The San Francisco call., 1896-03-14

strong favorite at 2 to l when the match
was made; the sports predicted that Nc
Coy would certainly be defeated. but those
familiar with Ryan said that he was not
game fellow, and could. not undergo pun
ishment without quitting" why, said
for fight, "he is the hardest man in the
world to get in the ring. He is like rat,
for you have to corner him before you can
make him fight" When he did fight he
was all there and the sporting men never
let slip any opportunity to see him meas
ure his speed against some other man, and
that is why big crowd journeyed TO Mas
peth, l.. t., last night in the face of nasty
wind storm. 1t was punching match
from the call of time. Mccoy astonished
the crowd by the ease with which he
punched and got away. Most of the time
Ryan was on the run, but he was not fast
enough to avoid his opponent.
mccoy assumed the lead and the aggres-
sive from the start, and after he had struck
Ryan as he pleased for eleven rounds he
forced him entirely on the defensive No
one had doubted the result after the eighth
round. One minute and tifty-four seconds
OF the fifteenth had gone by when Mccoy
crossed Ryan with right and left punch
on the jaw. Ryan dropped TO the floor
and was counted out. Mccoy now has an
excellent claim to the welter-weight cham
pionship OF the world and no doubt Ryan
regrets having separated from his old
manager, Parson Davies. Larry Burns
and Jack Downey fought an eight-round
preliminary, which the referee, Tim Hurst,
decided draw"
So far as George Green is concerned
Ryan will find the Californian as game as
a Mongolian pheasant and as clever as any
of the boxers of the present day. Green
stands an excellent chance of whipping
ha
safely said, however that a contest between
men of the caliber of Green and Ryan
should prove very interesting and well
worth going long distance to see. 1t is
to be hoped that the National Club will
secure this match.
As a precaution against possible acci-
dents it has been suggested that the man
ayers of the Nationel CLUB place padding
on the floor so as to softly receive the skull
OF any representative of the awkward box
ing squad who may fall like the great Nc
Goldrich of Los Angeles on Thursday
evening last, when he lost his equilibrium
owing to failure on his part to protect
his chin from attack. hint to the wise
In this respect should prove sufficient. A
fall upon hard hoor is frequently at
tended with serious results, especially
when Knockout blow is administered.
The following article concerning Cor
bett, Fitzsimmons ct al. appeared in the
New York Sun, and some good, sound
arguments are produced in it to prove that
Corbett is a better man as fighter than
Fltzsimmons:
James J. Corbett, it is stated on excellent
authority, is trying to arrange his Western
trip so that he can return East for the purpose
o! having businesslike talk with Robert Fitz-
simmons. Corbett has made several mistakes
in his lifetime, and one was made on the night
when he turned over the worlds heavyweight
championship to Peter Maher. He resliZes
that ii was foolish to take that step, but his
most intimate friend explains the situation in
this way: "Corbetu is not only boxer, but
he is also a business man. He is willing to
yield to any demands within reason that may
be made on his time TO the neglect OF his busi-
ness, but he does not propose to ruin his
money-making ability as an actor. Last year
CorDett exhausted several months getting
ready for FitZsimmOns, and every man who
knows anything about boxing knows that Jim
was not only IN condition, but was anxious 10
settle the question of the championship. Win
or lose, he wanted the case decided. He ex-
pected 10 win, but he viewed the fight in the
light that 1t would be better to lose than have
this tiresome rivalry continue.
When the year opened Corbett had made all
arrangements to go on the road; his company
had been signed and his route laid out. For
him to default at the last moment meant the
loss of a large sum OF money, and besides he
would sustain loss to his business reputation
ii he breke his engagements. His friends ad-
vlsed him to give up the champ pionship for the
reason that ii he fought Maher and won he
would have to fight FitZsimmons, thus making
two fights, and on the other hand if he fought
Fitz with the opening Of the new year he would
have Maher following him about for the re-
mainder of 1896 To-day he has only one man
to fight, and that is Fitzsmmons. Fitz must
fight him, or Corbett naturally becomes the
holder OF the championship. Let me say right
mere that there is not cowardly bone in Jim
Corbett's body, and he does not deserve the
abuse that has been showered upon him SO
unstin.edly. Com pare his record with that of