can
give him.
In case Dixon is the victor. he will go 10
London and fight Fred Johnson, the
featherweight champion OF England, at
lis pounds for s. 900 side and ), GO
purse offered by the Pelican club.
Among the other good ones who stand
IN the way OF an undisputed possession OF
the championship honors is Dan Daily, OF
ST. Louis, who met Dixon at Omaha while
the latter was on his trip West, and IS SAID
10 have outfought him and punished him
severely In an impromptu go.
There are several sporting gentlemen IN
the Northwest who are very ANXIOUS 10
match DAILY against the winner OF the
Dixon-WiIlis match. IL may be doubted,
however. whether Daily can get 70 weight
and night good and strong.
There is . lad in the amateur ranks in
the vicinity of New York. who Will be
backed 10 hight Dixon for a large sum Of
money provided the colored boy wins with
Willis. This new man is remarkably
clever. has had several trial bouts, one
with Mccarthy, greatly 10 the satisfaction
of his New York hackers.
The records of Dixon and Willis are as
follows:
GEORGE DfxoN.-He WAS born at Halifax, y.
s, July -, IS6l lie is ave feSt three inches ii
height bis arst battle vas September p, lSsI,
with a young man named Johnson. whom &c de-
feated in three rounds The same year he beat
Jack Hamilton N eight roundss sam Conan IN