The San Francisco call., 1896-09-13
THE DOCTORS DIFFER.
" Young Mitchell F" Classics the
Ex-Champion as a Has
Been"
Stew BR0DIE SAYS "N1T"
Billy Jordan Thinks Fitz Means BuSi.
ness and Jim Will AVOID
Meeting.

Bob FItzsimmons' challenge to James ].
Corbett, erstwhile regarded as the cham
pion face-puncher of this small planet,
forms the subject of vast deal OF maxiI-
larry music by the local sporting fraternity
That is in fact about all that is to be
heard in the numerous downtown resorts.
The consensus of opinion is that Fitz
means business and Jim now has a small
ephant on his hands.
Jim is only cushion-tire fighter"
said one of the sports.
Every body who has ever seen Sharkey
fight" said Young Mitchell, ''knows that
it is ridiculous for any man to talk of
lighting another within thirty minutes
yes, thirty hours-of 4 fight with him.
Corbett ought TO be the last man to do any
such nonsensical talking, anyway, after
the manner in which his laurels were
trailed in the dust at his last contest.
Il don't believe ,Corbett can whip Fitz-
simmons, anyway, even if he were in the
best trim and hadn't fought any other
man for six months. Fitz, in my opinion,
is the cleverest man in the ring.
Tine general opinion here in the West
Is Judh OOTDeII ndS udu HIS QbJ. he may
surprise us, but | don't believe it. The
Corbett that stepped into the ring with
Sharkey would not stand ghost of a
show with so hard and scientific m an as
Bob FitZsimmons.
''As regards Sharkey himself, l think
him pretty fortunate fighter. He knows
nothing of science, and depends almost
wholly on brute strength. If any man
can defeat him in four rounds, il is either
FitZ or Maber. There is q good deal of
chance IN contest, anyway, and man
may get an opportunity to deliver q
knockout blow in the first round, while
again he might have to wait ten or twelve.
AZ think Fitzsimmons realizes, from all
accounts, that Corbett, as evidenced by
his battle with Sharkey, comes near to
being physical wreck, and in order to
keep some other man from getting in and
whipping him is eager now to rush things
and get the first chance. Bob is pretty
shrewd fellow. He knows not only how,
but when TO fight"
many faithful disciples, who cling TO him
as the greatest man on earth. which opin-
ion, In one way is perhaps justified.
Among them is Steve Brodie, B. J.
Steve thinks Jim could do anything.
This. of course, excerpts jumping from the
Brooklyn bridge.
at may be all right to do this" said
the world to-day, and he defeated John l..
Sullivan, the greatest fighter that ever
lived, when he was in his prime.
'lf FitZsim mons wanted to fight Corbett
so much, why didn't he take him on at
Ell Paso?
"Corbett's backer, Ed Carney. author
lied me to bet Fitzsimmons, or any of his
friends, $1,000 that Fitz would not fight
him. Corbett stated that he would break
off his fight with Sharkey, in order TO fight
Bob.
"Fitzsimmons simply thinks that Cor.
bett is in training for his fight with Shar-
key and cannot get away; therefore he is
running pure game of bluff.
GAS regards Sharkey's fighting abilities,
1 am unable to speak, because L never saw
him fight.
Il will not say Corbett can lick Sharkey,
as ! said before, knowing nothing Of the
latter's ability, but | think the offer to do
Fitzsimmons up within thirty minutes
after the fight good one. Furthermore,
l believe ne can whip him at that time.
"If Fitz wants TO fight why doesn't he
fight Joe ChoYnski for $1,000 round? He
evidently seems to regard Cnovnski as an
easy game. We know that Bob is broke
and had to borrow money with which to
come home from England.
Personally, L do not like Jim. 1 am
simply giving my opinion of him as a
fighter. Instead of training 10 fight
Sbarkev he spent his time eating good
suppers. When il comes to a hard fight
he will train well and whip his man.
Then there is Billy Jordan, the veteran
sportsman, who has been honored with a
selection as master OF ceremonies in every
fight of consequence in San Francisco
since the dark ages. He takes his little
crack at Corbett somewhat after this
fashion,
"Corbett is a goner. Nobody realizes
that lamentable fact any better than he,
either, and his intention in taking Shar-
key on was merely TO avoid contest with
Fitzsimmons.
"If he fights Bob at all it will be be-
cause he knows he has to go under, and
he doesn't want to do so at the hands of a
dub He will avoid both the fights if he
can find any way under the sun to do so.
1.-The Australian means business. His
manner of issuing the challenge shows
this pretty conclusively. He undertook
no war of words but invited Corbett to a
place where he could challenge him per-
sonally. II Corbett wished 20 fight he
would have been there.
'Sharkey is no fighter. He is young
and strong as bull, and can get in and
make hard go but even be showed that
he could whip Corbett if there were no
friendly police officers round to take hand
at the right time"