The evening times., 1896-03-04
CRITICS ON LlhKY bob
Fair minded Men Uphold the
Position He Has Taken.
HIS OFFER REGARDED FAIR
COrbett Required to Meet Maher, and
II Victorious FitzsinmOns Will Con-
sent to Fight the Man Who Surren-
dered the Championship Belt-Jim
Not Well Thought of.

New York, March 4.-There is not sport
ing man in town, even the most ardent ad-
nirer OF Corbett, but sustains Fitz in his
announcement that he will rest a while be-
fore entertaining any proposition TO fight.
Corbett always clanIored for rest, and
Fitzsimmons is only following the example
set by Corbett. Fitz claims, and very
properly, too that Corbett should fight
Maier before even .ntimating Il challenge
to him.
"Maher is I'm Corbett's Glass; says Fitz
land l am sure conservative people will
agree that a meeting bet ween Corbett and
| Mahcr would be Il very attractive affair.
| ! have beaten Maher twice: no W let COrbctt
defeat him once, and | Will then fight Cor
belt with pleasure. Think John Quinn. Ma
| hers hacker, is slow that he does not get
after Corbett. If Maher cannot get enough
, baC king To suit Corbett am in a.positiOn
now to help Maher out. will find him some
| money If stakes are absolutely necessary.
WHAT CORBETT EXPECTED.
"Corbett. in handing the championship To
Mahcr, said he expected great things Of
| him, and predicted that he would defeat
| me very easily. Now am at liberty tomake
/ the same kind OF a prediction If he were
| to meet Corbett.
"Ohe thing / wish TO be clearly under
stood: | am no more afraid TO meet Cor
bett than am TO meet any man living. but
have done so many things to please Cor
bett, by way OF defeating men like Hall,
Crcedon, Choynski and Maber, that
think II a good time 10 try and do a little
something for myself in other lines OF
business, the same as he has done. In con-
clusion l will say williight COrbett before
any recognized club in the world but I
must add that, according 10 all prize
ring rulings, he is more entitled 10 con-
slider a challenge from Maher before de-
flying me.
There is no reason why j should meet
every man in the country before | get 10
him, while he only meets Sullivan and
Mitchell. l am only a middleweight. yet
have done everything ] have been asked to
do. l only ask Corbett 10 meet one man,
and that is Maher. Should he defeat him,
then l shall be only too pleased TO give
Mr.. Corbett the opportunity he Graves.
In the meantime / shall travel in the the
atrical business. and try and make enough
money to keep myself and family in COM
Portable circumstances when my services
in the ring are not absolutely necessary
for the rings benefit
BOB'S OFFER is FAIR
There is more than 4 ring of fairness in
FitZ,lmmoDs' offer when the pasts VI bOtn
men are well dissected. or course, the
public would De pleased to se. the much-dis-
puttt question >tttltu DtbWttn tDTbttt anu
FitZ, but he latter has not had such plain
sailing as Corbett. and now that an Oppor-
tuDity offers for his making hay. ii is only
natural that be should try to grasp IL.
As Corbett has not fought any one for
over two years. in which time FItZsimmous
has defeated three men, IL is true that Cor
bett showed he is still fit for ring duty.
Another thing TO be considered is that Fitz
has been i'll training since last September
unTl the time he lefeafed Maner n few
days ago. Onlythose VINO havebeen through
courses of training know what this means.
To be kept up TO concert pitch FOR nearly
six months is a much harder strain on the
system than is even supposed by { he ordi-
nary man.
STRING TO THE TITLE.
Actually there is not redeemiBg feature
in Corbett'S challenges to FitZsimmons.
First, he hands the cha nipionship over to
Maher 10 defend. Later Maher and Fitz-
simmons are matched and they fight. In
the meantime Corbett comes out with the
assertion that he viii enter the ring a gain
If the championship is likely To slip away
from this country. The Mere fact OF his
handing the title to Mater shows his in
consistency, for Maher is an Irishman,
and good one at that while Fitzsimmons
is naturaliZed citizen and Il resident of
New York.
In Il few words. Corbett had string
10 the title lie handed to Maher, and now
he is squeaiing like a stuck pig because
Fitz has his foot on the string and won't
let him pull it back until he fights the
man whom he himself declared to be the
next best man 10 himself. Shame on thee,
Jim. Go thou and fight Maher, even if il
be in a basement; then the press and
public will demand meeting between thee
and Fitzsimmons, and may the bestman win.