The Holly chieftain., 1899-11-10
JEFFRiEs AND sHARkEY.
Bie Fight ut Concy Island Decided In
Favor OF the Former.

Big Fight ut Concy Island Decided In
Favor OF the Former.
Ringside Coney Island Sporting Club,
New York, Nov. 3.-James ]. Jecries
retains the championship Of the world,
Referee George Siler giving him the de-
cision at the end Of the twenty-fifth
round over Sailor Tom Sharkey at the
Coney Island Sporting Club tonight.
1t was one of the most marvellous bat
ties that has taken place, and the great
est crowd that ever gathered in the
Coney Island Club house witnessed the
desperate struggle for supremacy.
In five rounds Jefrries had the better
Of the fight-in the first two and the
last three. During the other twenty
Sharkey forced the issue, and, like
bull terrier, was at his man with both
hands INCREASINGLY. In those twenty
rounds Jeffries' great weight and
Drawn helped him to hold of the sailor,
and in the twenty-second round he
swung in a couple of vicious upper
cuts that made Sharkey groggy. Tom
came back again in the twenty-fOurth
and twenty fifth, but he was weakened
greatly by Jeffries' vicious blows. One
minute before the gong sounded to end
the fight Jeffries' left glove came of,
and practically the contest was over.
The thousands of spectators were
banked forty feet high in the building,
the place being packed from ringside
to rafters. and the aisles around the
ring were lined. The tremendous crowd
sweated under the glare of 400 are
lights. Fifteen feet or less from the
canvas of the squared circle the heat
was intense. The fighters were almost
ayh ho ,ctn nd fhn taf cl, y.fnl- nI
themselves hoarse. 1t seemed as though
1t would be a short fight. for in the sec
ond round Jeffries put the sailor to the
ropes with 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 Shark
ey, with his vicious swings to the ribs
and jaw. kept the crowd on its feet
waiting for Knockout.
Jeffries stood the terrific punishment,
and with his eye. nose and ear split,
came back just as viciously in the last
three 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 Sharkey to
rush in and end 1t. This he tried to do,
but Jeffries fought him back and Ref
cree Siler rushed to the rescue. 1t was
noticeable that Jeffries used his weight
to Its best advantage, throwing HIM
self all over the sailor, but the Inter
did his share OF the hugging, too, and
both were warned repeatedly.
Sharkey says of the fight:
"I was robbed out of n justly earned
victory. l outpointed Jeffries in ma
jority of the rounds, and should have
had the decision. l protested against
Siler as referee, knowing that he had
feeling against me and would give
me the worst of 1t. 1t was only after
Tom O'Rourke had told me of the deal
that l consented to have him act as
referee. think all fair minded persons
who saw the fight will say that my
fears about Siler were well grounded
II fought five rounds with two brok-
en- ribs. l think that I can beat JEFF
fries and / want to meet him again."
What Jeffries had to say:
"Sharkey was plucky. My left hand
went back on me in the seventh round,
or l would have knocked him out No
more picture machines for me. The in
tense heat from the electric lights
bothered me considerably and made
me very weak at times. Sharkey
fought very foul, and it's wonder to
me that Siler did not disqualify him.
He repeatedly butted me with his head
and used his elbows more frequently
than he did his hands"