The herald., 1896-01-20
THE ROPED ARENA

Ii certainly looks as if Dan Stewart is
gong to carry out the f1stic carnival that
he has arranged for February IA, at Ell
Paso. Everybody made game of the man
when he would turn up at various spots all
orer-<he country and claim that at last he
had found place where contests could be
pulled off without interference from the
authorities. But now he seems to have the
laugh on those who ridiculed him. OF the
events that are scheduled, the one that
naturally attracts the greatest attention
from sporting men all over the country is
the bout between the heavyweights, Peter
Maher and Bob Fitzsimmons. Every
sporting paper in the country is filled with
arguments for and against each of the
men, and now the famouS Western sport
ing man, Bat Masterson, comes out with
his opinion of the relative merits and
chances of the two big fighters. Among
other things he says:
"Do not be too sure about Fitz being a
to shot. 1 have tried to figure this fight
a little on the order of figuring the horses,
and for the life of me can't figure Maher
anything but 'pipe.' There is such
thing as improvement i'll a pugilist-not
guing thus, Maher is the most improved
man in the business today. 1t is true he
was beaten by Fitz and Goddard, and
probably true, too, that he quit in both in
stances. at least have been told 80, but
do not figure much on those two fights.
Maher was a drunken sot at the time He
was afflicted with bad sore on his leg, by
which he was prevented from doing any
road work. He was stranger in this
country, and both superstitious and sus-
picious, and was not within 100
per cent as clever as he is now.
"Then he could not get his head out of the
way, he could not get his feet in or out
without stumbling, he did not know how to
fight with his hands; in short he knew
otllng about the game. He had the range
and the physique and good punch, but
that is not enough to make a champion.
Now he can feint, can side-step, put his
head out OF harms way, cross with either
hand. and what not one fighter in thou
sand can do, can uppercut with either hand
and knock out with either hand.
Nov, as to Fitz. He in my opinion was
as good three years ago as he is today. He
may be little more tricky, but generally
speaking, he is about the same, and if you
recall the Fitz fights, everybody has hit
MN, and several have nearly had him out.
And no one has ever hit him that can hit
like Peter Maher can hit today, and no
one who has ever hit him can hold candle
TO Peter from boxing standpoint, SO there
you are. consider it bad form for a man
to offer an opinion unless he can also
offer an argument in support OF his opin-
ION. and this Is my argument. am good
deal like 'Parson' Davies. He says YOU
can not put a heart in 'quitter,' and for
that reason Peter may fool me. I am ar
guing from the standpoint that Peter does
not quit, and if he does not he is 'cinch.'"
Such an opinion from such man cannot
fail to carry weight with it. With all due
respecr to the opinion of the man speak
ing, however, the writer is still of the same
mind as to the ability of Fitzsimmons to
win the fight. 1t may be unjust to call
Maher a gutter, but that is the rather harsh
term applied to him by some of the best
posted men in the country. Whatever may
be the faults of bis lanky opponent, it cam
not be said that he ever quit when in the
ring. 1t may truly be said that he has
never been in a position where it would be
necessary for him to show any such fault.
If that is true, it merely amounts to an
other argument in Fitzsimmons' favor.
With the strength, speed and wonderful
skill that Is possessed by the lanky An
tpodean, it seems to be little difficult to
figure accurately why he should be beaten
by man who has had considerably less
ring experience, who has been called a
gutter. and whose sole advantage is the
possession OF greater strength than the man
whom he is going to face in the arena.
While the odds may not favor Fitzsimmons
/ to 2, still there is every reason to believe
that he will be holding up the long end of
the odds when the two men step into the
ring.