Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-04
copyright, 1881

The unfavorable postponement of the
contest between Corbett and Mccoy ow-
ing to the recent tragedy in the formers
family has tended to increase pu-c in
terest in the forthcoming encounter. The
fact that the proposed affair has a signifi-
cant bearing on the heavyweight cham
piorship of the world, because the WIN
ner Will probably meet Robert Fitzsim-
mons, who has virtually promised TO give
the conqueror a chance to gain the title,
makes it only a shade less than a real
championship contest.
Both men are hard at work in prepara
ton for the event Corbett is at Asbury
Park, where also, is Fitzsimmons with his
family. Mccoy has chosen as a training
spot a place on the south side of Sarato-
ga lake. Governed by his experiences at
Carson City, Corbett is not overriding
matters and thus rendering himself liza
BILE to become stale before the contest.
McCoy's efforts are devoted to building
himself up and strengthening every fibre
of his body.
There is wide diversity of opinion as
to the outcome of the affair, and the ad-
mirers of each man rate their favorite far
Austin, the we'll known writer on sport
ing topics and referee what in his opinion
would be the tactics of the two principals
when they meet in the ring.
There is no doubt" he replied, that it
will be one of the most scientific of the
great boxing contests ever witnessed, for
both the participants are masters of the
art. I expect that the first half dozen or
so rounds will be very fast, with Corbett
doing all the leading for it will be his en-
deavor if possible to bring the affair to an
end early. Mccoy, on the other hand,
will confine his attention to holding his
opponent off. Then when he has tired
him, or rather Corbett has played himself
out, as he did in the first six rounds of his
go with Fitzsimmons, Mccoy will really
start in to be aggressive. Corbett proved
at Carson City that, although he was
vastly cleverer than Bob FitZsimmons and
could land his blows whenever and wher-
ever he wished, there was not sufficient
force behind them to do his opponent
much harm, so that when ne had him all
most gone he couldn't clinch matters with
an effective blow Codbett has not the
stamina to last long, and it is of this
fact that Mccoy intends to avail himself
if he can do So"
l asked Mr.. Austin whether it was true,
as sometimes stated, that Mccoy is dis
ciple of the Corbett school of sparring
No" was the reply "Corbett is un-
doubtedly the cleverer boxer, but his
style is very different from McCoy's. Cor
bett. when facing an opponent, stands in
the regulation position so often seen in
pictures of him and generally affected by
boxers for many years. Mccoy, on the
other hand, differs from Corbett even in
this matter. He leans more toward his
adversary and holds his arms very far
apart, so that to a novice or uncritiCal OBJ
server it would appear that he had no
guard at all, but 1t is a splendid pose new
ertheless and less firing than the other.
Mccoy is. first Of all, a defensive
fighter, and he has evolved the safest and
easiest method OF warding off every pos
sible blow that may be directed at him,
whether a Cross counter with the right
for his jaw, straight jab with the left
for the face or an attempt for his wind
with a punch on the solar plexus. Mccoy
Is one of the easiest boxers in his atti-
tude in the world.
"Corbett's greater age, other things be-
ing equal, should be an advantage rather
than the reverse" was the answer to my
next query. Continuing Austin said: "A
boxer should not reach his prime till he is
Sc. The reason so few are any good when
they arrive at that age is because they
have killed themselves off as a rule by
dissipation. But take a man who has liv-
ed a clean, healthy life, one who does not
will find that between IS and 10 are his
best years. Joe Choynski is a goos proof
OF this fact. He is a man who INDUCES
ia none of the above mentioned vices, and
now a So he is improving every day Cor
bett, however. showed in his go with Fi;z-
simmons that he had not the stamina, as
l have before said, for long encounter,
and so, though he is stronger than Mccoy
by reason of his age, it may not benefit
him much in the event of the affair last
ing many rounds.
LAS to which on form. Judging by rec
ords. should win. il is d hard matter TO
judge, but my opinion of the result is
that the contest will be close and fast all
the way through, with the decision a task
for the referee to figure out at the end OF
the affair as to which has the better of
it"
In reply to my question as to whether
the only advantage possessed by Mccoy
on paper over Corbett. that of reach
would ayail him al all. Mr.. Austin replied
| that as regards their measurements there
really wasn't much 10 choose between the
| two men. They will probably enter the
ring within ten pounds of each others
weight iCorbetts superiority In this mat
! ter being offset by Mccoy. greater length
| of reach. In other matters they are Sc
nearly equal that the difference is insig
nificant.
| Talking OF the lessons to be drawn from
| contests already engaged in by the two
| men. he said that as regarcs the Corbett
| Jackson affair the latter ought to have
won. He entered the ring a cripple. hav
| ing injured his ankle just before the fight
| and practically sprained the joint. II
| that condition he STAYED on Corbett fol
| ls rounds, so that ii is probably that had
! he been in prime condition he would hav'
won When Corbett met Mitchell the lat
! ter was has been and had no bushes:
to fight at Gil.
| In 7esard'to the sharkey-corbett four