The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-03-08

umph over the Australian champion,
Tom Tracey. Then, too, the colored
champion is constantly improving,
while Smith since he was defeated by
Tommy Ryan has gone back and l
should not be surprised to see Walcott
win.
In nearly every city in the United
states heavy bets have been laid on
The result. and now one man and now
the other has been made the favorite,
with the fluctnatin.g of the betting
market. The battle promises to be a
close and exciting orc, although Wal
colt appears to have the best chance,
for so far. during his prize-ring career,
he has demonstrated that he is the
most wonderful puglist at his weight
that has ever stood in the prize-ring.
Walcott will have to face, however,
in the arena a pugilist who possesses
indomitable courage, wonderful hitting
powers and great stamina, but who
will need all his strength, cunning and
ring tactics to defeat him, for Wal
colt is closer to being worlds cham
pion than any living fighter, barring
Dixon. Walcott is exceedingly clever,
and although his gameness has time
and again been questioned he has
never shown the white feather. He is
a hard puncher, cool and calculating.
In his earlier battles he defeated
Spider Kelly, of the west; Frank Pur-
cell, Frank Kelly, Billy Armstrong, of
San Francisco; Tommy West and
Charley Gleason. In August, 1892, he
fought a scientific contest with "Shad-
ow" Maber, pugilist of great repute,
and defeated him in twenty-five rounds.
The stakes were $1,000. He fought
Danny Needham in San Francisco for
$4,000 the same year and defeated him.
He knocked out Tom Williams, the 40
pound champion of Australia, in eleven
minutes; stakes, $1,000. He has fought
two six-round draws with Tommy
Ryan, of Chicago; four-round draw
with Jack Dempsey, and a ten-round
draw with Dick O'Brien. On July 90,
1894, he fought Tommy Ryan, of Chi
cago, at Minneapolis, Mimi, for purse
of $4,000 and the welterweight cham
pionship of the world. The fight was
long and desperate one of twenty
rounds, when Ryan won.
Joseph w. Walcott was born in the
island of Barbados, West Indies, on
June II, 1878. In his boyhood days he
was cabin boy on brigantine. In 1891
he went to Boston and won the amateur
lightweight championship of New Eng
int % ~ Io4
Walcott defeated seventeen opponents,
fought draw with one and lost by
questionable decision the other contest.
When Tom Tracey, the Australian
boxer, who claimed the 140-pound
championship of Australia, challenged
any man in America, Thomas O'Rourke
decided to match Walcott to fight him
for $1,000. The battle was fought in
Boston on April 49, 1894 Prior to the
contest few supposed Walcott had a
fighting chance, for Tracey had beaten
better men than Walcott had ever met
The fight was a desperate one and
after sixteen rounds had been fought
In hour and 2 minutes, Walcott
knocked the Australian champion out.
Walcott's victory over such sterling
pugilist as Tracey gained him great
flstic prestige.
He then defeated Jim Burns in four
rounds. Mike Harris, who had got
decision over him in New York, was
pitted against him. They fought at
Boston, Mass, June %, 1894, for
purse of 5000 and Walcott won in six
rounds He was then matched to fight
Dick O'Brien, of Lewiston, Me-, the
welterweight champion of New Eng.
land, for purse of $1,000 The fight
was decided in Boston on July 6, 1894,
and Walcott knocked out O'Brien in
twelve rounds, lasting forty-five min
utes. On October 10, 1894, Walcott was
matched to fight Austin Gibbons for a
$4,000 purse; the fight took place in the
Atlantic Athletic club, Coney Island.
Walcott made short work of Gibbons,
knocking him out in the fourth round.
Walcotts last battle was with Shorty
Ahearn, of Chicago the fight took place
pm November 8, 1894, and Walcott won
IN nine minutes, knocking Ahearn out