The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-02
SPORTING NEWS.
FitzSimmOnS Picks Out His
Successor.
the Six Pugilists En-
titled TO Fight for HOnOrs.
MAHER is THE BEST.
Is Not the CIeverest Boxer But
a Terrific Hitter.
Joe Goddard Next to Maher-
Strong and Fierce.

ROBERT E1tzSinEnOnS, champion middle
and heavy weight pugilist of the world,
after winning his Iaurels in the recent light
at Carson City, March II, finds himself in
! a position to pick the pugilist who will
take up the championship honors which
he offers to the profession to fight for
and win
/ OF the available candidates today Fitz
has met all but two, Joe Goddard and
/ Peter Jackson. The others, Peter Maher,
Joe Choynski. Jim Hall and Jim Corbett
/ have fallen before him, and he considers
| himself competent to judge the relative
merits of the entire six. After three hun,
dred victories, all of which ended in the
! insensibility of his opponent, Fitzsimmons
! stands today of all the men in the bust
ness probably the best authority as to
! the merits of other men.
Here are his answers to the question:
/ ''Who are the fighters living today who
are justified in competing for the cham
pionshfp, and which of those whom you
select will be the probable winner?"
| In sizing up the six men of his own
selection Fitzsfmmons deals with them
separately:
] PETER MAHER
! perfectly natural fighter. He was
made for the prize ring. He combines
J VIII an 6AC0tleul Understanding OF Du51-
! lism all the hard-hitting faculties so ne
cessary to success. He goes into battle
! with a vigor and confidence which few
| men display, and in punishment he can
/ take his share.
While he may not be the cleverest aoxer
| in the ring, he is certainly a fighter, and
! that is of more Importance in the game
than exhibitions and flashes of skill. lie
| is always cool, and he strikes one of the
/ rJoJ5~
Marquis of Queensbury rules. Physically
| he is a fine specimen of manhood, capable
of great endurance, and his courage is be-
yond dispute. In a word, Peter Maher
can and will fight when the opportunity
presents itself.
JOE CHOYNSKI.
This man is very clever. He is sinuous
! hght-footed, and at times very slkilIful
in ring tactics. His upper body is in
| some respects remarkable, and his driv-
! ing power is exceptional. In a short
| fight Choynski is as game and strong as
most any man in the business. He is I'M
| fortunate, thought, in possessing a pair
/ of legs that do not stand up under great
| pressure. They have frequently failed
him when they were absolutely necessary
! for him to go with his fight.
| JIM HALL.
| One of the cleverest boxers in the prize
ring. Apart from his sparring ability he
is very hard hitter and knows when to
| send in his left. Hall has many methods
! of doing the right thing a the right time
| and is a good, strong fellow. 1 think he
would have more than an equal chance
| to whip Corbett. I think he is almost as
| clever, a little gamer and a better ring
general.
If Corbett and Hall were matched it
would be a safe bet to take the Australian
/ fry, 10 I,Ox TO ficI7+
and has the fighting frame an the
spirit. He is right next to the best we
have, and it will be stiff time for the
man who goes up against him.
JAMES J. CORBETT.
A very clever, big. strong fellow. One
of the best men 1 ever met. He is much
cooler than I expected to find him, and
| knows how to use his hands, arms and
| legs. 1 have seldom seen such fine
| specimen of manhood. The muscular de-
velopment around his shoulders, under
his arms and on his arms is very fine,
and his body is well put together. He
| is more of a boxer than a fighter If he
has the time he will do great damage to
a man from constantly hitting him, but
any one of courage who will go in and
take some of his smashes will in all like
lihood get away with him.
His skill is not backed, as it were, with
sufficient force. He has to hit his an
tagonist several times in the same place
to have any effect on him. There are
several men today who whip him
Maher. Goddard. Jackson and Hall. He
is merely very clever boxer.
JOE GODDARD.
Rough-and- tumble, strong, fierce and
game as the day is long. He fights with
| a ferocity and a force that takes good
stuff to overcome Goddard hasn't any
too much genera lShip. but he is eVerv-
thing the public expects of a fighter.
When he trains he stives to get in condi-
ton to stand any kind of punishment,
and it takes a terrible and a clever
puncher to defeat him.
Blows that would knock an ordinary
| fighter off his feet have no effect upon
Joe Goddard. He stands up to hard luck
and takes his medicine like a man. Cor
bett would have hard time of it with
him, as he represents all the tenacity
necessary to go into fight and meet
anything that may come his way.
PETER JACKSON
This man is one of the greatest fighters
the world has ever seen. 1 do not think
however it will ever be the lot of the
public to fully comprehend his ability.
He is clever brave and one of the best
ring generals know of. Such endurance
as jackson possesses canot be found in
many men.
No matter how long the fight may be.
nor how vigorous his antagonist appears
at any stage of thee game, Peter Jack
son is there when he should be and keeps
his head under all circumstances.
Out of these six men, I am compelled,
through the knowledge have of them
all, to say that Peter AIaher will be the
probable winner in a fight for the cham
pionship of the world. He is strong, a