The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-19

Carson, New, March 17.-After two
years Of doubt and veXatiOuS postpone
ments, the heavy weight championship
Of the world was deciued beyond caval
when Robert FitZSimmOnS sent James
]. COrbett helpless to his knees with
left hand blow under the heart after
one minute and fOTty-fVe seconds in
The fourteenth round of their battle in
the arena here this afternoon. The
great contest was won in the simplest
manner and the Knockout was the re-
suit OF one unWary move on the part or
COrbctt. After the first minute of the
fourteenth round had been spent in
few harmless clinCheS and counters
FitsimmOns made fake lead with his
right for the jaw. 1t was a simple ruse,
but it caught the Californian mapping.
Instead of keeping his body inclined
forward and throwing back his head
Just q trfle to allow the blow which
was OF the very lightest kind, to slip
by, COrbett cOntemptuOuSly bent his
head and chest backward and thus
protruded his abdomen. FftZsimmOns'
small eyes flashed, and like lightning
he saw and availed himself of his ad-
vantage. Drawing back his left he
brought it up with terrible force, the
forearm rigid and at right angles to
the upper arm. With the full power Of
his wonderful driving muscles brought
into play, the Australian fairly ripped
the blow up the pit of COrbetts stom-
aCh at a point just under the heart.
COrbett was lifted clean off his feet,
and as he pitched forward FitZsim
mons shot his right up and around,
catching Jim on the jaw and accelerat-
ing his downward fall. COrbett sank
on his left knee and with his out
1 stretched right, grasped the ropes for
support. His left arm worked cOnvul-
y sively up and down while his face was
tWitching with an expression Of the
greatest agony. Referee Siler threw up
his hands on the call of ten and left
the ring. There We're some cries of
foul" when the referee declared Cor
bett out, but they were unheeded by
anybody, as the battle was won fairly
and squarely.
The fight was clean and speedy 1t
demonstrated two fdcts-that COrbett
is the cleverest boxer of his weight in
the world, and that Fitzsimmons is
able to hit him. The California boy
smothered the COrnishmnn with left
jabs in the face and right and left body
bows FitZSimmOnS' most effective at
tack was a sem-fake left swing, fol-
lowed with a quick half arm hook. The
first time he tried it, which was in the
third round. Jim threw back his head
from the fake, coming forward for a
counter when he thought F'itZsimmOns'
glove was comfortably past his jaw.
IL
barely missed Jim's Jaw with the hook.
Corbetts smile died away for an in
stant and he took no more chances on
,cOuntering on that particular form of
lead afterwards
The battle, as predicted, was fought
.on purely scientific and almost new
- principles. Neither of the men took
IAN advantage of the privileges allowed
them under the London prize ring rules
and there was very little hitting ir
t1incfles. Corbett made no attempt tC
bring around his right in breaking
away, probably because Fitzsimmons
held up his elbows too high. Jim's only
effort in the way Of a parting shot was
a full rigf1 upperCut. which he brOugh
around very clumsily and failed tC
land at least a foot every time he
tried. He tifi get in one good uppercu;
in the fourth round, splitting Bob's
upper lip and starting the blood in
thick stream Several times the mer
clinched and parted with both hands
up. Frequently Bob worked Jim into
a corner and reached for him right anC
left With blows that would win any
championship hattie if they had land
ed. F'itzsRnmOnS himself admits thai
Corbett shutfled and side-stepped his
way to safety fn a manner which Sim
ply dazed 31ifn.
Il never saw such q. clever man ir
my life" said FuLsir mons this even.
tng. lie got away from me ll1ne dnC
again when I thought / had him dead
80 rights. I knew l could wear him out
so ] kept coming right along until my
Opportunity arrived. He was weak ir
ne iast round and all his cleVerness
could not keep him out of that left
punch under the heart. The only blow
that really worried me was the one
which spit my lip. The others l never
felt. He fought fair and hereafter he
may have my respect if he continues
TO merit it,
Corbett's version of his own Water
loo did not vary greatly from Fftzsim-
mons. Il made a mistake in not keep
ing away" was the way he put it
"Fitzsi1nmOns, | knew, to be a terrific
puncher but I never calculated on hii
being able to reach me. If the sixth
round had lasted ten seconds longer
would have landed him to a certainty
His nose was clogged with blood and
his legs were wobbling. The gong
sounded just as l was about to plug
him with my right and end the battle
He recuperated wonderfully and
stayed away from him until I thought
he was about ripe for another drubbine
at short range. NV neglect in not