Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-10-25

tangled blows is nonsense. l shall Use tho
blows | have used in all my fights, modi-
fled perhaps by circumstances. My guard
will also be the same as that which pro-
tGctGd me so well in my battles with Jack
son, Sullivan and Mitchell.
have beon asked time and again to IL
lustrate my defcnscs for each blow that
Fit2simmons is likely to give. l shall en-
deavor to do this here, but it must he re-
mcmbored that l am merely giving the
ideal dcfonses In IA real battle they arc
continually being modified, according to
the direction and force of your opponents
leads
will take the straight left iab, for in
stance Fitasmmons is good at this lead,
whether for the face or stomach. He will
undoubtedly use it repeatedly in the com
ing battle. Whether or not it lands is u
matter which probably concerns me more
than anybody else. AS he leads with his
left, he will undoubtedly throw his head
to the right and his loft forearm across his
neck with his glove against his left cheek.
If the lead is for the stomach, shall guard
with tho right forearm; if it is for the
face, shall guard with the right glove or
duck and cross counter. This is easy
enough to write about, but in an actual
battle, where the least opening may decide
the game, tho misCalculatiOn of an inch
may be fatal.
In straight left iabs the greatest danger
Is in q cross counter. These cOuntGrblows
arc not straight, but are executed with a
swing and ire most dangerous when they
land. These are generally guarded by
FitzsimmOns with an elevation Of the
shoulder, which covers the point of tho
jaw. 1t was "a right hand "hOok" which
settled Mitchell and which Fitznimmons
used to put Jim Hall out This is by far
the most dangerous blow in the game of
lighting, and you can depend that both
Fit2Simmons and myself will try to guard
against it thoroughly.
In the first place, when l lead with my
left, L shall keep my eye on FitZsimnODs'
right. If | see it coming, ] shall duck
away to the right, if it is too late to stop
my own blow. If it IL not too late, l shall
crook my left elbow and throw it up as Il
guard. The best way is tn skip tn one
side. Readers IF this article can realize
what quick decision it required to adopt
one of these dcicnscs after blow is fairly
started. l am not conscious of planning
u utltIloG IL DNGOlllOS SOFb vi luSlllGl,
finally, as your brain works without
conscious effort 1t is impossible to re-
ceive right. hand cross counter if you
keep up side step to the right, but while
doing this look out for IL left hand swing
or an upper cut.
If Fit2Simmons Tushcs, shall try TO
meet him with "a straight left. If | have
not time to set myself, | shall do the best
l can with what l may have in my muscle
shop. On ono occasion, in one of my fights
with Choynski, having no time to gather
myself for one of his rushes, / simply held
out my lcft fist. He ran against it and
knocked himself down.
What will do if Fitzsimmons lets 90 II
left drive for the bodyy This is his pet
blow. He used it on Jim Hall 50 much
that when ho finally tented for the stom-
ach Hall dropped his guard to his ribs and
was knocked out with right hand rap on
the jaw. In leading for my body with his
left FitzsimmOns will undoubtedly try to
make me believe that he is looking for Il
chance to hit INC in the face. Then he
will lunge forward for my stomach. lii
this lead, if EitZSimmOns should not hold
his right forearm in just the proper place
l shall try and get even with him by Il left
hand upper cut. In delivering this upper
cut | shall Of course try to protect my
body with my right forearm.
In avoiding this blow 1 shall of course
swing my weight on my right leg, pro-
vided have not led with my left hand, and
hold the upper left arm close to my ribs,
which will afford ample protection Then
with my right shall certainly try to catch
him in the stomach and then follow up
with my left as We break.
FitzsimmOns will undoubtedly try many
a hot left swing for my head. This is in
dangerous thing for both him
and inc. If he misses it, the chances are
he will go off his balance; if he lands, tho
chances are that l will go off mine. About
the only way to get it in is to make your
opponent believe that you are going to lab
him with the right To offset Fitzsim-
mons left swing for the head shall either
duck, side step or swing in an inside jolt
1t is the probability of going up against
this inside jolt that makes the loft swing
SO dangerous.
Another blow that expect my opponent
to use in this battle Is the right hand |
swing. This was u great blow in the old |
time days of Sayers and Hecnan and John |
Morrissey, and 1t Is the most natural blow |
in human nature. 1t is the blow with |
which finished Sullivan and with which |
hope to win tho coming fight. Should |
attempt this blOw-should it
be aimed at my jaw-I shall either throw |
up my left arm as guard or swing my
right glove around so as to cover my face |
while L either cross counter or step in. |
Should it be aimed at my ribs l shall pro-
tect myself with my left forearm.
do not think that Fitzsimmons will !
be able to land an upper cut on me, as it |
is seldom l duck my head in fighting |
They are only good to stop bull-liku
rushGr who comes at you with his head |
down. If Fitzsimmons should try this |
blow, shall attempt to avoid it by lower
ing my guard.
l think have an advantage of Fitzsim-
mons as an inighter. This is the hardest
part of fighting, both to describe and to
lay down rules for. OF course the primary
rule is to sail in, hammer and tongs, and
give all the punishment you can and take
as little as possible. When FitzsimmOns
and l come to close range, shall do us I
have always done in such cases-I will
lean well forward, keep my elbows close to
my sides aud punch away as fast as l can.
If am strong enough to drive him off, }
shall strike for his jaw with hook
l have never yet decried Fitzsimmons
ability as boxer. Neither will l decry
my own. am positive that, bar acci.