The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-28
F|Tz. MAKES HIS
BOW AND RET|RES'
He Will Fight no More, He
Declares.
WON'T FIGHT JEFfERIES.
Because Jeffries Declines to Meet Him
on Friday Night.
WON'T FIGHT JEffERIES.
JeFfRlES IS NOT FIT, SAYS HIS MANAGER
Not in Training, He ADDS. He Has Had
Plenty of Time to Get:in Condition, Fiz 9
Replies, Adding That He Himself
is on Edge.
CBy the Associated Press.) }

(By the Associated Press)
New York. August 2S.-Robert FitZ-
simmons tonight announced his retire
ment from the pugilistc ring. He made
an ineffectual attemrt today to get on
match for the heavyweight champion
ship with James ]. Jeffries to take place
before the Horton Law expires at mid
night next Friday. and tonight issued the
following statement:
Il am through with fighting. l will re-
tire from the ring and will not claim the
championship from Jeffries. | am ready
and on edge to meet him next Fri
day night as his manager suggested ten
days ago, but as he claims he rs in no
condition to fight on that night | am
through with him and with the ring.
Henceforth there will be one man less in
the heavyweight division for l will! go
out with TIE Horton law"
Fitzsimmons, with his manager, met
William A. Brady. representing Jeffries
this afternoon. Last SATURDAY. FitZ de-
posted 50 500 to bind match between
himself and JeHnies for next Friday
night. and Brady sent word that he would
meet Fitz to arrange for a battle be-
tween Jeffries and the heavyweight
IL.
willing to meet Jeffries on Friday night
before the Twentieth Century Club unde"
any conditions as to the division of the
purse or gate receipts, which would suit
Brady. He said he would be satisfied for
the winner to take all. or to split the
purse in half or to give sixty five per
cent. to the winner, or sixty-tive per cent.
to the loser. or in fact any terms possi-
BILE so that he could meeet the present
champion before the expiration Of the
Horton law.
Brady, in reply said that Jeffries was
in no condition as he had quit training
several days ago. He said it would be
unfair for Fitzsimmons to force a match
with a man physically unfit for such
contest Ftz replied that Jeffries had
had rlenty Of time to get into condition,
and said that although he had gone
through two very severe battles during the
last two weeks, he was on edge now and
ready to fight to regain the champion
ship.
Brady said it was impossible for a
fight to take place between Jeffries and
Fitzsimmons on the date mentioned, but
that he would put up forfeit at once to
bind a match between the two, the fight to
take place within three months from
September 1st and a side bet of $4,000.
Fitz would not listen to this proposition,
and said t4at it was only made for ad-
vertising purposes.
JEFFRIES' SIDE OF THE CASE.
Norfolk Va, August 27.-An Associa-
ted Press representative called on James
j. Jeffries tonight at the Monticello
Hotel, and asked him about his proposed
fight with Fitzsimmons. Jeffries lepiied
that he is ready to fight Fitzsimmons or
any other man who will rut up the forfeit
money and agree to the terms. He says
he now weighs about 220 pounds and a.
though apparently strong and we'll, he is
not in fighting trim. He said he could
not get ready to fight in the shot time
before the expiration of the Horton Law
in New York. Then he said with strong
emphasis: why did not Fitz accept my
offer to fight ten days ago." Fitzsim-
mons and Sharkey both refused 20 put
up forfeit of $2,500."
He said he was ready to fight then
but since that time he has engaged
travelling company and made arrange
ments that prevent his going into train
ing.
Speaking for Jeffries Mr.. Cook said:
"Al Smith, in New York, has a forfeit
of $4,000 deposited as an invitation to
some disputant that Jeffries will fight.
All that the disputant needs to do is
to cover that amount and he will get
fight Jeffries will not fight till February
or March next. He has contracts to fill
and men engaged on salary, hence he
can't prepare now He is willing to fight
at Carson City, New, provided the Hor
ton Law is repealed in New York Fitz
might have had fight any time since
the eleventh of May, the time OF the
Jeffries- -Corbett fight, if he had wanted
one"
Jeffries did not hesitate to speak dis
paragingly of Corbett. On the contrary
he has a high opinion of the fighting
qualities of FitZ. He admits that Fitz
is the hardest fighter he has ever en-
countered. When shown the Associated
Press announcement of Fitzsimmons that
he would retire from the ring after Fri
day night, or on the expiration of the
Horton Law, Jeffries made no comment
but seemed to treat the statement with
contempt.