The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-07-04
THE WORLD OF SPORT

The new candidate for the highest
honors in the pugilistic prise ring is a
man that was comparatively unknown
two weeks ago or until that fOur-round
bout with James ]. Corbett, the So
called champion heavyweight of the
world. Springing from obscurity he Is
now made the subject Of conversation
in sporting circles the world over and
Is regarded as a conner in every
sense Of the word. J. w. NaughtOn.
the sporting editor of the San Fran
cisco Examiner. who Is probably the
best Judge of Corbett's condition and
his powers, thinks that he has retro
graded since his fight with Mitchell.
and that in a finish fight with Sharkey
the latter would win. He thinks that
Sharkey will be the next champion.
Sharkey began to box professionally
in Honolulu in 1898, whipping SOngley,
Thompson and Pickett in short order.
and also having the better Of an eight
round draw with Nick Burley. the
Californian light heavyweight. who.
a short time back, was knocking out
second-raters in great shape In Boston.
After these contests Sharkey Jour-
neyed to the coast, and In ~ whipped
two or three men, among whom was ].
Gardner. claiming to be the heavy
weight champion Of the English navy.
Gardner claimed q ten-round draw
with Ted Pritchard Of England. when
that boxer was I'm his prime. The first
thing Sharkey did to attract much at
tention, however, was his knockout Of
Australian Billy Smith, before the
Colma athletic club Of California, July
Is, 1895. Smith is another Of those
light heavy weights, and is not par
ticularly easy for anybody. Last No
vember Sharkey met John Miller be-
fore the same club. and after a
smuggling match of nine rounds the pO-
lice stopped the fight. and the referee
decided in Sharkey's favor. In an
eight-round draw with Alex Greggins,
he showed he was degree too tough
for the latter and had the fight gone
on a few more rounds Greggins would
have been knocked out. On the 18th
Of last March he met Joe Choynski for
eight rounds. AS in his fight with Cor
bett, he stood up while blow after blow
was showered upon him, without ef-
feet, however. This fight was also de-
clared a draw. Sharkey was born in
Ireland in 1872, stands five feet three
fourths inches high and in fighting
condition weighs 1870 pounds. He has
the dimensions of a gladiator and the
strength of an OK.
Corbett and Sharkey have signed
articles of agreement for a fight to
come OF sometime within the next six
months for the championship of the
world, $4,000 a side and the largest
purse offered by any club or individual.
The South African fight promoter is
any offer from him will be accepted
Unless he shows pretty plainly that it
would be possible to pull of this fight
in Ell Paso or any other place that he
might choose. Ell PasO again has the
fighting fever and wants another trial.
If Sharkey knocks Corbett out. as is
generally conceded. unless the latter
improves greatly in the next six
months he will have to best Fitzsim-
mons before he can be called champion
without dispute. Then there will be
Smith and perhaps Choynski will want
a trial at the championship game
New York bicycle policemen are
jubilant over the fact that they will
be given an opportunity to test their
speed against "scorching coppers" of