The St. Louis Republic., 1902-10-06
O'BREEN AS A MIDDLE
WEIGHT FACTOR
The philadelphia Boxer Seems to
Have All His Class Beaten
but Ryan.
MAHER ALMOST PUT OUT.
0'Brien Knocked Him Down in
First Round of Their Fight
General Gossip of the
Boxers.

aAIA - blatN fa1g hAAAhAg 1hNA refer
Maher in Philadelphia last Friday evening
has sent the stock Of the middle-weight
fighter up considerably. Maher's advantage
in weight more than making Up for the fact
that he IS one OF the old guard In the ring
Maher seems 20 have trained faithfully for
the fight. yet he was never in the running
for a second. and accounts q the bout indi-
cate that the irish champion was all but
Out al the end OF the first round.
O'Brien WAS easily his master in clever
ness. and by sidesteppng and sending in
sInashes as Aaher rushed. he soon had his
man going. Mahsr was on the floor when
the gong rang 10 end the hrst round and
showed no indication Of being able 10 get
up He was assisted 10 his corner. how
ever. and came back strong in the next
round.
The bout was a succession OF cyclonic
rushes by Maher and ot sidestepping and
tabbtng 10y OBrien. The latter had no dif
nculty In stretching Maher on the floor
once or twice, and his showing was such
as TO make him appear even a more dan
Berous factor in the ring than he Is cred
ited with being. one OF the oldest pugills-
the afiair, states that he would not be at
ali surprised II O'Brien was eventually the
heavy-welght champion Of the world.
The writer quoted has always been an ar
dent admirer OF O'Brien. but the fact re
mains that the middle weight is certainly
i most dangerous man in the ring There
Is nothing ridiculous In the idea OF sending
man OF O'Brien's caliber c.. for the
heavyweight championship. as = will be re-
membered that FitZsimmons fought and de-
feated some OF the best heavy weights In
the ring when he was but n middle weight
OBr.en seems to be far ahead Of any one
In his class except Tommy Ryan. and II
would attract more interest 90 have these
men matched than 10 have any other bout
IN the country scheduled except cham
To revert to o'Brien's chances in sAe
/ heaVy-weishf division. however. u ap-
pears that he would have a good chance
with any of them except Jim COrbett and
Jeffries. Jeffries Is so tremendously big
and strong that he can take punishment
for round after round and walt for a
chance 10 get ih his blow. He outweighs
o. Brien immensely. besides CorbeTt is IN
doubtcdly a cleverer boxer than O'Brien.
but the two are mentioned a. possible fac
tors in match 10 be scheduled this win
ter.
The fact that O'Brien Is considered a NJ
match FOR men far heavier than himself
does not seem as ridiculous now as Il would
have appeared at one time. when weight
was considered the greatest desideratum
IN the ring F1tzsimmons early In his ca
reer. proved that middle weight cosld
successfully cope with a heavy weight II
the lighter man wax ursSpsaed OF srianre
In Fitz's championship fights he was gen
orally considerably above the middle-weight
limit and much heavier than the weight he
announced as his avolrdupols. but he must
receive credit FOR not letting advantage in
weight fTighte1 him from an opponent.
When Tom ORourke suggested sending
Joe Walcott against the heavy weights Of
the ring his idea was hooted by many
ring followers who believed that the bouts
would either be framed up or would be
farces. NalcottS subsequent performances
proved that O'Rourke would have been
justified In sending the negro against many
OF the heavy weights. as he could undoubt-
edly have defeated them. And Walcott Is
a weiter weight
More than 100 years ago one OF the lead
Ing patrons OF prize fighting In England
stated that man Weighing 165 pounds did
not need 70 ask weight from any one. As
the time was In the london priZe-ring DAYS
where weight counted in the wrestling
matches and the cross s-buttoekinE and other
amenities OF match, his statement was
Jeered al on every hand. That he knew
what he was talking about. provided the
1s5-pound man had the science has been
proved several times OF late years
Not only that. but Il now appears as II
middle weights could be mentioned as hay-
lhe cnances with anybody leaving Jen-
rles out OF the question. as he ts abnormal
IN size and strength. whom have we left in
the heayy-weight division who could whip
Tommy Ryan and Jack o'Brien without an
e1ort or could even put IL over Walcott
without any trouble? Jim corbett probably
dance around at n lively rate 10 do IT; and
II any OF the men mentioned got to him.
they they could cut him up severely. Leaving
Is the only man who can be mentioned.
KID Mccoy Is not the dangerous man he
once was, and O'Brien licked Choyns<i only
last week Sharkey and Maher have seen
thelr best days and the remaining heavy
weights are scarcely up TO the mark. The
TIN. and many believe that the big negro
would be the strongest factor IN his class II
he had a chance. His color Is against him.
however. and he has not been able 70 get
on matches with the big men in his division.
Even Rubin. who used him TO train with.
probably prompts this coyness on Gus's
part. as II Is whispered that Martin used 10
put II all over Rubin when the latter was
preparing FOR his bout with Jeffries.
IL certainly appears as n the lighter men
were becoming stronger factors than their
Jenries should be able TO hold his own with
out much trouble until the effects OF his
proprietorship in a saloon begin to tell on
his constitution.
Andy Mulligan, matchmaker snd manager
OF the Vapor City Athletic Club at Hot
Springs. was In the city yesterday on his
way to Arkansas. and stopped over to see
his friend Nal Doyle. The two discussed
the night situation at some length and Null
ligan stated that he had some high-class
bouts scheduled and prospective.
and o Brien 5000 II they would fight before
his club and that both had promised to
come, lie has told Ryan that the match will
ne cunched II Tommy puts up n forfeit
Faiiure TO make a deposit last spring en-
abled Ryan TO back out OF his match with
s.fs Srien: sSehsdpled for Louisville. without
Mulligsn also stated that ne was prepared
TO give Young Corbett and McCfOvern a
purse OF l0,0Q II they would meet before
his club Thanksgiving Day and that he
was willing to put up heavy forfeit that
is willing. according TO Mulligan's story
] Andy departs this morning for Arkansas.
Cycling Jack" o'Brien Of Philadelphia.
a