Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-15
.JEFFRIES!
Knocks Out Champion
FitZsimmOnS in the
Eleventh Round.
Latter Not Much Dis
gruntled By His Dis
astrOus Defeat.
Fair Fight in Which the
Best Tlan Seems
To Win.

champion pugilists. At the arena of
the Coney Island Athletic club last
night, he defeated Robert Fitzsimmons,
the worlds champion in two classes
middle weight and heavy weight-in
eleven rounds of whirlwind fighting.
He came to the ring a rank outsider
and left it the acknowledged master Of
the man he defeated. He never at any
time was in serious danger and after
the size-up in the early rounds of the
contest took the lead. He had The
Australian whipped from the ninth
round. It was acknowledged he had
an advantage in weight and age, but
his opponent was backed to win by a
large crowd, who were sure that jeff
ries was slow and in this respect would
be completely at the mercy of the past
master of the science, Fitzsimmons.
He proved on the contrary that he was
Just as fast as the man he met and beat
him down to conscious defeat in a fair
fight. He is a veritable giant in sta
ture and marvelously speedy for his
immense SIZE Less than year ago
he appeared in New York, great awk-
ward ungainly boy. Now he is a 1.-the,
active, alert trained athlete. The men
who prepared him for his light worked
wonders with him. They taught him
nearly perfect defense, improved his
foot movement and instructed him IN
methods of inficting punishment. The
transition since he appeared last has
been a little short of miracle. At "a
he has defeated Robert Fitzsimmons
Sharkey and Peter Jackson, and if he
cares for himself he will probably be
able to successfully defend the title fol
many years.
The defeated man was just as good
as when on the plains of Nevada he
| lowered Corbett's colors. He was just
as active, just as clever, just as tricky
and just as fearless of punishment
He went unfalteringly to his defeat
/ He was the aggressor even at moments
when he was bleeding and unsteady
and when stunned by the blows he re-
ceived, he reeled instinctively toward
his opponent. He was fighting all the
| time and he punished his opponent but
found him a different opponent than
any that he had met and difficult
man to fight. Jeffries fought from a
crouching attitude that was hard tC
get at. He held his head low, his
back was bent down and his left arm
extended. He kept jabbing away
with his left and found no trouble in
landing it. 1t was there that his su-
perior reach told. That giant arm
served as a sort of human fender to
ward off danger. He showed excel
lent defense and ability to use both
hands with skill. He is game, too, for
he never shrank from his punishment.
1t was a great fight and it commenced
and ended amid scenes of intense ex-
element.
The men fought before a crowd of
5000 persons. There was not a sug-
gestion of interference from the police.
Chief Devery occupied a seat by the
ring-side, but never entered the ring.
When it was all over he sent Capt.
Kenney into the crowd to clear the
ring. The contest was pulled off with
out a wrangle and was devoid of brutal
elements that Chief Devery alleged he
feared. Never was a crowd handled
with greater order and less friction.
Il was all perfectly orderly. There
was little betting. There was plenty
of money ready on both sides, but no
body liked odds. The Jeffries people
wanted for 1 for their collateral and
the Fitzsimmons people were slow to
give it.
Jeffries was the first Of the princi-
pals to appear at the club house. He
came through the main entrance and
walked the length of the hall to the
accompaniment of cheers, while FitZ-
simmons, who was accompanied by his
men, gained the building and his dress
ing room by rear door. The dis
agreement as to ends Of clinches and
breaks was discussed and settled out
side of the ring and there vas but little
delay when the terms were agreed
upon. Fitzsimmons' entry into
the ring at 1905 o'clock was made the
occasion of a rather theatrical demon
stration. Jeffries came next into the
arena and like his opponent got a
demonstrative reception. Fitzsim-
mons looked lanky and thin but his
skin was clear, his eye bright and mis-
step elastic He made a great display
of American flags at his waist. JET |
fries looked sturdy and massive and |
seemed a little nervous. He got the
worse of the assignment of corners for
the great lights shone into his face |
and ne blinked at them in nervous /
sort of way. There was no trying de- |