Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-16
FIGHT AND FIGHTERS.
Bob Fitzsimmons Writes a Very
 Sharp Letter.

If Some One Will Back Him He WIa
 Fight for the Purse Alone-Great h.
 terest in the Sharkey and Maner
 Bout-Terry McGovern Was Out
 Walking Yesterday.
 Robert F'itzsimmons, the freckied gladiator of Bensonhurst, has done many things during his pugilistic ca reer but nothing more bizarre has come from the Cornishman than hls latest challenge to Champion Jeffrles. The ancient puglilst says Se will con. sent to the boilermakers proposal or a bout on the basis of the winner tax ing the entire purse on one condltlon' that is. that some American sportsman viii furnish S2O.OOO as a side bet Tor the old chap.
 F4tzsimmons states his position as follows:
 s.1n reply to Jeffries's statement that he has used every honest means to in- duce me to fight, can say that l nave never heard personally from either Jeffries or his manager. 1 never asked Jeffries for any inducements.
 If any sportsman will back me for S20,O0O 1 will fight him, winner take all. All 1 will ask if I win is the purse. did not intend to re-enter the ring, but if Jeffries thinks I am dis honest or a buffer I will show him who is a quitter.
 '1 have retired since the Horton law was repealed, and never have asked anyone for a fight Jeffries has been continually annoying me by challenges and newspaper talk. 1 am tired of it. and want him to understand that when he casts reflections on my hon. esty he had better look into some of his own fights, particularly that with Ruhlin
 "I have invested my capital in q home for my family and the rest of my money I use i'll supporting them. That's why I haven't the huge Jumps of money that he seems to have.
 s'As 1 said before, if any sportsman will back me with $20,000 side bet I will show MT Jeffries that he is slightly mistaken both as to my hon. esty and fighting ability.
 ROBERT FITZSIMMONS.'
 When Jeffries started from Califor- mia he was credited with the statement that he would fight Fitzsimmons on the basis of 65 per cent to the winner and 35 per cent to the loser. By the time he reached New York he said winner-take-all was the only condition on which he would meet the Cornish man.
 Within a few days he has said he would waive the -take-all con dition, and divide the purse on a 70 per cent to winner and 30 per cent to loser basis. This struck the pugilistic fraternity as exceedingly .flir, as the Cornishman would not be compelled to furnish side bet and in case of de- feat would receive a comfortable per centage of the purse. Under these cir cumstances Fitzsimmons would be re- lieved of the necessity of asking aid i'll the securing of a side wager, and would enter the ring with the assur- ance that his expenses would at least be covered. Should some outsider fur nish side bet. and the battle be fought on a winner-take-all basis. FitZsimmons would be compelled to win in order to get any money
 deep seated belief possesses ad- mirers of pugilism that Fitzsimmons will enter the ring and again try for the championship.
 Significance is attached to the fact that Fitzsimmons and his brother-in- law. Martin Julian. are again on speak ing terms; and that the latter is trying to induce the fighter to engage in 2 six-round bout with Choynski at Phila- delphia. This would be in the nature or warming up gallop for the old war horse. and as he is now doing viz orous training at Bensonhurst. he Should be in good trim.