The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-26
SPORTING news.
Corbett Gives His Opinion of
the Coming Fight.
Saws There Is No Choice Be-
tween Jeffries and Sharkeys
ARE EVENLY MATCHED
Rugged as Oaks, Strong as Bulls,
Hard Hitters.
Will Fight to the Limit and Be
Eager For More.
ARE EVENLY MATCHED

New York, Oct 26.-The Journal pub
fishes the following opinion from J. J.
Corbett:
With nv knowledge of Tom Sharkey
and Jim Jeffries I would not dare predict
the result of their encounter. This much
1 will venture: 1t is not an odds-on con-
test by any means. Jeffries is favorite
/ know, but those who favor him do not
take Sharkey seriously enough. He will
fight Jeffries harder than Fitzsimmons
did. And on his victory with Fitz, jeff
ries' bettors seem to calculate when sum-
In truth, never in my ring career did I
know of two fighters 50 evenly matched
Both men are rugged as old oaks; strong
to the same schoOl-they fight with less
care than a scientific man relying to
No little extent on their enormous ca
fRortbSoroinI batfie fbese tactjcs NAV not
be employed: but I think they will
be regarded as a disadvantage. / do not
think SO. He is constructed substantial
ly. He is of the stOcky sort, and hard as
a rock all over. His appearance in. the
ring may not be graceful. It certainly is
not discoura ging to his opponent But
after round you will change your opin-
emily wild method of throwing the arms
about. That's one of Sharkey's strong
holds. He Keeps coming.
JeffrieS may reach him again and again,
but sharkey is likely to take it all with
a vince. He is the hardest man to hit
bI:iwarI1 against weakening blows And
his face well after punchfng it until
weary you begin to think that it is either
false or covered with plate of steel. I
do not mean by all this that Sharkey can
be hit at will. Many seem to believe he
is a faIlacy. Sharkey,. for all his careless
movements, blocks cIeverly. He is not
slow, and nine times out Of ten his burly
arms receive the swings and uppercuts
intended for some more vulnerable pOr-
It's much the same with Jeffries. The
Californian is a free arm fighter; His
take a blow for the return delivery. jim
is a big fellow, husky and has a bit of
time. For his ponderous form he is not
slow. He glides about quickly and with
astonishing ease. Jeffries has courage
by the barrelful, and, like Sharkey, wants
no idle feinting and fruitless leading in
his. He will walk into the brunt of the
battle every time unless the other fellow
comes his way first.
When Jeffries meets Sharkey, I do not
think he will assume that crouch that
helped keep Fitz away. 1t wouldn't puZ-
Of the pulling kind. Sharkey Would
smash in recklessly, rip up his right and
get to Jeffries' frame with one of his
fearful body smites. Body punches, in
my opinion, viii be handed about freely
an inviting proposition, and SharNey has
been hit there 50 often with no result
that some really believe no man can
knock him out in the regular way. When
it comes to body lashing, it's even money
Sharkey7s left can bore in with the
power. OF a pile driver; even when it has
utfIizes his left when rib@crushing or wind
jamming is in order. Neither man is a
one-handed fighter. Sharkey will try right
along with a right swing for the head: It
wont land as general thing; but if it
does Jeffries will have a faint idea that
something happened. Jeffries' right will
pound the ribs chiefly. That has been its
function hitherto at any rate. With his
left Jeffries will whip in for the body.
and every little while change its course
upward.
Really, the more I delve into the two
mems method and their ability the more
perplexing il becomes. On the one hand
you have Sharkey, a man that can ac-
cept a terrific beating without perceptible
effect: a minute in his corner and he is
back ike a new man; a vicious puncher
and fighter who faces the storm un-
hesitatingly, willing to back his volley
against the other fellows fusilIade Then
Jehries-a big man, long reached, one
who regards a punch with no more ter
rOr than an elephant does a fly bite. A
man who wants to fight from bell to bell,
and who viii bang away with both hands
every time he is near enough to strike
and that is nearly all the time.
If I were to venture an opiniOn-and I
wont-it, would be this: The fight will
go to the limit, with both men strong
and eager for more.