Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-09
MCCOvern is Now a Decided
FavOritc in Betting.
LAD CONFIDENT
He Realizes That He Is Going Against
a Hard Man and is Trained to the
Hour-The Figures of the 'Dope'
Experts.

New York, jan .-1n the arena Of the
Broadway Athletic club tonight, George
Dixon of Boston and Terry" McGovern
of Brooklyn will struggle for the feath-
erweight championship of the world and
a purse of SO. O0o.
So far as condition and confidence are
concerned honors are about even. No two
lighters ever trained more faithfully than
the colored B%ostonian and the sturdy lit
tie B~rooklynite. Each man has made all
kinds of sacrifices in order to fit himself
thoroughly for tonight's battle, which
means so much to the winner in a finan-
cial way.
Both are extremely confident of success
and each predicts a hard fight. Meow
ern has the call in the betting at odds of
two to one. Very few large wagers have
been placed on the contest. as the admir-
ers Of the colored champion have asked
for two and a half to one for their money.
The McGovern men have refused to lay
such long odds which accounts for the alb
ssnce Of big betting on the fight. 1t is
quite probable that the betting at the
ringside will be lively If the Dixon men
will consent to a 10 to 6 or 10 to Z for
their money.
INV > dutIt1ICIS HSuiC tIoe IL
Brookly mite is champion over Dixon Ow-
ing to his wonderfully aggressive tactics,
tremendous hitting pOwer and great
strength. They say that Dixon has new
er yet met a lad who was so thoroughly
equipped in the departments named.
They also argue tina Dixon's style Of
fighting will suit the bantam weight
champion to a nicely. They point out
that 10 man who has ever forced the
fighting with McGovern has been able to
last very long before his blows. Dixon
fights fast all the while. He goes right
at his man as soon as the bell rings and
this sort of work, Terry's friends say, will
quickly result in Dixon downfall.
Those who favor Dixon contend that
the co.ored boy, who is a veteran at the
game, is a better ring general, just as
hard a hitter and much more cleverer
than McGovern. They also say that he is
taller and longer in reach than Terry. To
their way Of thinking, the only advantage
McGovern has is his youth and they can
not possibly see TO- this single advantage
will give him the victory.
Dixon, who has fought English and Aus
tralian as well as American champions,
has never been knocked out in actual
competitions. He has met fighters at
weights varying from lis to 124 pounds
and although he has been outpointed. he
has never been seriously hurt. How Nc
NON SlA . lllcltiS q tAPSCl Il ldu Win
such limited ring experience as Terry pos
sasses to knock out a man who has en-
gagged in more than 200 contests, with no
serious results, is beyond the comprehend
sion of the colored boys friends.
Dixon discussed the fight with some Of
his friends at his training quarters in
Lakewood, N. J. During the discussion
Dixon made a remarkably strong point
as to his ability to successfully cope with
a boxer of the McGovern type, He refer
red to his fight with Oscar Gardiner more
thai a year ago. At that time Gardiner
was at the top ram of featherweights.
His style of fighting very much resembles
McGovern's. Gardiner forced the issue
from the start and tried hard to score an
early knockout, but Dixon soon put him
on the defensive with swinging left hand
body blows and eventually won. Dixon
naturally figures that if he could stand off
Gardiner he should be equally successful
with McGovern.
Il was not nearly so good physically |
when l fought Gardiner" said Dixon, '.as
l am now and those fellows who are under |
the impression that I am a has-been. will. |
| think, confess they have made a mis-
take after tomorrow nights contest. I
am down to the weight called for in the
articles of agreement, namely, 11S pounds. |
and can tr%uthfully say that I am fit to
fight for my life. I realize that McGovern |
is a mighty tough little fellow to beat, He
is almost as strong as a lightweight and
can hit a very hard blow. I nevertheless |
feel that ! will get the winners share of
the purse"
Dixon finished his training with mild
road and gymnasium exercises,
McGovern tapered off his training for |
the fight at his Fleetwood training quar-