The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-05
MCCOY is A MARVEL
RING FOLLOWERS ARE BEGINNING
TO BELIEVE HE WILL DE-
FEAT SHARKEY
HIS SKILL Is MARVELLOUS

Claimed That M'Coy Is the Most De-
ceptive and Dangerous Ring
Gladiator OF Modern Times
CIaSsed as the Superior of COrbett
When the Californian Was at HIS
Best-Sharl<ey Not Disturbed.
NEW YORK, Jan. 4.-Slowly but
none the less surely a majority of the
men who follow pugilism are begin
ming to believe that Kid Mccoy will
defeat Tom Sharkey when he meets
him in the LenoX Athletic club. AL
though the men will put up hands one
week from last night, there has
been comparatively little betting on the
result of the contest. This is a tribute
to the atractiveness of the bout. Sport
ing men find it extremely hard to pick
a winner. At first the tide set in Shar-
keys favor, and it seemed probable
that he would be made favorite in the
betting. Within the last week, how
ever, the tide has been setting the
other way. until now 1t almost seems
certain that Mccoy will be the choice
of the moneyed men.
But no matter what man is favorite.
or what the result of the contest may
be, there can be no doubt that the bat
tie will be one of the fastest and best
ever decided in a ring. 4dcCoy is the
cleverest. shiftiest and fastest big man
that ever donned a glove, and a stur
der, stronger or more willing boxer
than Sharkey the ring never has
known Until recent years Corbett, by
common consent. was the cleverest
heavyweight boxer America-Or, for
that matter, the world - ever pro-
dUced. And yet Corbett at his best,
clever man as he was would have been
no more than a novice in the hands of
the delicate, refined looking Kid Nc
Coy of today, the most deceptive fight
er in action as well as in appearance
in this country. And the best big men
IN the world are In this country.
PUZZLES HIS OPPONENTS.
To an opponent Mccoy is not one
man, but many men. Now here, now
there, constantly changing his position.
and always breaking the force of, if
not Guiding, his opponents lead, he al
ways is ready to cross or hook or up
percut or punch straight with either
hand, and he is as swift to get within
striking distance as he is to step out
of it. AS a boxer he is a marvel. He
hits straight and true, and his blows
are of the finished order-as rule, fin
ishing his opponent. Being a boxer
OF this type, it is almost superhuous to
say that Mccoy has a cool head and a
quick eye, or that he is resourceful.
He is ring. general of the first order,
swift to avail himself of the slightest
opportunity which may conduce to his
advantage.
And yet to that bundle of muscles
known as Tom Sharlkey Mccoy is no
marvel; indeed, is far from being a
wonder. The sailor is as supremely
confiden- mat he will defeat Mccoy as
he is tfat' he will see tomorrow's sun.
He courted this match. Some tried to
dissuade him from it, telling him that
he could have matches with men far
less clever and resourceful than Nc
Coy, but to all such he turned a deaf
ear. To his mind only accident or
death can rob him of victory in this
mill.
His confidence In himself his fear
lessness of any man in the ring and his
Willingness to meet any or all of them
have won for him many friends. who
say that because of his possession Of
these qualities he deserves to command
success. Sharl1ey never has broken an
engagement, never has dubbed over
the terms of a match, never has sought
to evade any man, no matter what his
skill, his strength of his reputation
He is the only heavyweight in the ring
who has met every other heavyweight
Of prominence. His list includes Fitz-
simmons. Corbett, Rubin, Choynski,
Goddard, Jeffries, Maher-everv man
from coast to coast who has any stand
ing as a boxer.
He has met them all, and, except in
the case of Jeffries, who gained a de-
ciSion over him on points, he never has
been defeated Now he is about to
complete his list by taking up Mccoy,
the latest and most dangerous aspirant
for championship honors. Should he
defeat Mccoy, and Fitzsimmons fail to
grant him match at once he will be
the recognized champion pugilist of the
world.
SHARKEY UNDISTURBED.
The stories of McCoy's skill and of his
ability to hit hard do not disturb the
quiet of Sharkey's slumber. They pos
sess no terrors for him. Though Nc
Coy be as elusive as a shadow he be-
lleVes he will be able to lay a heavy
hand on that shadow, and although
Mccoy E:eis- punch with the strength
OF many men, he believes he will be
able to take that punch and wear his
man down.
The sailor is man of might and
muscle with the grit of a bulldog. He
has that Unborn love Of combat which
Is an appreciate quality in the make
up of pugilist of the first-class. 1t
is quality which made John L. Sulli-
van, when in his prime, terror to
every man he faced. In this respect
Sharkey is more like Sullivan than any
other man in pugilism. His every OBJ
ponent fears his wild rushes and fierce
punch. They know not from where,
nor when, nor how it is coming. but
they know that it is something which
must be reckoned with at all stages.
Mccoy and Sharkey We're in good
physical condition when they signed ar
tcles for their match Mccoy scarcely
had broken training for his match with
Corbett, which was broken off, and
Sharkey was fresh from his triumph
over Corbett Mccoy has been perfect
ing his condition at Asbury Park. while
Sharkey is putting on the finishing
touches in this city doing his gym
nasium work in the Lenox Athletic
club, and his road work in Central park
and on the boulevard.
Physically the condition of both men
leaves nothing to be desired. It is an
Incentive to the admirers of each to
back his particular favorite. and then
settle down to see q contest the like of
which has not been decided in this
country in many years. To every ad-