El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-06-29
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John l. SulliVan'S Talk.

NOW that RObt. EltZSimmOnS hi
agreed to meet John L Sullivan, tt
ex-champiop, everything that Suliy {
FitZ says regarding the mill is taken
a matter OF news. Sully has gone I
his trainer, Billy Muldoon's farm an
on his arrival there the following cor
versat!On is said to have take
place there in the presence of a news
paper man:
Hello, John."
"Hello. Bill
Then John l. Sullivan, the immor
tai fighter of men who az one time me
a l-cOmers and never refused a chal
lenee, tumbled from his carriage anC
warmly shook the offered hand of Null
doom, the greatest of living trainers
The greeting. although it was the frs
| either man had exchanged for severa
years owing to an almost forgotten
Misunderstanding, lacked none of the
cordiality displayed by old friends who
| meet after long separation.
John put his big left hand on his old
| trainers shoulder, and, looking into
his face, laughed as though he had
encoura cement and renewed friendship
| come to train with you again. said he:
''that is, I've come to have you look
me over and see if you don't think l
have got another good fight in me. If
anybody can tell, you eau Sullivan
shooS AIuldoon's hand again vigorous
ly, and the two men locked arms and
walked up the broad gravelled path
leading to the main entrance to Mr..
Muldoon' S training esta blishment that
stands back among the trees and spa
cious lawns on the outskirts Of White
Plains.
The host and his distinguished guest
seated themselves comfOr ia bly, on the
veranda and drew their chairs togeth-
er. John hitched up his blue serge
trousers, placed his brown derby tend
erly to enc side on a settee, whipped
out axvast silk handkerchief rich with
rare cologne, and mopped his forehead,
smoothing back the badger-colored hair
AID a rhythmic stroke.
Yes, BILL he continued, settling
his 80 pounds com fortably. 81 am ia
to feht again. And mean it. You
know | have never been a talking pu-
gilist, have L: Well. l guess not, and
what's more, | intend 10 show the pub
lie that am just as good Il man today
as L have ever been. l know how capable
l am of putting up god fight, and
me VIII have chance TO say that
their estimate was right Sullivan
swept the pers piration from
his brow again. Fat" he resumed.
yes, L am fa;-a great d. al too fat
but L can.get down to 200 and perhaps
100 in six months, bur, of course, it will
have to be done slowly. Don't you
think, Bill, L can get in condition to
fight FitZsimmOns inside o. that time.
and don't you hink l can fig ut when
am in condition.
MuldOOn scanned the corpulent John
from head to foot, and, sweeping his
skIllful eyes over the rotund stomach
and the pronounced double chin. he
said: There is no doubt about it,
J ohm. If you will subject yourself to
T. gid course of training. tighten your
self gradually and follow my 1nstruc-
tions you can be put in first class shape
N six or seven months. There is no
reason why man of your constitu
ton and your age cannot be trained to |
fight again as you fought in days of |
Old.
ITO tell the truth, John, still re-
gard you as the champion prize fighter
Of the wOrld-that Is to say, you are the |
last man who fought under London
rules, and that was fighting all right.
he Marquis of Queensberry rules gov
srn boxing, but as to fighting real
warfare with ungloved fists, you are
.oday the Champion of them all. l
don't think you ever received proper
credit for your work in the ring.
Boxing and fighting are two differ
ent things, and are claseed under the
oead of Queensberry and London rules,
There is no doubt about your being
capable of getting into condition any
more than there is about your ability
20 fight -
"Well, that's what [ thought about
o." resumed Sullivan, land instead of
beginning at the bottom of the ladder
want to go right in for the ii st man
here is and lick him ifI can. 1t is
merely matter of business with me,
and want it understood that ! am out
'or the stuff, so far as it can be made
1onorably. All this business about
he glory OF being champion is rub
Dish. | was champion for twelve years,
md 1 was nothing but sucker for a
OF of sure things. If | had couple of
hundred thousand dollars and could 60
lied down, like You, Bill, it would be a
different thing, aud would be disposed
20 doit. But [ need money, like all
men who have thrown it around, and
have decided to fight for it,
''Now about this large drinking | am
accused Of | think the statements are
/ little overdone. | have not consumed
/ tenth of the liquor credited to me-
f | had | would be dead. Then, again,
mere Is the OLD age gag. a doctor
old me once that a man Is as old as he
eels, and | never felt old in my life,
md | am not old. A man only thirty
eight is still in his prime. aud glance
1t me will show that L am not broken
Town by any means.
Don't make any mistake, Bill. |
nave had this challenge in my head
or six mont When [ saw the fight
1t Carson [ felt confident that John L.
sullivan was still able to whip the best
If them. Just as soon as pOseible al er
hat L went right to Julian in Buff .lo,
when my season closed, and asked for
match with t'Itz, and he told me |
hOuld be the next one, SO | am here
eady to go into training and give Bob
lis chance.
Il have no particular choice as to
he spot where the fight occurs, SO long
l. there is Il good crowd. That can be I
ettled later on when Julian and | have
,ome to an understand and set a
late. There Is good deal of opposi-
ion to prize lighting here now, and it
will require proper management to
overcome it. The art has been spoiled /
~ a lot of sick duh UattiDo into it, and