Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-07-31
JEr1Rns STILL CHAMPION.



ArEuna.s witA the Man N.
Won IL Froa4
Hingside. San Francisco, July 49,
After fighting battle of eight
rounds that was fraught with brilliant
and courngeous work, Robert Fitzsim-
mons tonight forfeited his last claim
upon the heavyweight Championship.
when he was knocked to the floor by
James Jefries and counted out after
he had 80 badly punished the cham
pion that II was forugone conclu-
sion among the spectators that the
Cornishrnan must win. Needing from
number Of gashes in The face. ap-
DRaxsai4x weeafeaiaGk - clearly un-
able TO cope with Fits superior skill,
Jeffries- delivered two lucky punches
a. Fitx paused in his fighting to
speak 10 hin, and turned the tide.
The battle wss brief, but noteworthy,
and VII Live in pusiNstic history.
Fitz tried once to arise from the mat,
but sank down again In helplessness
and heard himself counted out. where
but q moment before he had ap-
parently all the better Of IL. II will
never fight again." said the battle
Scared veteran Of the ring when he
had sufficiently recovered 70 talk.
"The fight was won fairly and TO the
best man belongs the laurels."
"You are the most dangerous man
alive" said Jeffries in return, "and /
consider myself lucky to have won
when l did"
rerriae FisAtins.
! Fitzsimmons had been fighting at .
furious gait, cool and deliberate, and
chopping the champion to pieces with
the terrzfc right and lefts that have
made hirn amous.
1t was the draught horse and the
racer from the tap of the gong.
When the men came together Fitz
appeared rather worried, but upon
the opening of the first round he as
sumed an air of absolute confidence
and fought with the deliberation of
the general that he is. Early in the
second round Fitz had JEFF bleeding
profusely from the mouth and nose.
Again and again he landed on his
bulky opponent. getting away in such
a clever manner that it brought
down the great house with cheers. 1t
seemed indeed that JEFF could scarce
ly weather out the gait Then the
eighth round came. and under a
series of hot exchanges Fitz paused
with his guard down and spoke to
The champion The latter's reply con-
sisted of the two terrific blows that
brought back TO him the feeting
championship and forever removed
the veteran Fitzsimmons from the
fstic arena. Fitz took his defeat
with Amazing good cheer.
After the Battle.
He said: The best man has won
Had beaten JET tonight I should
have conceded him the championship
and forever retired from the ring. /
retire Just the same now. but with
out having accomplished my ambi-
ton I am satisfied"
After the fight Champion Jefries
was seen in his dressing room. He was
iubilant over his success. despite the
terrible scars of battle. He. said:
"WeIl. l have won. just as expect
ed to. IL was a fierce fight, the
6ercest l ever had. but I won. Yes,
/ got q good beating as far as the
marks of battle count, but then ]
gather expected that. I knew Fitz
had a cutting punch and would land
it at some time of the fight But the
few marks and the loss of a little
blood won't hurt a man. took them
and only waited for the opportunity
to land my punch l found out Fitz
could not jar me, even with his ia
nous right He cut me up. of course,
but that did not hurt. / never was
tired at any stage and was stronger
than Fitz at all stages"
what Fits Says.
Cheerful in the face of defeat, and
full Of praise for his vanquisher, and
writhing in agony on his couch, sur
rounded by q score of friends offer
ing their consolations, Fitz, between
short sentences, interspersed with
yroans, announced that he had fought
his last battle. He said:
II fought the best / could, and the
best man won- He is a great fighter.
and had I been awarded the decision
tonight I would turned around and
given him the championship. for he
In the only man in the world capable
of defending il. The blows that put
me out were left short arm jolt un-
der the ribs and a right 70 the jaw"
Asked in regard TO his plans for
the future, Bob facetiously re-
marked:
IT am going back to Bensonhurst
AID attend to the development of the
youth of America and try to make
them like me-a vigorous old man.
past his fortieth year and as hale and
as hearty - . man well within his
thirties."
At this juncture. DR.. L. c. Cox. who
had been summoned to attend the
fighter. commenced an examination
Of the defeated Pugilist. After a care
ful examination, the doctor an
that Fisx' ribs were not bro
ken. but that his left side was badly
bruised, the muscles being so con-
stricted as to cause the Cornishman
great difficulty in breathing.
Clarke Ball, Fitx' manager, ex-
pressed his opinion that Bob was too
confident
FROM COMMANDER M'LEAN.