Arizona weekly citizen., 1893-05-06
MITCHELL'S WICKED BLOW,
What Jim Corbett Thinks of the
 Englishman.

| conceit, and no one I would rather slug
 than the self.satisfied man. I have a
 big contract on hand, and in taking of
 what I propose to do hope may not
 seem to overestimate myself. Singularly | fortunate in many ways, having cast oil the duties of a poor bank cleark to as-
 sume the dignity or the championship | of the worlds fighting men, enjoying perfect health and the wealth that has been mine since defeating John Law | renee Sullivan, the greatest fighter the world ever saw, l might be pardoned | should l seem not overly modest. Vel | comed everywhere as if I were some one ! unusual, a man better than others, not | being able to walk about without having | to shake hands with many l have never seen and do not even know, have re-
 tained my "head."
 There is trace of barbarlsm in men, delight in fighting, a weakness to settle by force questions that might better be
 left to the mind. There are times when
 men have DO other way of reseptiDg Tn
 jur;es than by fighting. There are few
 men who do not have a list of those | who ought to be licked. It is natural
 to occasionally forget to heap, hguI- atively, 'coals of fire' upon your
 enemy's head, and to literally use ope's first in beating into empty skulls the
 only argument they can understand
 It is just as we'll that men should sattle
 tbeir difficulties with conclusive knock
 outs. When 1t comes to fighting fists are better than brick-bats or knives.
 I was bank clerk ID San Francisco, confined to a desk and rewarded with but modest salary. I was big and strong. and longed for exciting exercise Boxing seemed just the thing, and I took it up, It was not long before I
 was teaching the art, and not long after that l became a full-ft tdged fighter. Last September found me the cham pion. In December I will defend my title. I would not have written his article. were it not that, representing America as against England, want to stand fair bsfore my own country. Sullivan was he peoples idol until We met in New Orleans. The public seemed to be unwilling to believe that the old champion had met his fate. 1 vas at tackled, presumably, because 1 had the good fortune to smash the idol.
 For Sullivan I have only the kindliest feeling. He was "my neat" and I am too healthy to dislike my food. Per- haps 1 have not been as popular as I would wish to be, because 1 have stuck to my determination of leaving the ring prize-fghter who IS not "broke." I know, however. that the hatred of the wise ones of the old regime does not take from me the sympathy of young America, and that at least on the night I battle against Great Britain's cham piou I will have the hearts of all the | people with me.
 Ever since the present match was made 1 have been asked what I think of l Mitchell 1 have studied him with the | greatest care, and reason that he will | give me all l want to do. He is as clever | a fighter as 1 have ever met, quick as | cat and cruel as tiger. 1 will have to | handle the Englishman with the | argued that Mitchell having done no | better than make draw with Sullivan | would be no match for the man who | conquered the champion without re- ceiving scratch. did not go at it in that way, for l used my head as we'll as my hands. He weighs in training 20 pounds more than he did when he met | Sullivan. He has been keeping up his boxing. SO that as far as practice makes perfect" he is perfect. Mitchell IS one of the hardest hitters in tle business. 1 !, Can be put to sleep just as we'll as any other man, and my business will be to see that 1 do not get in the way of certain destruction. Mitchell will not hit me if l can help it, and I will slug him just as often and as hard as get the chance. With the Englishman I | will have my hands full. He has a peculiarly dangerous blow. At times it is swing. and again 1t is a straight punch. Just as one imagines he is about to retreat Mitchell st ps forward leading with the left and giving to the blow the heft of the shoulder, the full weight of hls body snd the impetus gained by the leverage of the right leg. The blow is not risky to the giver, for If he misses he is swung to the right out of striking distance My business will be to lock out for that blow. If Mitchell ever reaches me with it there will he worlds champion in danger of losing his title.
 In height and reache I have the ad- vantage, and ,,believe,,that with my left will be able to keep the Englishman at respectful distance. l am not how ever, afraid of mixing in up" with hIm. They say that 1 am not an in-fghter 1 try not to be, but when I have to, my record will show that can give as good as I take. When I met Jackson, in California, according to the reports, the had all the best of the clo-e encounters. The fact is that I purpo- ely kept away from mitigating. In the 18th rouud Jackson had me in a corner up against the ropes. He struck me over the left eye, the only real blow he gave me. 1 had been slapped before, but that rap hurt. It was case of fight your way out out or die. In desperation I beat off my opponent, and indoing so had him so groggy he could not hold up his hands. The gong sounded the shade of a s6 cond to scon for me. Jackson was revived in his corner, and I was so tire d by my severe exertion that I was not good for much for several rounds. l showed, however. that l could ."mix it up."
 JAMES J. CoRBETT.