The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-07
Sweeneyand Flaherty
Will Battle at
New Haven.
ARTICLES CALL FOR 20 ROUNDS
Flaherty Expects to Re-
deem His Defeat Early
in the Summer.

| Articles for 20-round boxing match
| between Joe Flaherty and Patsy Swee-
ney have been signed and Flaherty
can thank George P. King, who has
been one of his strongest friends in his
entire career, for a chance to redeem
himself with the Manchester man, and
incidentally try for good purse,
Mr.. King, in addition to making a
couple of hundred dollars by backing
Jeffries, brought about the match be-
tween Flaherty and Sweeney. A new
ly organized New Haven athletic club
made overtures to Flaherty several
weeks ago. and Flaherty gave his con-
sent readily, as he is anxious for an
other crack at Sweeney. The New
Haven men informed him they had
written several letters to Sweeney, and
Flaherty thought it would be only
question of a few days when he would
get favorable answer. No answer
came and none would have come, for
Sweeney Informed Mr.. King in New
York last week that he never heard
word from the New Haven people.
He was willing to make the match,
however, and Mr.. King, acting in be-
agreement which Sweeney signed.
The battle will take place before the
New Haven club Thanksgiving day, if
the club puts up a suitable purse.
There ought to be nothing to fear on
that score, as the club officials have
been apparently anxious to match the
men, and promised Flaherty a good
purse for the bout. The men will box
20 rounds for decision at 1873 pounds
a in 40 of IF 10
match
Flaherty is at present in New London,
where he went after the boxing tour
nament in Father Mathew hall week
ago, to help out Austin Rice in his
training. Mr.. King has written him
to come to Worcester Immediately to
train for the match.
Sweeney has broken away from Spike
Sullivan who handled him last spring
when he beat Jack Lawler of this city
Sweeney says Sullivan didn't use him
very we'll on financial matters and he
isn't as prosperous as a youngster who
won so many battles should be.
Flaherty will probably make his
headquarters at the Eyre, where he
trained for the fight with Sweeney, July
4. One of the sheds attached to the
hotel is admirably fitted for training
for ring match. Flaherty is in good
condition and ready to begin training at
minutes notice. He weighs about 143
pounds at present so he will have little
difficulty in making the weight agreed
on. He was so anxious for the match
that he was willing to let Sweeney
weigh 135 pounds, which would be Civ
ing the Manchester lad big advantage,
but Mr.. King did a good turn for Flah-
erty when he fixed the weight at 1873
pounds. Flaherty will work hard to re-
trieve the honors he lost July at Man
chester and Mr.. King is confident he
will get nothing worse than draw He
bases his opinion on the fight at Man
chester, when Flaherty stayed II rounds
in a 20-round match under the most adj
verse conditions.
When the match was made for, the
fight july 4, the management planned to
have the match take place in the after
noon out of doors. Flaherty was bene-
fitted by having the match made for
out of doors, as artificial light Slightly
impairs his vision. AS it happened, a
permit could not be obtained for a bat
tie out of doors, and Flaherty was I'm
der a handicap Had he expected the
fight to take place inside he would
have trained under artificial light to
accustom himself to it. He was under
a still greater handicap on account Of
the match between Dinsdale and Ro-
senberS, which was to take place at
Lowell, July 8. Flaherty was to second
Dinsdaie, and stayed in the ring with
him until midnight, waiting for Rosen-
berg, who refused to enter the arena.
The celebration of the might before the
Fort" vas so noisy in Lowell that Flah-
erty did not get much sleep, and he
feared TO eat anything lest he get over
weight and lose the forfeit money.
After fasting all day and with little
sleep on the previous evening, he went
into the ring to fight Sweeney, who is
one of the sturdiest boxers in the coun-
try for his pounds. For Is rounds Flah-
erty surprised everybody who knew
anything of the circumstances by hold
ing Sweeney off. He was so clever that
Sweeney's strength went as naught. He
used bad judgment, however, after Is
rounds had passed, and let the Man
chester lad in. Sweeney's strength told
against the famished boxer, who lost in |
the next two rounds. He will enter the |
ring in better condition when next they
meet, and expects he will be able to |
make Sweeney think better of him