The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-27

A distinguished Englishman recently
said. while eulogizing the personnel of
the United States army and the high
degree OF intelligence OF our soldiers.
that mcn Of every profession and walk
in life. from fnillionaires TO day laborers.
might be found among the ranks OF the
privates. He was probably correct in his
statement except in one small detail.
He would not find any professional pu-
gilists In the ranks OF the army. Fight
ing is too hard work for the modern
boxer. 1t Is hard enough for him to face
an opponent once a year or so in his
own line, and a fight Ia the brolling
beat OF a tropical summer, during which
he must suffer from all the vlcissitudes
or a hard campaign and carry q gun
and so to so pounds Of baggage, is a
fight that fs not 10 be taken on under
any circumstances. He prefers to be an
factor" or pose before the multitude,
even II now and then be is compelled to
go through the arduous task Of training
and the ordeal Of the ring.
1t is curious fact, but nevertheless
In most cases true one, that the ''high-
err" boxer rises In his business-that
is. the more prominent he bccomes--the
harder 1t is to get him to fight. When
hc starts out as a bantam or light
weight, he is willing to fight at the drop
OF the hat for any slzed purse or just for
the fun OF the thing. As he gets on and
wins-or loses--bAttles II becomes more
and more difficult TO get him inside the
ropes except to issue q varnal challenge.
which he knows win never be taken up.
At last, when he nears the top Of the
heap or has had enough advertising to
make his starring tour q financial suc-
cess. the ropes os the-ring give prefer
cnce to vocal chords. and tho only fight
ing he Is really anxious TO do Is with his
mouth.
For some weeks past there have bsen
rumors OF many pugiii4tic encounters
In the air. 1t Is not unusual. however,
Tor these challenges and postings Of for
fetts to occur so frequently at this time
OF the year. when the theatrical season
Is over and press agents are getting up
material to advertise their shows next
fall.
There are now eight men who Law
claim TO the championship OF the world
on this pretense or that, and we arc
sure TO hear every now and then of a
bonlbnstic challenge or a frantic speech
at the ringside by one of these men or
bis manager. These eight fighters are
Fitzsimmons, Corbett, Sharkey, Mccoy.
Jeffries, Jackson, Maher and Choynski'
Since Fitzsimmons defeated Corbett at
Carson City, New, the latter has ex-
hausted his vocabulary of abuse in an
effort, either pretended or real, to get
on another go with the Australian. The
chances OF their ever meeting in the
ring again are very slight, however.
Since Mccoy bested Rubin some
wsel.s ago at Concy Island plethora
of challenges has been issued. and
reams of typewriter paper have been
wasted by pusilists who never intended
to fight or expected their defies 10 be
taken In earnest. One of these vapor-
ings was the challenge issued by "Kid"
Mccoy to Corbett. Mccoy did not have
any intention OF fighting the ex-cham-
pion, as he does not intend to try for
the championship belt for another two
years at least. His idea In making a
bluff at Corbett was to get n contest
arranged with Choynsli, who has been
fighting shy OF him of late. Corbett.
however, scenting q good thing and a
chance to rake I'm some money during
his spare time. took up McCoy's defi'
Articles have been signed according TO
which the men are to meet on Sept. 10
before the Hawthorne A. c. OF Buffalo.
The contest will be for 20 rounds for
q purse Of $4,000. The articles stipu-
late that Corbett shall receive 81. 500 in
the event Of police interference. The
contestants will be permitted to wear
bandages on their wrists.
A few days previously Tom o'Rourke
issued challenge I'm behalf OF Tom
Sharkey. open to the world. but espe-
rially aimed at kid" Mccoy. 10 box
20 or more rounds for IS, 900 a side and
posted a forfeit OF $1,000 to bind the
match. Sharkey has claimed the cham
pionship many times, but for some rea-
son the sporting fraternity would not
oh al n las. A. "A