Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-21
TIGHTS IND FIGHTERS.
McGovern is a Two to One
 Favorite Over Sullivan.

The Louisville People Will Take the
 Short nd-Should Sullivan Win,
 Sharkey Will Take Him to England
 Frank Erne Writes Letter Ex-
 plaining His Action.
 Cincinnati, Feb 20.--To-day will be the last day of Terry McGoyern's $ training for his fight with Dave Sulli- van. About the only work he did yes- terday was to run four miles around the Oakley race track and box four rounds ill the afternoon with Kid Ashe. He spent about fifteen minutes with the punching bag and little while throwing the medicine ball.
 "Without a doubt 1 am in better con- dition to-day than I ever was before in my life. I have trained very hard for this fight. as I am not taking any chances on going down to defeat again from lack of condition. I have been in training exactly twenty-one days, al- most twice as long as I eyes trained before, and three times as long as when I fought Corbett," said McGov- ern.
 Charley White and Patrick Sullivan, Harris's theatrical partner, arrived yes terday morning from New York and went immediately to Camp NIcGoyern. White said T am combining pleasure and business this trip. I came here on my road to Lexington, where I am to purchase some yearlings for John Mad den. 1 will leave for Lexington in the morning, and on Saturday will go to Louisville to see the fight. McGovern is looking good, but I cannot pass an opinion as to who think will be the winner'
 Louisville, Feb 21-With McGovern favorite at odds of to 1 and Sullivan in the finest condition he has ever known, the Kentucky delegation is preparing to put it's money on the lad who has trained here. The prospects are that there will be plenty of Sulli- van money of the Kentucky brand at the ringside Saturday night. Tom Sharkey has already placed $500 at to l, and has thousand more which Is now finding the company of McGov- ern money. The big betting. however, awaits the coming of the delegations now on their way from the east and north Sullivan is as full of fight as a gamecock, and made his sparring partner, Charley Sieger, quit in the third round yesterday. Sharkey is doing fast work with Sullivan and is anxious to get on with Maher in order to wipe out the Philadelphia fasco. The Southern club may fix the match
 Sullivan received a letter yesterday from his father asking him to win "for your old fathers sake,'' when he meets Terry McGevern Saturday night The letter contained other things to stir Sullivan: Your mother and I know you are going to win" and rather than disappoint them Sullivan will have his ribs caved in before he will cease try ing.
 Sharkey announced his plans yester- day for Sullivan in case of victory. They will go after Young Corbett at once and chase him around the coun- try. If at the end of three months he has not agreed to a fight Sullivan will claim the championship by default Then Sharkey, Sullivan and Bob Arm strong will sail for England to attend the coronation of Edward VII. "Tl meet all the big ones at that pugilistic carnival they're talking about, and Sul- livan will meet the little ones. If they do not want to fight Us we will try to force them to- said Sharkey.
 Sullivan and Sharkey ran to the crescent bath house yesterday, where sulllVan weighed in under the limit. lie boxed four fast rounds with Seiger and seemed in perfect condition.
 Robert Fitzsimmons the referee. will arrive to-day from New York.
 
 The following self-exp1anatory letter from Frank Erne has been received:
 Il wish to make a statement in reply to some of the reports that have grown out of my refusal to box Joe Cans in Phlladelphia on February 10. It IS not true that I had any prearrange- ment with Cans or his manager Al Herford, to box six fancy rounds. with no effort at decisive results. When I signed with Cans I expected to go in Tor the purpose of knocking him o1lt II l could. and with the expectation of being knocked out myself, possibly. if l could not. There was no talk then or afterWard about any light, bout. in anticipation of another fight to follow. l trained for hard contest and went to Philadelphia prepared to do my best. Which l always thought and always will think. until results show different " is good enough to beat Cans When l arrived in Philadelphia I found that was netted in with a scheme which would have Insured my defeat. not through the medium of fair contest such as l honestly desired. but through underhand proceedings, the exact char acter of which it is my misfortune not to be able to explain in detail at this time. as the matter involves more than mEself. All that I can say is job did exist and was to have been the vic tim of it, to certainty, had I gone into that ring. No fear of defeat at Gans's lands kept me out but desire 10 Keep my reputation for honesty clean and unsmirched. Tn so far as my fallure to appear in the ring there With Cans is concerned, I am. of course, solely responsible. and. I shall not dodge the consequences of that act However, had no expectation thai tbe ciuD would open it's doors, believing mat l had sufficiently notified it through my friends who remained in Philadelphia after I left. My one re- ITr 4t.<.