The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-25
TWO SHORT ROUNDS.
F'itzsimmons an Easy
Victor Last Night.
Again Shows Himself to Be Equal
to the Best.
T7i41 TXTo0 NOo1 o1o(1 GLor
Fitz Was Cool and Shar-
key Wild as Usual.
Victor Was Knocked Down the
First Round.


billty in less than two rounds is the story
in brief OF Tom Sharkey's meeting with
Bob Fltzsimmons at the Coney Island
Sporting club tonight Fitzslmmops was
the victor, Sharkey the loser. Fitz said
all along that when the opportunity pre-
sented itself he would prove conclusively
that ne was Sharkey's superior and settle
accounts for the injustice done HIM when
he met Sharkey In California four years
ago.
Sharkey was equally confident that he
would prove to be Fitzs1mmons' master
in the ring but the result of tonight's
battle and the brevity of 1t proved that
Fitzsimmons is still great fighter and
able to beat the best of the heavy weights.
He has beaten Corbett, Rubin and
Sharkey and now it is up to Jetfries to
give Bob a sho to retrieve his lost
championship laurels which he lost to
Jefrles fourteen months ago in this same
club house. Fi6asimmons was q decided
favOrite in the betting, owing TO his re-
cent showing with Rubin. His defeat OF
Ruhlin and the previous victory Of Rub
lin over Sharkey were figured on as show
ing that EltzsimmOnS ought to whip
the sailor on this occasion. When the
men met tonight, both Of them declared
themsel YES to be in first class condition
and they certainly looked it, Fitzsi1n-
mons had taken on few pounds in
weight since his meeting with Rubin,
| but neither he nor Sharkey would tell
what they actually weighed. Sharkey,
/ however, looked to be about twenty
pounds heavier. When the men came to-
gether, Sharkey became the aggressOr,
rushing fercely and swinging wildly.
FItzsimmOns had no difficulty in side
stepping out of the way.
aGBob soon began feintlng Sharkey into
leads and when the sailor tried his round
arm blows he left himself open which
FitzsimmOns was quick to take advant-
age of as he stepped inside and put DOW
erful right and left smashes on the
sailors body and neck. He stabbed
Sharkey with his left, making the sailor
lose his temper. Then Sharkey rushed
more wildly than before, missing most of
the swings while Fitzslmmons was get
ting to him with great force and using
both hands.
At the close OF the round Sharkey, with
terrific left swing which landed on the
shoulder and neck, put FitzsimmOns
down to the floor of the ring and Tom
fell over him in his mad rush. Tom
regained his feet quickly but the bell
rang with Fitzsimmons still on the floor.
The spectators were cheering like wild
men and when FItzsimmons got to his
feet the men squared again for fight,
evidently not having heard the bell
amid the uproar. The referee rushed be-
tween them, sending them to their COR
ners and this is where Sharkey Ssays he
would have finished Fitz had he had ten
seconds mora. In the second round,
Sharkey, having gained confidence from
his knocking titzsimmons down in the
preceding round went for his man as If
/ to annlhilats him, but FitzslmmOns. nav
/ ing the cooler head and better Judgment
/ Outgeneralled the younger man who
/ seemed to lose all control of himself in
his frantic endeavOrs to land on Fitsim-
mons Fitz stepped in with crushing
right to the body and a ready left to the
jaw, while the best Sharkey could do was
to swing left which landed in the mi d.
die of F1tzs1mmons' back.
There was fearful force behind this
| blow, as F1tzsimmons said after the fight
was over that he felt as If he had been hit
with pick-axe in the small fof the back.
FitzsimmOns GOODNESS never forsook
him and he watched Sharkey's wild
efforts with evident satisfaction, as the
sailor was leaving himself very open.
Fitz stepped into him and literally bat
tered Sharkey down with right on the
body and left and rights on the head.
/ Sharkey took the count and came up
groggy. He staggered back to the ropes
with FitzSimmOns hot after him. Shar-
/ key was then unable to protect himself
and FltzsinmOns sent thate fearful right
or ce more to the body, following up
with right and left to the body. Sharkey
wabbled but still had strength enough
TO keep on his feet. FitzsimmOns stepped
in again with another right on the body
following twice with rights and lefts on
the head and finished his work and the
! fight with singing left hook on the
4 jaw which sent Sharkey down and out
1t was a short but hard fight in which
Fitzsimmons proved his superiority and
it is just possible that another meeting
with Je1frles VIII result in Fitzslmmons
! again winning the title of heavyweight
! champion OF the world.
About 6, COO people saw the bout but If
! they had not been good natured, they
would have left the club house long be-
/ fore the fight was put on. The manage
ment was in bad OdOr for three hours.
during which time the 5000 penned UP
/ sports sWeltered and fumed In the heated
/ club house where there was little or no
! ventilation,
The preliminary bout fell through and
another had to be substituted which
caused delay of at least an hour and
half When the boys began lighting,
it was seen that they knew nothing of
the game and their work in the ring was
1 SO ridiculous that the OnloOlxers took it
as huge joke instead OF resentinr it.
Then there was another delay of nearly
an hour before the big fellows made their
appearance. Charley White, the chosen
referee, refused to officiate until $500
was guaranteed to him. When White
finally gained his point, it was thought
that the fight would then go on but Fitz-
simmons and his manager insisted that
the amount of the purse, $25, 900 should
be in sight before the Ianky puxiGst
would enter the ring. just what arrange
ment WAS come to between the club
managers and Fitzsimmons, could
not be learned but Fitzsimmons
declared that he was satisfied as he
walked to the ring-side. Sharkev had
been in the ring fully % minutes before
Fitzsimmons turned up and Bob was re-
celved with mingled cheers and groans