The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-01
BOXING.
1ErrR1Es Is TIPPED
TO Win in His Fight With sharksy
Friday Night

Champion Jim Jenriea will defeat
saIror Tom sharkey Friday night at the
Concv Island Sporting Club, and thus
rotaln the Championship Of the world,
,sssrts the Chicago Record man. That
ia the opinion shared by a majority Of
the critics who profess to form intelll-
pcpt opinions on pugllism, but even so,
among the minority are many keen
Judges OF fighters. All agree that 1t
will be one Of the fercest battles ever
winged for the championship, both COM
batants being typical specimens Of
great strength and both being possessed
o, wonderful hitting powers.
Jetrrles on form is rightfully the IA
yor!te, and the prevailing odds Of 100
10 50 and 100 to 10 seem about correctly
10 represent the chances Of the two
men. In the first place, Jettrtes mas
twenty round decision over Sharkey to
his credit. OF course, too much rell-
ance cannot be placed upon that, as both
men have improved wonderfully since
that time. 5
has defeated F'itzstmm0ns. That gives
him prestige. True, Sharkey mas Prac-
Iically defeated Corhett and knocked out
Mccoy IN ten rounds, but those VINO saw
"FltZ" summarily dispose OF ThoFne IN
one round at Tattersalls Saturday night
do not think either would have much
chance against the kangaroo fighter.
JcfIrIes nut out "Fitz" in eleven rounds.
Thus. on recent form, although dan
Cerous thing to so by in the prize'rinS,
JeiIries has decided shad:
Next in order Is Il physical compart-
son. Jeffrles should enter the ring
Weighing about 2l0 pounds, while Shar-
key probably will fight at about lS5.
This gives the champion an advantage
Of twenty-five pounds, which will cut
quite a figure II the battle is prolonged.
"FltZ" found TO his sorrow that weight
cuts n big figure In q pugllistlc contest.
Sharkey 10 over four inches shorter than
the champion, and his reach Is fully Six
inches less. Both Of these facts are TO
his disadvantage.
Sharkey's chances, then, without I'M
foreseen accidents, would seem to lie IN
greater cleverness or IN greater MT
fling DoWer, The sailor has slightly
larger arms, but there Is no special rea-
son to suppose that he puts greater force
INTO his blows. AS to cleVerness, JEFF
fries would naturally be expected to
rank above the able seaman. He has
been under the tutelage Of Tommy Ryan
one of the greatest tacticians in the
ring, and Jeffries certainly showed good
Eeneralship in his battle against Fitz-
simmons, So the champion seems to
have the advantage on all points, eN-
cept the unsettled one OF which hits the
harder blow. 81
Radically different views are held as
TO the probable length Of the'hght- Some
assert the limit ls likely. while others
predict a short battle. The latter seems
the more reasonable superstition. The
very fact that Sharkey's reach 10 short
or Will force him to seek intighting and
will probably induce him to force mat
tiers, otherwise Jeffrles would be able to
lab Sharkey's head of, a fact to which
Tommy Ryan Is not inEenslble. With
sharkey rushing matters. and two
strong, hard hltters at work, the end Is
pretty sure to come speedily. And when
the end comes the champion will stand
In class by himself. On the fistic
horizon is no one, unless It be FitZsln-
mons, who seems capable Of giving the
winner hard battle. h