The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-14
BOB EXHIBITS HIS STRENGTH
BY PUNCHING THE BAG so VIOLENT
LY THE THICK CORD BROKE.
No More Hard work Between Now
TIL st. Pazri.I's Day-Infcrest i'm
the Fight-SOlIy Smith wins.


the stakeholder of the fight, arrived on the
morning train from San Francisco. Smith
had with him certificates of deposit aggre-
eating $1,000 which he will turn over 20
the winner of the fight on Wednesday. Aft
or "A short interview with Dan Stuart, Smith
drove out to Shaw's Springs to call upon
his friend the champion. He remained at
Corbetts camp for the better part of the
afternoon. After he had seen the pugilist
Smith said Never in my life have / seen
any fighter In the condition in which Cor
bett is to-day. Not only have | never seen
a fighter in such excellent shape, but
think have never seen man in training
who was i'm such perfect condition. L had
long talk with him this morning. He as
sured me that he was i'm the pink OF con-
dition. and when it came TO his work in
the afternoon he would show 1t to me. He
has shown me all he promised, and great
deal more. For nearly three hours this aft
ernoon l stood in his handbalI court and
watched him spar and wrestle with his
trainers, and his work was nothing short
of marvellous. Notwithstanding the high
altitude, which might be supposed to tire "a
man I'm violent exercise more rapidly than
II he were in the lower country. he went
through 1t all without 4 sign Of trouble.
have not seen Fitzsimmons yet, and. of
course, / have no idea except the report of
the condition in which he is. but i wish TO
say right now he must be a wonderful man,
and. more than that, he must be in wonder
full condition, to stand out against a fighter
who is i'm the condition in which Corbett is
to-day. When L say that L am in no way
undertaking Fitzsmmons. for / know he is
great fighter. / only say a man who
beats Corbett next Wednesday must not
sanlx bc fuI fol Inn ais
be I'm perfect condition
IF Corbett loses this fight he will have
no excuse on account of the lack of condi-
tion. a man may lose through an acct
dent or through an intentional foul; but if
Corbett loses il must be through one of
these things or because Fitzsimmons is the
better man. and do not see how II is posi-
Jim is now. Tomorrow L am going to ride
over to the camp where FftZsimmOns is
better opinion as to the shape of the two
men. In all i have said in praise of Cor
bett wish it understood am saying moth
ing against FitZsimmons m any way. /
simply say that If ne wins he is entitled to
be sailed the best man In nit, the World and and
more quickly than Corbett himself"
THE FINISHING TOUCHES.
At the camps of the principals efforts are
now being made 10 get the men In first
class condition for the final effort in the
ring on St. Patrick's day. Corbetts work
will gradually be lessened. and no effort is
being spared by the men who are assisting
him TO get him into the best possible shape.
1t is difficult to see how Corbett could be
in a finer physical condition than he now
is, and his endurance is phenomenal. He
is naturally somewhat high strung, and the
strain of the work he has been doing is
beginning 10 show in his talk at times. He
Is quite often nervous and now and then
irritable, but sucn things are common with
through with the strain incident TO prepar-
ing sor a prize fight and his trainers are
rather pleased than otherwise at the little
displays OF temper that he occasionally
makes. Corbett's nervousness is not on ac-
count Of the coming battle. He says il
there is not the slightest doubt that he is
earnest to the last degree when he says so.
FitzSimmons, on the other hand, is not
nervous in the most remote degree. He is
not OF the temperament that permits men
to become nervous, and he Is as cool over
the outlook as it is possible for a man TO
be. He shows 10 outward signs OF being
worried. that is certain and his confidence
is supreme. He showed the power in his
arms to-day by hitting his punching bag
with such violence that he broke the rope
by which the bag was swung. IL was stiff
cord the thickness OF mans forefinger,
and Fitzsimmons nipped IL with his hnal
punch, into which he threw all the force
Corbetf's trainers decided to-day that the
champion should begin the ''tapering orr
W.
so TO McVey, Jerries and Woods, who have
been punched and hammered To the limit of
endurance. The three big boxers who have
given Corbett the greater part of his glove
practice have had a decidedly interesting
and none OF them was at all backward in
expressing his satisfaction at the announce
ment that the days Of bumps and bruises
TRAINER WHITE TALKS.
1.-The work beginning with tomorrow
will be lighter said Trainer White, to-
night. land the difference in the amount Of
II VIII be marked. Jims will be much
shorter. 1 don't know just how far we
will take him, but it viii be nothing like
the ten miles daily he has been doing. He
will continue his boxing. paying particular
attention to breakaways, but there will be
fewer rounds ard more resting between
them. The handball playing will be cut
away down. as will also the wrist exercise
and the bag punching. Our man Is better
than he ever was before; better than when
Re whipped Sullivan and better than many
OF his enemies Fitz thinks ne is taking on
dead one, but there are several kinds OF
surprises in store FOR that gentleman. He
Will know all about IL in a few days, how
ever. Jim will whip him and he wont be
more than week doing it, either We are
all happy and all confident i'm this camp.
Corbetts condition and work are all that
The public will be excluded from Jim
boxing hereafter" White continued. las
have some new blows and that sort
OF thing that want 10 practice On
Monday COrbett will do very little work
besides the boxing: i'm fact. nothing else
but short run. Tuesday he will take a
short walk after breakfast and do a little
footwork IN the afternoon. far hard
training is concerned that was over when
Jim quit work tonight"
The champion expressed himself de-
lighted with the prospect of a Tightening
OF work at his quarters. There u moth
ing particularly amusing in the sort oi
training L have been doing" said Cor
bett. and IL viii be a relief 10 get away
from IL. My condition Il now all that my
friends and myself could wish and / shall
90 just enough work from now on To main
tain IL. i ready 10 fight right this
minute. and there is not enc raintest doubt
on my mind that | shall win the battle .
A story was current during the afternoon
10 the effect that Fitz has decided that
he would not agree 10 the decision OF Ju.
lian. at the conference yesterday that tho
construction Of the rules made by SiIei
should govern the fight. The story proved
without foundation. FitZ said he had no In
tention of making more objections
II have given in on the subject" he
said. and there Is nothing more 10 be said
on the matter. We will fight as Siler ruled
/ am standing on what Julian said"
The fever or the oattle has begun 10 pre-.
vail I'm all sections OF Nevada particularly
tn he Hr.x-- IL