The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-20
sharkey and Fitz Contest.
[From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Sharkey and Fitzsinmons are doing
some newspaper sparring that is very
likely to result in the pair being
matched. 1t is to be hoped that they
will reach an agreement to settle their
differences in the ring. A contest be-
tween the sailor and the lanky Anti
pOdean will create as much interest in
the sporting world perhaps more, than
the proposed battle between JeffrieS and
COrbett. A meeting between Sharkey
and Fitz should be very interesting, and
will clear up several blOtS on the pu-
gilistic calendar. Ever since Wyatt
Earpe's pistol pocket decision in San
Francisco there has been a great de-
sire among the lovers of the pugilistic
game to have the two men meet again
Although Sharkey's record shows that
he has a victory in his record over the
red-headed Antipodean, no one ever
gave him credit for it. The sailor was
stretched hors de combat in the ring
when he received the decision. He was
unable to get to his feet, yet Earpe
gave the award to the man who had to
be carried out of the ring, while Fitz,
the real victor, had to take the loser S
end of the purse.
It was one of the boldest, most i'll
smelling jobs in the history of modern
pugilism 1 do not say that Sharkey
was a marty to it. At that time he
was new to the business. but he was
in the hands of men who knew every
trick in the shady end of the sporting
profession. Since that day Sharkey has
mounted the pugilistic ladder of fame,
and in the estimation of a large ma
jOrity of fistic enthusiasts is the next
man to Jeffries. The sailor owes it to
his friends to rid his record of this
stain He should jump at the chance to
get another meeting with Fitzsimmons.
Another consideration; 1t is likely to
result in a splendid fight, and it is a
hard Job to name the winner. True
F'itZsimmOns whipped Sharkey the last
time they met, IN thorough manner
but that does not signify that he will
be able to repeat the dose. The sailor
of today is not the individual Wyatt
Earpe saved in San Francisco He was
a novice then; now he is a skilled pu-
gilist.
There are those who think Fitzsim-
mons has gone back in form since that
day just as much as Sharkey has come
forward. There is wide speculation re-
garding Fits fighting caliber. Is he
still the pugilistic marvel he used to
be, or has he joined the has class
since his defeat at the hands of JEFF
fries?
Taking the dope as a criterion and
the figures show Sharkey to have a
splendid chance of winning. Take the
fights of both men against the present
champion. Sharkey has twice met JEFF
fries. In both instances he was on his
feet at the end of the battle, but lost
the decision both times. On the other
manu-, flIZSllnIlOnS QlQ not last IN
of the bOilermaker half the limit. The
contest was to have been 25 rounds but
before the eleventh round was COM
pleted the lanky AntipOdean was lying
unconscious on the floor, and the ref
cree could have counted a. hundred over
him if it had been necessary Thus
the respective showing of the two men
against the champion is in favor of
Sharl5ey.
Both men have fought Corbett. 1t
4 7- 70 s-I h.
champion, while nine was all that Shar-
key required. Yet is is hardly fair to
use the Corbett-Sharkey fight in the
dope. There has been so much ugly
talk about that fight, and I regret to
say that it IS warranted by facts, that
it should be thrown out in forming an
estimate of the fighting ability of the
two men.
Sharkey is exactly the style of fighter
FitzsimmonS fancies. He is an aggres-
will not wait for FitZ. He will carry
fight to him. He always does. Fitz,
too, is a rusher. Both will bore in
eager for the exchanges.
For this reason do not expect the
battle to last long. One OF the other
will go to the floor early in the engage
ment.
In my opinion. Fitz is by far the
harder and cleaner hitter. If he lands
his right on the jaw Sharkey is very Ii
able to go down. Fitz has won more
fights with one decisive punch than any
of the big fellows.
1t struck me that Sharkey was not
a great hitter in his fight with Jeffries.
He reached the boilermaker's jaw with
his right hand repeatedly, but none of
his blows seems to cause the big man
any trouble
Sharkey will have the best of F'itzsim-
mons in weight by 10 or Is pounds. On
the other hand, F'itz will have the ad-
vantage in height and reach.