The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-04
JEFFRlES STILL CHAMPION.
HE PROVED TOO MUCH FOR SAILOR
tom SHAHEIEY.

Got In Some Work in the First Two
or Three Rounds, and Then IL
Looked Like Sharkcy's Fight I'm
til After the Twentieth-Aftcr That
Jeffries Did Most of the work ana
Soon seemed TO Have the Sailor
GrOgRy.
Ring Side. Coney Island Sporting Club,
New York, Nov. S.-James J. Jeffres re
tains the championship Of the world
Referee George siler gave MIN the decis-
lon at the end of the twenty-hfth round
over Sailor Tom Sharkey, at the Coney Is
land Sporting Club tonight
1t was one Of the most marvellous battles
that has taken place, and the greatest
crowd that ever gathered in the Coney Is
land Club house witnessed the desperate
struggle for supremacy.
In five rounds Jeffrles had the better OF
the fight, in the first two and in the last
three. D ring the other twenty rounds
Sharhey forced the issue, and like a bull
terrier, was at his man with both hands
increasingly. In those twenty rounds JEFF
fries great weight and Drawn helped him
second round he swung In a couple of vi
eious uppercuts that made Sharlxey grog-
BY. Tom came back again in the twenty
fourth and twenty-hfth, but he was weak
ened greatly by Jeffries vicious blows.
One minute before the gong sounded 10
end the fight. Jeffries' left glove came
off, and practically the contest was over.
TffHTea 10 Tar
an American flag was fung around the
champions shoulders and the crowd out
side and in the arena cheered wildly The
crowd on the opposite and in Sharkey's
corner, yelled for Sharkey, and the men
were led back to their dressing rooms.
Thousands Watched II.
The thousands OF spectators were bank
ed forty feet high in the building, the place
being packed from ringside to ALTERS. ana
the aisles around the big ring were lined.
The tremendous crowd sweated under the
glare of 400 arc lights, fifteen feet or less
from the canvas of the squared circle. The
heat was intense. The fighters were al
most exhausted, and the spectators Shrek
ed themselves hoarse.
1t seemed at first as though 1t would be
a short fight for in the second round Jeff
ries 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 to the ribs and the
jaw, kept the crowd on its feet waiting
for a knockout.
Jeffrles stood the terrific punishment
and nit IA hi -
back just as viciously in the last fhree
rounds, and almost retrieved himself. Then
came the unfortunate and unsatisfactory
ending, Jeffries glove flying off, bring the
fight to an end, although the crowd
urged Sharkey to rush in and end IL. This
he tried to do but Jeffries fought him
back and Referee Sler rushed to The res
cue. 1t was noticeable that Jeffries used
his weight to its best advantage, throw
ing himself all over the Sailor but the
latter did his share of the hugging, too,
and both were warned repeatedly.
Ten thousand spectators gathered around
the ringside.
A preliminary event Of ten rounds at 12S
pounds preceded the big event. and Kid
Gou,ette OF Rochester who looked a great
deal like Jeffries on a small scale, was
beaten by Tommy Moran of Brooklyn.
Then after half an hours delay Sharkey
could be seen making his way through the
crowds. He was well received, but JEFF
fries was cheered to the echo.
At the start.
The official timekeeper was Billy Mad
den. TTmekeeper for Sharkey, Mike Brad
ley, of Lawrence, Miss, and Al Smith Of
New York for Jeffrles. The men fought
under Marquis of Queensbury rules, and
were allowed to hit with one hand free. In
case of interference the man having the
better Of the contest was to receive the
referees decision.
Sharkey was stripped to the buff wear
ing green trunks with belt made of the
American flag. Jefres wore short black
tights coming half way to his knee
Jeffries weighed PIP pounds and Shar-
key twenty-five pounds less. but the latter
looked to be in better condition, the Cali
fornian being callow and having staring
eyes, and giving other evidences of not
being in the best condition. The betting
at the start was 100 to 70 on Jeffrles.
1t looked then as though Sharkey was
clearly outclassed in the second round
O'Rourke. however, gave the Sailor a
talking to, and, 70 the amazement of ALL
Sharkey swung home on Jeffries' ribs and
jaw almost at viii, and there was a
wild audience. As the fight went along
round by round, the Sailor fought his way
into the hearts of those who marveled at
Jeffries capacity for punishment.
Sharkey's vicious punches began TO tell.
and at the close of the seventh, il seemed
as though Jeffries could hardly walk 10
his corner and It seemed certain there
would be new champion Sharkeys ear
was split in the eighth, and II made him
fight ike a bull. lie rushed, swinging
lefts and rights and landed nearly an of
them. with Jeffries throwing himself all
over the Sailor.
How 1t Was stopped.
None could cay who would get in the
Knockout blow, and neither seemed able
10 put force enough into the blow TO drop
his man. In the midst of the twenty-hfth
nearly one minute before the close, JEFF
fries glove flew across the ring and Sier
ran 10 help him on with IT, Sharkey held
back until his friends yelled at him not
10 stop, and II was a three-cornered fight
for a few seconds. The referee get Jer.
fries glove and tried to draw IL on This
was difficult TO do, and then sharkoy
rushed. Jeffries threw up his gloved and
ungloved hand, and with the former up
percut Sharkey. Siler ran between them
and made a second attempt TO assist JET
fries. The sailor waited a moment but