Birmingham state herald., 1897-03-18
In the Fourteenth Round the Belt Found
 New Owner.
HARD FOUGHT AND HONESTLY WON
Was the Title To Which Ex-Champion John L. Sullivan Again Aspres-Corbett Was
 Clever, But 0yer-Confdent.
"Gentleman Jim'' Bot in the Greatest Mum Der of Blows on "Lanky Bob,' But the Latter Had Strength to Spare When
 Most Needed-The Other Results.

Carson New, March 17.-After two years of doubt and vexatious postpone ments the heavyweight championship of the world was decided beyond cavil when Robert Fitzsimmons sent James J. Corbett helpless to his knees with left hand blow under the heart after one minute and forty-five seconds in the fourteenth round of their battle in the arena this afternoon.
 The great contest was won in the simplest manner and the knockout was the result of one unwary move on the part of Corbett After the first minute of the fourteenth round had been spent in a few harmless clinches and coun- ters, Fitzsimmons made fake lead with his right for the jaw. It was simple ruse, but it caught the Californian nap ping Instead of keeping his body in- clined forward and throwing back his head just trifie 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. FitZsimmons small eyes flashed, and like lightning he saw and availed himself of his advantage. Draw ing 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 Cor bett's stomach al point just under the heart Corbett was lifted clean off his feet, and as he pitched forward Fitzsimmons shot his right up and around, catching Jim on the jaw and accelerating his downward fall.
 Corbett sank on his left knee, and with his outstretched right gra sped the ropes for support His left arm worked con- vulsively up and down, while his face was twftching with an expression of the greatest agony. Referee Siler threw up his hands on the call of ten and left the ring. There were some cries of foul when the referee declared Corbett out, but they were unheeded by anybody, as the bat tie was won fairly and squarely The defeat nearly drove Corbett wild. When he was able to feel his feet after hfs secork1s had helped him to his corner, he broke away from them and rushed at Fftzsimmons, who had not left the ring. A scene of dreadful confusion ensued The ring was crowded with an excited mob, but Corbett burst through them and struck at Fitzsimmons.
 The Australian kept his arms by his sides, and with great deal of gener- oSity made allowance for CorbettS half demented condition. Bob merely ducked under the blow and when Corbett clinch- ed with him and struck him a feeble blow on the ear, the champion only smiled. It was with great difficulty that Billy Brady and the seconds succeeded in quieting Corbett down and getting him back to the dressing room.
 The fight was clean and speedy. It demonstrated two facts-that Corbekt is the cleverest boxer of his weight in the world. and that Fitzsimmons Is able to Init him. The California boy smothered the Cornishman with left jabs in the face and right and left body blows. Fitzsim- mons most effective attack was a semi fake left swing, followed with quick half-arm hook. The first time he tried it, which was in the third round, Jim threw back his head from the fake, com ing forward for a counter, when he thought Fitzsimmons' glove was comfort ably past his jaw. Quick as flash Bob doubled back and barely missed Jims jaw with the hook. Corbett's smile died away for an instant. 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 princi- pies. Neither of the men took any ad- vantage of the privileges allowed them under the London prize ring rules and there was very little hitting in clinches. Corbett made no attempt to bring around his right in breaking away, probably be- cause Fitzsimmons held his shoulders too high. Jim's only effort in the way of a parting shot was full right upper cut, which he brought around very clum- silly and failed to land by at least foot every time he tried. He did get in one good uppeTcut in the fourth round, split ting Bob's under lip and starting the blood in a thick stream. Several times the men clinched and parted with both hands up.
 FTTZSIMMoNS TALKS.
 Frequently Bob fought Jim into a cor ner and fought him with right and left blows. Fitzsimmons himself admits that Corbett shuff1ed aside and stepped his way to safety in manner he never saw before.
 ..'I never saw such a clever man in my life," said Fitzsmmons this evening. ''He got away from me time and again when I thought had him dead to rights. knew I could wear him out so kept coming right along until my opportunity arrived. He was weak in the last 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 split my lip; the others I never felt He fought fair and here after he has my respect if he continues to merit it."
 CoRBErTs OPINION.
 Corbett's opinion of his own Waterloo did not vary greatly from F1tzsimmons'.
 T made a mistake Tn not keeping aYayJi was the way he put it. "Fitz- Simmons knew to be a terrific punch CT, but never calculated on his being liableto reach me. If the sixth round had lasted ten seconds longer would have landed him to certainty His nose was clogged with blood and his legs were webbing The gong sounded just as I was about 10 plug him with my right and end the battle. He recovered won derfully, and stayed away from him until thought he was about ripe for another drubbing at short range. My neglect in not standing off when