Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-17

But Corbett's Extraordinary Skill with
His Hands and Feet Awaited Not Against
the Drawn and Stamina of the Gigantic
California Boiicrmaker.
Coney Island, N. T., May 2.-James
j. JeiTries is still the undefeated heavy
weight champion OF the world. He
indicated his claim to that title last
night, in the twenty third round of his
battle with James j. Corbett With a
short left-handed swing or jolt on the
jaw.
There never was, possibly, fight 80
fraught with surprises as this. The
lightness of the betting there was
really no betting to speak of--elo-
queptly told the public's suspicious,
but as it turned out these suspicious
were unfounded. There was fight
from end to end, ip which the former
champion showed up in form that sur.
prIsed his friends and dumfounded
those who took The other end.
Jeffries won, but he did not win all
the way by long shot, As matter
of fact. the many who declared that he
was a natural i to 8 shot will have to
revise their dope. 9s
dreamed he possessed. OF that no bot
that he stayed % rounds and O part Of
another with man who looked to be
% pounds heavier and who is his junior
by nearly 10 years.
| There was no jolly about the reports
of his excellent condition. He looked
to be. and was ir better shape than he
was at Carson City, while his foot
work and general defensive tactics sug-
gested the Corbett that won the cham.
pionship from John L. So far as hox-
ing was concerned, he made the cham.
pion look like deuce, and il the bout
had been stopped at the end of the
| eighteenth round and been called @
| draw the spectators would have had nc
kick coming at the referee. He jabbeo
and iabBed Jeffries, and at very early
stage of the bout he opened cash oyel
JeIfriss' right eye. But the principle
OF mechanics that you can only affair
speed at the sacrifice of power applies
to his case. His punches did not have
The steam behind them. He probably
landed four punches to Jeffries' one
but there was just four times as much
damage in one of Jeff's punches.
There will be NO disputing the fac
that Jeffries did not show up so we'll al
he did in his fight with Fitzsimmons
although he was made to look slowel
than he really was by contrast with thu
lithe-like Corbett. His boxing, how
ever, was disappointment He missed
chance after chance, when Corbet
would purposely 60 to a clinoh, and
by the way, there's point in the gam
in which Corbett showed particular
efficiency. But never unoe did tn
champion desist from his purpose. HI
kept after Corbett like a numbering
cart goes after colt. He never pait
the slightest attention to the jeering o
the spectators, whose symrathies WEI
with Corbett, and the latter ducke'
away from one left-hauded swing afte
another, as they almost raised the roof
1t was rather noticeable that Jetfrie
rarely deyiated from that lead. II
would swing his left and Corbett. woul,
duck away from it. Had he varie,
things with left-handed upper Gu
occasionally, the story Of the figh
would have been materially shorter.
As said before, II the bout had bee
stopped at the end Of the eighteent
round and the decision had been
draw, no reasonable fault could hav
been found. From the nineteenth o.
to the finish Jeffries had things prett
nearly his own way. Realizing by tn
expressions of the crowd that CorbeI
would be in danger Of getting the popu
lar verdict IL the tight went the limit
he started in the nineteenth with
rush. Corbett going to the ropes, br
sustaining no damage. Immediatel
after the separation Jeffries lande
lightly with his left on the face, an
Corbett oountered. They had hardl
broken before Jeffries ripped in stor
left-handed punoh-a punch betwee
swing and an upper cut 1t lande
| somewhere near the danger mark, BIT
not exactly on 1t, and Corbett wei
! down. This was really the beginning {
. the end.
, The minutes rest, how ever, SCENE
to do Corbett world OF good, an
when he came up 1t was With the ev
. dent intention of staying away frol
, the champion. The latter kept aftt
, him, but for the first two. minutes
appeared TO be chasing a SUNBEAM
Toward the close of the round, howeye
: he chased Corhett into his corner an
landed light left on the jaw.
Inc twenty-nrSt ROUND was barren
exciting incidents. but in the twent.
second JefTries began doing his stun
for fair. He kept right after Ccrbet
who began to show the effects Of b
r excessive foot work. C'inches wei
t numerous and here again Corne
showed up surprisingly clever. Wit
his hands close to his body he wou
: get inside Jelf's guard and invariab
escaped punishment. But in the breH
from one of the olinches in this rour
Jeifries got in swinging right on 10
t belts off kidney that will doubtle
4 cause rising market for celery con
:. pounds for some days to come.