Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-09
IEEERlES is SILL CHAMPION.

new YORK, NOV. 4. James u. JeflrleS
retains tho championship of the world.
Referee George Siler gave him the do
cision at the end of the 25th round over
Sailor Thomas Sharlkey at the Coney
Island Sporting Club last night 1t was
one of the most marvellous ring battles
that has ever taken place, and the
greatest crowd that ever gathered in
the Coney Island Clubhouse witnessed
the desperate struggle fer supremacy.
In five rounds Jeifries had the better
of the fight-in the first two and in
the last three. During tho other 20
rounds Sharkey forced the issue, and,
| like bull terrier, was at his man
with both hands increasingly. In those
| 20 rounds Jeifries' great weight and
brawn helped him to hold off the sailor,
and in the 22d round he swung in n
| couple of vicious uEpercutS that made
| Sharkey groggy. Sharkey came back
again in the 2lth and 25th, but he was
| weakened greatly by Jeftries' vicious
blcws One minute before the gong
sounded to end the fight Jeffries' left
glove came off, and practically the con-
| test was over.
The referee motioned to Jetfries' COR
ner an American flag was flung around
| the champions shoulders and the
crowd, on that side and end of the
arena, cheered wildly. The crowd on the
opposite side and end, in SharKey's
conner, yelled for Sharkev, and the men
were led back to their dressing rooms.
The thousands of spectators we're
banked 40 feet high in the building,
| the place being packed from ringside
ring were crowded. Tho big throng
| perspired under the glare of 400 arc
| lights, 10 feet or less from the canvas
| Of the squared circle. The heat was
intense The fighters were almost ex-
| hausted and the spectators shrieKed
| themselves hoarse.
1t seemed at first as if it would be
a short fight, for in the second round
| Jeffries put the sailor TO the ropes
| with a left on the jaw, and the referee
| began to call off the seconds as Sharkey
| kneeled on the floor. But from the
third round on Sharkey, with his
vicious swings on the ribs and the jaw,
kept TIE crowd on its feet waiting for
q knockout.
Jelflies stood the terrific punishment.
| and, with his eye, nose and ear split,
| came hack just as viciously in the last
| threo rounds and almost retrieved him
self. Then came the unfortunate and
unsatisfactory ending, Jeffries' glove
flying off, bringing the fight to an end,
| although the crowd urged Sbarkey to
rush in and end it, This he tried to do,
but JefTries fought him back, and
| Referee Siler rushed to the rescue. 1t
was noticeable that Jeffries used his
| weight to its best advantage, throwing
| himself all over the sailor, but Sharkey
| did his share of the hugging, too, and
hafh tyora yuarpal rapaataGly
Ten thousand spectators gathered
around the iingside. Though Coney
| Island was swept by q gale. the crowded
| cars came down in swiftly moving line
and the sports waded to the narrow
| entrances leading to the arena. At 8. 30
| there were 5000 in the building, and
later the boxes were filled to overflow
ing,
| A preliminary event of 10 rounds at
1913 pounds preceded the big event, and
kid" Goulette of Rochester, who
looked great deal like Jetfries on
small scale, was beaten by Thomas
Moran of Brooklyn.
Then, after half an hours delay,
Sharlsey could he seen making his way
Through the crowds. He was we'll re-
| ceived, but Jetfries was cheered to the
echo. Sharkey had on green trunks,
with an American flag for belt, and
the champion wore black. George Sier
was referee.
Jeffries weighed 2l2 pounds and
Sharkey 1877, but the sailor looked to
be in better condition, the Californian
being callow and having staring eyes.
The betting at the start was 100 to 10
on Jeffries.
They shook hands ard shaped up we'll.
Iaffrtns Ia1 nd los
times. but was generally over OF under.
On the other hand, Sharkey went into
tho fight with both hands and swing
ing wildly, Again in the second round
Sharkey was Hopping around, and he
came ir for nasty left that rolled him
ove,. 1t looked then as if Shai key was
outclassed. O'Rourke, however, gave
the sailor talking to, and, to the
amazenent OF all, Sharkey swung home
on JetfrIos' ribs and jaw almost at will
and there was wild crowd of observers
As the fight went along, round by
round, the sailor fought his way into
the hearts of those who maryeled at
Jeffries' capacity for punishment, The
Californian erouched down low, and
though his eyes blazed, he smiled, and
generally over at O'Rourke, who was
coaching his man over the ropes.
Sharkey's vicious punches began to
tell, and at the close of the seventh
round it seemed that Jeffries could
hardly walk to his corner, and it seemed
certain there would be new champion.
Sharkey's ear was split in the eighth,
and it, made him like bull He
rushed, swinging lefts and rights, and
landed nearly all of them, with Jeffries
throwing himself over the sailor.
The Californian pushed his man over
the ropes at every oppor rtunity and in
some Of the rounds rested his great
head on Sharkey's shoulder SO much
that he was hissed and ieered. Jeffries
landed terrific upEecrut in the 10th
round and Sharkey's eyelid was split,
but ID the 18th Sharkey got back with
half-dozen left swings and u straight
right, and it was wonderful that they
did not end the fight.
Jeifries hugged the sailor hard and
shook his head as he went to his corner.
Every round carried Sharkey across the
ring at the start, and he was fighting
the champion all over the canvas. In
tho 10Th Jeffries made bluff at fol cling,
but Sharkey was at him again like
bulldog and swung high and low and
landed almost every time he swung.
The Californian made little effort to
lead. He preferred the defensive, and,
besides, he was winded. Sharkey, too,
was tiring fast, and they punched and
swung and clinched and staggered all
round the ring for the next few rounds.
The crowd shrieked from the sound of
the gong to the close OF each round
Both men were covered with blood, and
Jeffries was bleeding badly from his