The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-17
CAN FITZ WHIP JEFFRIES?
Some Think He Can if He Will Stay
Away Instead of Rushing.


Final touches are being put upon the
work of preparation that is being done
by James J. Jeffries and Robert Fitz-
simmons to fit them for the contest
for the worlds championship, which
will take place in San Francisco a
week from next Friday night. In the
West this tight has been attracting
much attention, and has been viewed
as something upon which to make
wagers, ever since the two men began
active training. In the East little
interest has been taken in the affair
until during the last week.
In spite of his previous defeat by
the present champion, and the potent
fact that he is a good so pounds light
er than his adversary, the veteran
Fitzsimmons has many friends who
are willing to risk their money on his
chance of winning back the laurels lost
by him at Coney Island three years
ago Still the Jeffries money is much
the more plentiful, and it is probable
that the big fellow will enter the ring
as much of favorite in the betting
met.
Two men of marvellous parts are these
Many find more to admire in Fitz-
simmons than in Jeffries, or, for that
matter, in any other man of his pro-
fession. Prizefighters are not things to
be admired generally. Most of them
show how thoroughly and how rapidly
a splendid bit of human mechanism
can be ruined by dissipation. Fitzsin1-
mons has demonstrated how strength
and youthfulness can be preserved.
Fitzsimmons is little If any younger
than John L. Sullivan, who, in his day.
was the mightiest of all fighters, Yet
il was eleven years ago that SULLIVAN
went down to defeat before Corbett,
having ruined his fighting powers by
dissipation. Here is Fitzsimmons,
still a splendid athlete, the only man
in the world who is believed to have
chance to whip the champion JEFF
fries, who is 20 years his Junior, and
giant compared with him.
Can Fitzsimmons whip Jeffries?
Probably not if he follows his Gus
tomary tactics of rushing in and ex-
changing blows. Perhaps Fitzsim-
mons can hit as hard as Jeffries, and
perhaps he is the more skillful and
the more clever of the two. 1t re-
mains as fact that the Cornishman
will enter the ring without the recu-
perative powers of the younger man.
He will weigh about 165 pounds. Je1-
fries will weigh about 220 pounds. That
means that Jeffries will have the con-
stitution to absorb punishment, while
every blow landed on Fitzsimmons will
take from him some of his strength.
1t is fresh in the minds of the public
how Corbett, the nimble, went around
Jeffries at Coney Island, and for "
rounds landed at will, receiving no re-
turn He made the, champion appear
like punching bag. Corbett wore HIM
self out whipping Jeffries, and then the
champion was able to land just one
blow. One blow was sufficient Had
Corbett possessed anything like the
hitting ability of Fitzsimmons he
would have beaten Jeffries into a state
of helplessness.
If FitZsimmons can duplicate Cor
belts feat of keeping away from the
big fellow he can win. If he can stand
out of reach and put his fist into JEFF
fries face and upon Jeffries' ribs, as
Corbett did, the fight will last fewer
rounds than the articles of agreement
called for and the championship will
change hands. But this is the kind OF
Hghtlng which Fitzsimmons does not
like He prefers to hit and be hit il
necessary.
When he lost to Jeffries at Coney ISL
ana F1tzsimmons attempted to force
the lighting. Jeffries waited for him
rent far forward, with his huge bulk
Kept out of the way of harm, and
"hen he could do so he jolted Fitzsim-
mons. and when he could not do that
ne iell upon his neck and Rugged him
as though be was his long-lost brother
was firing to have that great body
pedrlng down every few seconds, and
lost
Now Jeffries is the champion If Fitz
nlshes he can do the waiting, compell-
tne other to come to him. If he
az sLopts those tactics it will be impossi.
Iof Jeffries to hold to his crouch
-ns position, and he will have less OPP
80 unity to hug. If the Cornishmar
81 IH pe persuaded to forget his old
nicks and to learn the new ones he
h'E possibly surprise the public, as
ne mas done on more than one previous
OCCASION