The San Francisco call., 1897-10-01
HE WILL HIT
TN A CLINCH
Solly Smith Will Not Break
Nicely With George
Dixon.
The Los Angeles Lad Is Deter
mined to Strike in the
!. i. s: "..- l. Break.
With One Arm Free Both Fighters
Can Punch When at Close
!: Il. j. IT.. " + ~ Range. III.

The betting on the Smith and Dixon
contest continues to improve as the time
for the fight draws near. -:
The pools opened with Dixon a strong
fayorite, the odds being 10 10 I, with the
colored lad on the long end. III.
Yesterday afternoon the Smith end
dropped 10 619 and several pools were
sold at. these hgures. 1t is thought that
by Saturday evening the betting will be
to l, with Dixon in the lead.
Sporting men who keep a close watch
on the movements of hters say the
fnctuation. IN the betting between the
lads who are so evenly matched can be
attributed only to the large amount OF
coin that is in the hands of the pool
sellers to be placed on Dixon.
The coIored fighter has been always
backed strongly, and his supporters will
stand by him as long as he is in the race
for gold coin and distinction. II -
/ Smith has much smaller following
than Dixon and the gam blers contend it
is because Smith money is com paratively
scarce that the, Los Angeles feather
weight does not keep close company with
his rival in the betting ring. ~:
"Solly Smith is as game lad as ever
donned boxing gloves" said Barney Mur-
ply OF Les Angeles yesterday. land
although he may not have as much money
behind him as Dixon, he will prove TO
Dlxon's greatest admirers when he meets
the colored man in the ring that. betting
men are not always shreu d gam blers"
Murphy Is, OF course, playing Smith to
win and like several of his friends from
the CITY OF the Angels be exrects to see
Solly make short work of Tom OtRourke's S
little wonder on Monday evening.
30 lar, everything points to a contest
that Will give general satisfaction, but in
the interim there may be a hitch in the
arrangements which, if not amicably
settled before the evening OF the contest,
may cause unnecessary delay. ..--:..
Smith contends that the MARQUIS sot
Queensberry rules give lighter right
To hit his opponent in olinch, provided
one arm be Tree -., -. -, E. a..s. :.
SollyI is very positive on this. question.
and stated to several friends that this rule
must be adhered TO. IL is said that
u: Rourae does not favor this system of
fighting, and will protest against the men
hitting IN a clInCh. e. -.
Doubtless the matter will be ad iusted
satisfactorily to alt concerned before the
lighters enter the ring, a spectators OF
lights have no particular fancy TO re M ain
for any unnecessary length of time listen
ing to poor music while the puCiIists are
arguing point that should be settle d
Ion : be fore the day of the fight.
Smith Is now In flrst-class condition
and is as confident of whipping Dixon as
he is OF appearing before large audience
Monday eyenieg. +. -. r ~
F Dixon is nursing like feeling, OF
course, and although he has very little to
say on the subject he intimates that if
Smith whips him he (Smith) will be the
first slogger that. ever turned the trick on
him. =:
Championship battles are always to a
finish, but as so-called finish contests are
tolerated only In. the sagebrush coun Try
nowadays the public looks upon twenty.
round bout as virtually meaning a finish :
that is, of course, when pugifists do not
Inquire upon draw when they enter the
ring. 81 - :=---
Dixon and Hawkins did not put up a
very brisk engagement. The colored lad
seemingly neld back some of his heavy
IRE, but be that as 1T may it is thougt
that Smith will compel the great little
colored fighte to let loose his entire bat
terry. asthe cannonade from the Smith
=