Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-02-27
FITZSlMMOMS CHAMPION.
Put Maher to Sleep IN Minute and Thirty
five Seconds.

Ut mAneF TO steep IN minute anu ihlfty-
five Seconds.
Robert Fitzsimmops, citizen of the
United States, who was born in Corn
wall, England, is the champion pugilist
of the world. He won the title Fri
day in ! minute and 30 seconds, by
knocking out Peter Maher of Ireland,
to whom James J. Corbett of Califor-
MIA, on November 18th, 1885 surren-
dered the championship.
Fridays battle took place about
5 O'Clock in the State of Coahuila,
Mexico. just across the Rio Grande
from the Texan town of Langtry, and
the successful bringing together of the
men was due to Dan a. Stuart, a
wealthy and determined Texan, who,
against the strongest odds and the oppo-
sition Of the governments of the
United States. Texas, and the Mexican
State of chihuahua, as well as the pro-
nounced opposition of President Diaz
of Mexico, held his fight and APP
parently without breaking the law of
any State or country. He told nobody
where the fight was to be, but led all
who saw it to the spot.
The men faced each other for a
second, with Fitzsimmons looking alb
solutely confident and Maher a trifle
nervous and anxious. Fitz led with
his left hand ant Maher backed
toward his corner. Fitzsimmons fol-
lowing, landed his right on the body
and Mayer ciuched.
Peter struck Fitz with his right
while they were clinched, and Referee
George Sier warned him that t he did
so again he would give the fight to his
opponent.
The men broke away and Maher
landed his left on Fitzsimmons neck
They closed, and in the infghring
Fitzsimmons landed left and right in
rapid succession, while Maher, in the
mix sent his left to Fitz's upper lip,
drawing some blood. lie clinched
again. On the breakaway Peter tented
and Fitz led his right, but fell short
Then another mix-up followed, in
which Maher landed both right and
left on the sides of Fits head. Maher
again led with his left and clinch
followed.
Fitzsimmons appeared to be bit
bothered and broke ground on Maher's
leads, drawing Peter on to follow him.
Maher did follow ard led his left,
when Fitz stepped to one side and
swung his right around, landing fully
his terrific hook blow on the left point
of Maher's chin.
Maher went down swiftly at full
length, his head striking the canvas
covered platform with force.
Peter vainly attempted to rise, but
could do no more than lift his head.
His seconds called upon him to get up,
but he sank back upon the canvas
Maher vsinly tried again to rise.
The fatal tenth second was counted,
Maher was declared out and Fitzsim-
mons announced the victor after
minute and 80 seconds of rather lively
fighting.
Fitzsimmons' admirers cheered him
to the echo and Maher's attendants
carried the defeated Irishman to his
corner. 1t was several minutes before
he realized what had happened to him
and Fitzsimmons walked over to his
corner and shook him by the hand.
Fitzsimmons also shook hands with
Quinn and the seconds in Peter's
corner. Barring the slight bleeding at
the nostrils occasioned by the left
hand iab of Maher, the Australian
showed no marks of injury and APP
peared as fresh as at the opening OF
the hostilities. Maher showed no
signs of punishment, except slight
break in the skin just above the point
of the left chin, where Fitzsimmons'
master stroke had landed.