Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-16
PETER
MAHER b
AND
KID
MCCOY.
cxxxSSxcxxsxnorsx,cs
THE forthcOmIng battle between

THE forthcoming battle between
kid" Mccoy and Peter Maher IL
exciting an unusual amount OF In
terest among sportsmen, because 1t Is
understood that the winner will be In
line for the championship Of the world,
now held by James Jeffries. There Is
considerable discussion among the ex-
perts as to the probable outcome Of the
bout, and the fraternity Is fairly well
divided as TO the merits OF the two
men.
Those who think that Mccoy will win
base their opinions on his remarkable
cleyerness as boxer, as well as on his
undoubted hitting abilities. This In
innate knowledge of ring tactics dis
played by the KID has astonlshed
many followers Of hstic affairs. Mccoy
has acquired his wonderful clevcrness
and generalship by the hardest kind OF
work. lie has deemed nothing too triv-
ial or too mental II II could possibly be
used as means TO the acquisition OF
some new point In the art Of boxing.
During bis career he has at one time or
another been attached 10 the retinue OF
nearly every prominent fighter. While
serving in some humble capacity he
would carefully pick up every scrap OF
knowledge he could and, II possible,
he would learn by boxing with his man.
Hard punches and knockouts were Of
daily occurrence, but Mccoy took ev-
erything as it came and pluokily stuck
10 his self imposed task, happy In the
consciousness that he was treasuring
up knowledge that would bear ample
fruit in the future.
In adherence 10 this plan he attached
himself 10 one fighter after another,
until now there Is hardly prominent
boxer in this country whose every move
and trick Is not an open book to the
ubiquitous 'Kid." Tommy Ryan, one
Of the cleverest living boxers has been
used by the foxy Mccoy to gain knowl-
edge. Fitzsimmons' every device Is
known to him. as are the styles OF Jim
Hall, Frank Bosworth. Frank Erne,
Dan Creedon and Steve o'Donnell. The
cleverest man he ever met.
How Mccoy has made use Of the
knowledge thus gained may be gather
ed from the fact that he afterward met
and defeated nearly all the men he had
previously studied when q comparative
novice.
Even now Mccoy does not consider
that he knows all that is to be learned
In connection with the game, but is
ever on the alert for new tricks and
hitherto undiscovered points in matters
fistic. His action in Offering to train
Corbett for his fight with Jeffries for
The Police Gazette belt, emblematic Of
the heavyweight championship Of the
world, seems to me 10 be In line with
mis- former plans. A fight between Nc
Coy and Corbett is not o remote pos
sibility. especially II the latter should
defeat Jeffrles, and Mccoy evidently
wishes to get acquainted beforehand
with all the tricks and articles Of the
-pompadour.
Peter Maher is n tough proposition
for any fighter TO go up against. That
he is so regarded is amply evidenced
by the sedulous care taken by Jeffries,
Corbett, Fitzslmmons and others to
avoid making a match with him. II is
a saying among the fraternity that
any one Maher can get at to hit he can
whip, and past events have proved the
correctness Of the expression. The big
1rlshman is tremendously hard hitter
and knows how TO use his ability in
this direction. He has courage as was
shown by his challenging and beating
Joe Goddard after the latter had knock
ed him out. In addition TO his great
strength Maher is possessed Of a con-
siderable knowledge Of boxing, and he
is all the time adding to this store.
When Mccoy and Maher meet In the |
ring, | expect to see Mccoy the ag-
gressor in the opening rounds Of the
encounter. His aim Will be TO land |
good, solid punches on the Irishman |
with the possibility of knocking him |
out, hoping at the same time to avoid |
punishment by his own stiffness of leg
and cleverness Of hands. II he finds he |
can get at Peter and still keep out Of |
reach Of the latter's blows. he will keep
on with this method Of attack, hoping |