The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-06
F1Tz OR CoRBETT.
Prominent Sporting Writer Gives
Some Pointers on the Fight

Some Pointers on the Fight
prominet sporting writer has been
studying Fitz and Corbett with a view
of giving tips on the coming fight, and
gives his opinion as follows:
I am not the only one who has no
ticed that Fitz has gone back little.
Good judges believe he is not what he
used to be. TOmmie Tracey. the New
Zealand weller weight, who halls from
the same city as Fitz, saw him fight
Sharkey and expressed the opinion that
he has gone back. Joe Murphy, the
well known race track official and once
a clever athlete, was also at that fight,
and believes Fitz is on the downward
grade. After the battle Murphy said:
t'Fitzsimmons' tactics with Sharkey
We're novel and inexpllcable to me.
have always seen him work so fast that
his lack of speed in action was surpriS-
ing. In the first round he showed a
flash of his old speed when he caught
the sailor coming with his right hand
and dropped him, then followed him
and dropped him with a left hook
There were stages of the fight, however,
when Fitzsimmons fought like an old
woman, although his finish was fast
and effective. Sharl1ey would swing
wide and leave himself wide open. Yet
Fitz was either unwilling to take a
chance, or the old speed was not there.
He certainly lost many chance that
I do not believe COCbett would have
overlooked. Ed Williamson told me
once that when a fighter passed the
IhlrtT-Y6ar goal ne grew slower every
hour Ed knew, too, from bitter ex-
perience I have often thought of
Eds idea since, and 1 thought of ii the
night of the Sharkey- Fitzsimmons
fight"
Now, as to CorbetFs condition. Good
Judges insist that he is not as fast as
he used to be. His fight with Shar-
KEY certainly indicates that he either
held him too cheaply, and did not train
properly, or that he is not up to the
form he was in when he whipped Sui
Hvan and Mitchell. There Is one man
right here in Cincinnati who is compe-
tent to give an opinion on that score
Mike Conley, the Ithaca Giant who has
fought a number OF good battles and
trained number of the best pug1lIstS
in the country for some of their best
fights, including Jack Dempsey, Danny
Needharn, Joe McAuliffe, Australian
Billy Murphy and Johnny Hogan Mike
COnIey is a good judge OF a hghter
condition Last spring for three weeks
he Travelled as James J. Corbett's spar
ring partner. He was with the cham
pion every day and thus had an oppor-
tunity to obtain true estimate of Cor
belts condition. Il don't share the
oDinior that is going the rounds that
Corbett is not what he used to be-" said
the Ithaca Giant the other evening II
don't judge of his condition by his spar
ring or his athletic exercise, put Dy MS
temperament and his disposition |
spared with him every day, and for
a man who was not in training 1t
struck me that ne was very last anu
as good as he ever was. But it was
not his sparring that made me think
he was the same old COrbett-"
what made you class him as good
as he ever waS?"
1T was his talk. and general conduct
When a man is losing his athletic Yigor
and stamina he mopes and is inclined
to take things just as easy as he can
Now, there was nothing of this kind in
evidence in Corbett's conduct. He has
all the enthusiasm and vigor of
schoolboy. He was never still, hut was
bubblng over with fun and good spir-
it's A physical wreck, as he has been
painted, don't jump, run, whoop and
cavort around at every chance. a man
on the verge of a decline doesn't play
pranks and practical jokes on members
of his company. Corbett is just now
in his physical prime. He is just about
80, and should be at his best"
How old is Fitz?"
Il can't tell exactly. but I under
stand he confesses to being 35, and I
believe So would be nearer his correct
age. haven't sen him fight for long
+ time, SO that I in position to say
whether or not he has gone back
| Child's Rubbers for 15c at Furman's.