The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-01
THE MCCOY -hhEBR MILL
Even Money Wagered on TOday's
Event at Coney Island.
i h" Sporting fraternity Find mach
Diflicnfty in Fixing pou Il Choice
Hou; May Not Last the Twenty-Five
Rounds = Mig Audience Expect
Ell - Some large sums Posted.

NEW YORK. Dec. 3l.-DoWn by the sad
sea waves tomorrow afternoon. in the post
less ring OF the Coney Island Sporting
Club. Peter Maher. of ireland. and Kid
Mccoy viii meet in twenty 1--we round
glove contest for purse OF $4,000. Both
men are in the heavyweight class. and
each is particularly desirous OF victory. for
such Z success will land the winner close
to the standard already set By Jim Jenres,
Tom Sharkey, and Bob Titzsimmons.
Probably no contest. barring the JenFies-
Sharkey bout. decided in the ring last
November. has caused such widespread in-
terest and speculation as this affair Maher
and Mccoy appear to be 50 evenly matched
that the shewdest kind OF calculating by
the talent" has not produced sufficient
line on the fight to mark either pugiist
as a sure winner. Betting men who follow
fights as closely as they study the form
uf race horses say that wagers should be
at even money. as neither siaher nor Ne
Coy has enough advantage 10 shift the
odds either way.
"Pttsburg Phil" thinks differently. how
ever. and after visiting Mahers quarters
today. the plunEer came back so favor
ably impressed that he bet 81 600 20 $500
On the lrishmsn as fast as a Mccoy ad-
mirer could be found to take the short end.
He now stands to lose S15.00e il Mccoy
wins. Harry Corbett took one siice u the
money. John Kelley las $1,000 TO invest
on Maber g. the same odds.
l!sa Jeifries got into town from Con-
necticut today. and before leaving again
for Toronto. said he would not bet cent
on the result. He rather fsncies Mahcr If
il comes TO a miX-up. as he thinks the
lrishman is great puncher.
The fight gives promise of being scnsa-
lional and decisive. Few Of the regular pa
trcns Of boxing believe that twenty-five
rounds viii be fought although they ilrow
full weli that such an occurrence is pos
sible between hcavyweghts. inasmuch as
Jenriss and Sharkey went similar dis
tence. Each man SAYS he has no doubt
about winning which is not a bluff. but an
evidence cf supreme confidence Maher has
the reputation Of making matches with
men who appear 70 him TO be easy, ana in
taking On Mccoy Peter figures that if the
Kid could not 30 further than ten rounds
with Sharkey. a victory for Ireland is GER
tain, for Maher rates himself pretty well
alongside of Sharkey Maher fought Shar-
key at local club in 1857. and when the
police stopped proceedings in the seventh
round, the opinion OF the spectators as tc
the better man was divided.
McCoy's fight al the Lerox Ath,eti. Club
vita Sharkey last winter showed thai The
kid Is one Of the cleverl.i men in the
ring. As far as science goes, he is thought
to be the equal Of Corbett.
Mccoy viii be heavier than ever be-ors.
Billy Muldoon has built him up s. that he
weighs clcse to 10 pounds and yet has
not lost any of his noted speed AMI shifd-
ness. Maher viii possibly lip the beam At
about 1876 pounds Mahcr differs from 1Gc-
Coy in almost every respect. He is o6cr,
bigger and is a harder hitter. He is rot
in McCoys class as a scientist, but he is
clescTer than most people believe Peter is
a rusher, a terrific puncher vita both
hands. and he's fairly good legs. lis reach
is loag enough 20 allow him TO get to any
fighter in the world. providing his antag
onist viii stand up and mix it.
report that Msher's wife was dead and
thar the fight would have TO he postponed
was circulated today To all enquiries Ma
her answered that his wife was in good
health ard that nothing could prevent him
I from meeting Mccoy.
Both pugilisis spent most Of the time ont
Of doors today. enjoying a rest and the
: fresh air. They will remain at their re-
I spectiye quarters until tomorrow morning
+ when they win 90 direct 10 Coney Island.
At Corbett's today the visitors gathered
/ ia large numbers. The former champion
I was kept busy acting as stakeholder. ard is
now holding he says. about $4,000 ir
wagers, Co-bett declares that the fight Is
one Of the best betting events he can recall
I for uaug vc5rs.