The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-16
FiTZ FEELS CONFIDENT.
The Big Australian Tells What He Ex
poets tn DO With Corbett.


As some of my friends have not vet
ceased to talk aboTS the way was robbed
In my late contest In San Francisco with
Tom Sharkey, let me state that the story
started by my eneni os In California--the
men who did me wrong-that / threw
down my friends by allowing Sharkey to
stay six rounds and betting oovertly 81, 900
to that end Is unqualidedly false. There
ing that number Of rounds, but that cut
no figure with me. simply fought TO
win, and In tho careful manner i narrated,
because, as already stated, was ON the
lookout for foul blows from Sharkey.
was satisfied that / could whip him In
from two to four rounds, but was taking
no chances. Now, as for Sharkey. He Is
no fightey-no ring fighter mean-but
strong, young wrestler. Unquestionably
he Is great rough and tumble fighter,
and the foulest ever met In ring
anywhere but California; will bet him
any amount Of money / can whip him In
four rounds. In that club-the National
Sporting club they call it-neither myself
Jim Corbett, Peter Maher or any fighter
on earth can get decision over him. None
would be allowed that privilege, for IL Is
run by lot of sure thing gamblers. And
the best part OF the joke (and CHASTITY
one 1t is) Is that 1t Is Sharkey' s money that
runs 1t. Danny Lynch, Sharkey's man
ager, and the other men who conduct its
affairs have no money, but Sharkey has
1t Is money he won and saved In the dozen
odd fights he had before he met me.
Let me say another thing rs strongly as
I can put It, Some people assert that jim
Corbett, my next adversary for the worlds
championship, had hand In the San
francisco deal, wherein I was so deeply
wronged. do not believe a word of it.
Whatever differences there may be between
US would never cause Jim to stoop To 80
base trick. think he has too much
manhood for that. He would rather get
even with me himself In manly fashion
and wallop me In ring II he could.
Disgraceful episodes like this Sharkey
affair can be prevented and the honor of
pugilism maintained II the right kind OF
man can be induced to act as referee. Such
a man I think Al Smith of New York to
be, and such man believe George Siler
of Chicago to be. Bad men from Bitter
Greek should never be permitted to step
over q rope. They do not inspire conf
dence in either the public or the principals
In a pugilistic contest. 1t Is not cheering
sight for one about To face rival In the
ring to see huge mountain howitzer
peeping out of a holster from the hip of
the referee Ii has no business there and
1t naturally causes some misgivings I'm the
mind of the pugilist. If nothing worse
should happen, it might go off In break
away when the referee has separated the
men.
Concerning my coming contest with
James j. Corbett for tho worlds cham
pionship and the $l6, 900 purse offered by
Dan Stuart, 1 am confident I can win.
Whys have whipped better men than
he ever faced and In short order. Among
these are Dan Creedon, Jim Hall and Peter
Maher. Game Joe Choynski also defeat
cd, although the referee, by the terms Of
the contest, was compelled to call Il q
draw, as Joe was not quito out at the end
of the stipulated SIX rounds. About the
Sharkey affair won't say another word.
The public knows all about IL. Corbett
whipped John l.. Sullivan and Charley
Mitchell, but that Is not much to his
credit, as both of these great men had seen
their day and were little better than In
valids when he met them. Joe Choynski
is the one good, hearty, clever man that
he did whip, and It took him 27 rounds to
do it. Tom Sharkey nearly had him out
in four round bout In San Francisco in
June of last year, and people know what l
did with Sharkey.
Next, l know that I am every whit as
clever as Ca.bett although not as SNOWY
boxer, and l can hit far harder than he
can hurt him, but he cant hurt me. He
can sting me and pain me, perhaps, with
left hand jabs as l bore In on him, but
not seriously harm me. Any time land
fairly on him with left or right, straight
lead, hook, swing or counter l will rattle
him, and once he Is ratified and tries to
mix 1t he is done for.
How will fight hims Well. that can't
answer offhand. have never fought two
lnen in exactly the same way ! study
them after get In the ring, feel them ont
Tor a moment or two, and then decide
quick as lightning upon plan of action.
Dan Creedop, for Instance, moved down
in couple of rounds; Jim Hall spared
evenly with for three rounds until caught
u fine opening with a left hand feint and
put him out, as he tried to counter and
ducked, with a right hand hook on the
point of the jaw. Peter Maher defeated
In our first contest with loft hand jabs, in
IL rounds; in the second, with a right hand
hook in one round. Corbett shall prob
ably go Mt from the start and SEQ II he can
fight as fast as he says he can. Mark tho
prediction. He Is by far the heavier man.
and think he will be tho party who will
do the sprinting. II he stands and fights,
the battle will be short, sharp and decisive
If no sprints, IL will be scientific, and even
fast at that, for 1 shall get to him some
time, and either will whip him or he me
in short order.
II conquer Corbett, will take on any
man In the world l have not already de-
feated, as In case Of Peter Maher and ev-
cry other beaten man but Sharkey. I will
take him on at any time for satisfaction.