The Topeka state journal., 1901-02-26
FStz Says Fakirs Have KiIle'
the Boxing Game.
The Ex-ChampiOn Sees Little
Hope in Future.
PUBLIC WAS FLEECED.
Australian Gives Advice to
Some Young Fighters.
They Must Always Be on the
Level, He Says.


St Louis. Feb. 2s.-Bob Fitzsimmons
bIames the fighters for the warfare
which IS being made against all boxing
contests in this country at the present
time
He SAYS that no one but the pugs
themselves are responsible for the ex-
aatIng state OF affairs.
THE takers have killed the game" re-
marked the lanzy Australian this after
noon
.I was lucky getting out Of it before
it had been killed. To be candid with
you, it is no surprise to me that there
eSists SO much opposition to the game.
There is nothing really brutal about it,
and this question would never have been
brought up had the fighters been on the
square.
The public win not stand for fakes
sisch as were pulled of in New YORK
time and again The truth has never
baen told about some or those matches
The man who was backed by the right
crowd in those fights in New York could
not lose. The result was that the men
who favored the game soon tired or De
ing made fools Of and put their FOOT
down. The game was killed in New
York, and when it does not go there II
H. or all over the country
Those boxers who nave aspirations 10
become popular should take warning.
ere is my advice to them:
Take warning and be on the level
There are many things which SO 70
make up fake battles
Here's a short list of the most dan
gerOus pitfalls:
Dividing purses in halves. the loser
getting as much as the winner.
Agreeing upon a draw If both men
are on their feet at the limit of the con-
test
Agreeing to let a man stay for a
certain number of rounds for the pur-
pose of winning money by betting on
the rounds
''Fouiing an opponent for the purpose
Of ending a contest
IF you don't do any of these things
you will go a long way toward being
ON the level They are not the only
rules you must observe. however. There
are others.
.'One important one, for instance, is
this. If you sign your name to a con-
tract, stick to that contract.
If you give the manager your prom
Use. keep that promise
Your word. your promise, your good
name. are often all you have.
TRY to keep them free from all sus-
piciOn of dishonor-
If YOU tell the manager Of a club that
yOu viii box at his club for so per cent.
OF the gross receipts. then box there if
you are able to crawl through the ropes
and put up your hands
No matter If there il SIG in the house
or $1,000
box for that percentage
IF you had a $500 forfeit posted to
box for SO per cent Of the gross receipts,
you would box if there was only $50 in
the house. wouldn't yOu2
well. just remember that your word
mheuld be your bond
Keep faith with the manager of that
club. That viii enable him to keep faith
with the public Just so long as he does
that. and you fight to win every time
YOU go into the ring. the public will
stick by the game.
If every battle fought in New York
during the Horton laws reign had been
contested on its merits you chaps would
stin be punching holes in each other up
at the Broadway club and the hundreds
Of other clubs tflat hourished in the En-
pire state
But you wouldn't do it. You had to
swindie and rob and Job the poor. pa
fient, lOng-sunering public by every
means YOU could think Of.
Finally the worm turned.
''The goose that laid the golden eggs
was killed
with what rcsuit2
TITS not necessary to answer.
Every one VINO reads the daily papers
knows how you have been driven from
"A dozen towns this side of the Rockies
where you can earn your salt.
Now. there IS just one way for you
to remedy the condition OF affairs.
go into to win
Make your word yOur bond
Teach the public to believe that you
are honest and sincere
You may be a preliminary fighter
now. but the DAY may come when you
viii be a champion
Make a record for yourself, of which
you will be proud should that day ever
come"
JEFF LEAVES CINCINNATI