The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08
M'COY- SHARKEY FIGHT
THE HOOsIER KID STILL a WARM
FAVORITE IN THE BETTING.
Outside Sports Not JostIing Each 9th
VIII Go at His Man.

NEW YORK, Jan. with the Sharkey-
Mccoy fight only three days off, sporting
men are wondering where the expected out
of-town contingent is. SO far only a few of
the faithful are on hand and while OH paper
the go should prove big drawing card, it
looks now as though New York and Brook
Ign would furnish about all of the spectators
around the ringside A well-informed sport
ing man, III speaking of the apparent cold
ness of Out-of-tOwn sporting men, said:
well, you see the AIcVey incident in the
Sharkey-Corbett fight, combined with the
referees decision in declaring all bets off.
had d sort of depressing effect on the game
all over the country, which time only can
eradicate, SO the management need not be
surprised if the attendance does not come
up to expectations"
Another rather peculiar incident in con-
nection with the coming battle is the fact
that Mccoy seems to be a red-hot favorite.
Just why Mccoy is an odds-on choice no one
kr WIS, but it is whispered that Circular Joe
VeLdig, who is Offering ali the odds, sim
ply represents one mans money. 1t is said
this better is Jimmy Kelly. Apparently Mr..
Kelly thinks highly of the Kids" chances,
since his commissioner is Offering 10 TO 9,
and even 10 to S on Mccoy. For some rea-
son none of these tempting odds is picked
up, and it is said that the Sharkey men are
waiting for better odds, though just how
they could expect better than even money
on their man it is hard to see. Again, it is
said some of the loudest of the Kids
supporters intend to back the sailor when it
comes to putting up their money.
"Al' Smith, the well-known sporting au-
thor in speaking to-day of the peculiar bet
ting on the fight said: well I don't see
how they make Mccoy favorite, consider
ing the performances and records of the two
men. The odds are false. Sharkey should
be choice, and think he will be the favor
lie at the ringside. SO far 1 know of no big
bets having been made, and [ don't think
any Dig money viii go on this fight The
referee decision in the last fight had a bad
fleet and few b0OkmakerS or sporting men
care to wager their money when the best
they can get if they win is a draw
Tom Sharkey has announced now he eX-
poets 10 fight Mccoy. He had Just finished
MS gymnasium work on the top floor of the
clubhouse, and his handlers were rubbing
Inn down, his skin all aglOw and his eyes
Sparkling ike pearls, when he said: There
IS to be no secrecy as to how l shall fight
Mccoy. l intend to go right at him the
moment the bell sounds for the beginnine.
of the first round. / will do nv best to
break down his defense which as everyone
knows, is wonderfully strong. There is no
doubt that l can accomplish my object. l
cannot afford to stay away from him and
nght at long range, for his reach is so much
eSotstical. it is my honest belief that Nc
Coy IS the easiest proposition L have ever
had. The latter, however, seems to think
ne Will win; so do many Others and but for
SGch difference no match would have been
made between US. From all that l can hear
the crowd will undoubtedly be in favor of
Mccoy, but the louder il yells for him the
harder | viii fight. In my opinion he cam
Tot knock me out I'll put my face 10 him,
too, so that he can have every chance to put
me to sleep, in order that ! may get an op-
porlunlty 10 land Just one good blow on him.
And that one blow Will settle Mccoy"
Kid Mccoy is impressed with the vary
Ing fortunes of the betting market. To the
Mccoy people it all seems very wonderful
that a middle weight should be quoted as a
favorite over a noted heavy weight, who
has beaten some of the greatest men in his
class. The kid" frankly admits that he is
at loss to account for this patent incon-
sistcncy. and is inclined to believe that some
one is trying to doctor the market. He did
q fine mornings work in spite of the rain
noon TO his punching bag exercise. There is
no installing McCoy's confidence, notwith-
standing his evident desire to force the odds
ON Sharkey'S side. He walks with an elias
tie step and huns little tunes on the road.
He cracks jokes with his trainer, poses for
photographs and receives about one hundred
letters a day from anxious admirers, who
tell him to look out for Sharkey.
I'm connection with the coming mill 1t is
said Sharkey will so into the ring weighing
about i15 pounds, or five pounds lighter than
when he fought Corbett, While Mccoy. who
has been building up. will weigh between
l6z and 110 pounds, and not 15S pounds,
which he offered to bet O'Rourke would be
his weight at the ringside