The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-08-01
JEFFRIES STILL CHAMPION.
he Clinches His Title After an Eight-Round
Argument With the Man He
Won 1t From.

! rounds that was fraught with brilliant
and coura ageouS work, Robert FitZSim-
mons tonight forfeited his last claim
upon the heavyweight championship,
when he was knocked to the floor by
James Jeffries and counted out after
he had so badly punished the cham
piOn that it was a foregone conclu-
sion among the spectators that the
| Cornishman must win. Bleeding from
a number of gashes in the face, ap-
parently weakening, and clearly un-
able to cope with Fitz's superior skill,
Jeffries delivered two lucky punches
as Fitz paused in his fighting to
speak to him, and turned the tide.
The battle was brief, but noteworthy,
and will live in pugilistic history.
Fitz tried once to arise from the mat,
but sank down again in helplessness
and hear himself counted out, where
but moment before he had ap-
parently all the better of it. Il will
never fight again." said the battle
SCARED veteran of the ring when he
had sufficiently recovered to 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 1
consider myself lucky to have won
when I did,
Terrific Fighting.
Fitzsimmons had been fighting at
furious gait, cool and deliberate, and
chopping the champion to pieces with
the terrific right and lefts that have
made him famous.
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
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
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 I beaten jeff 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 Jeffriei
was seen in his dressing room. He was
jubilant over his success, despite the
terrible scars of battle. He said:
"Weu. have won, just as I expect.
ed to. 1t was Il fierce fight, the
fiercest I ever had, but L won. Yes
I got a good beating as far as the
marks of battle count, but then ]
rather expected that. l knew Fit2
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 u man. 1 took them
and only waited for the opportunity
to land my punch. L found out Fit7
could not jar me, even with his ia.
nous right. He cut me up, of course
but that did not hurt. L never was
tired at any stage and was stronger
than Fitz at all stages"
What Fitz Says.
Cheerful in the face of defeat, and
full of praise for his vanquisher, an6
writhing in agony on his couch, sur
rounded by a score of friends offer
ing their consultations, Fitz, between
short sentences, interspersed with
groans, announced that he had fought
his last battle. He said:
81 fought the best I could, and the
best man won. He is a great fighter:
and had 1 been awarded the decision
tonight 1 would turned around and
given him the championship, for he
is the only man in the world capable
of defending it. The blows that put
me out were a left short arm jolt un.
der the ribs and a right to the jaw
Asked in regard to his plans foI
the future, Bob facetiously re-
marked:
all DdSh w DShSOhAAOA ~
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 as a 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 care
full examination, the doctor an
nounced that Fitz' ribs were not bro
ken, but that his left side was badly |
bruised, the muscles being so con
stricted as to cause the Cornishmar
great difficulty in breathing.
Clarke Ball, Fitz' manager, ex
pressed his opinion that Bob was toe
confident