The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-08-02
HOW CHAMPIONSHIP MEN
FELT BEFORE THE BATTLE
Last Days of Training and How the Fighters
Looked Forward to Winning
Easily.

The day before the battle news is
all the Honolulu sports had before the
paragraph arrived by the Moana as to
the championship fight in the prize
ring in San Francisco, and specula
ton was as great yesterday as it
was in San Francisco. when the last
papers left The odds were then
10 to 8 with some bets at 10 to 4, but
it was conceded that the ringside odds
would be not more than the former
figure. The Los Angeles money was
going on at that price and the men
of the south should know.
Jeffries, the champion, and Fitzsim-
mons, the challenger. were both in the
best of condition. The men had prac-
ticaIy completed their work and were
waiting The last days work done by
Fitzsimmons is thus described by
Naughton in the Examiner:
Bob Fitzsimmons worked harder yes
terday in a private exhibition of fistl-
cuffs for the enlightenment of few
special guests than he did at any time
during his training. Fitz' opponent
was rangy Hank Griffin, and the affair
the California Hotel. Among those
who saw Fitzsimmons in action was
Mayor SchInitz.
1t was known before the bout that
Fitz intended TO box little harder
than usual, but all doubts on the score
were removed when the Cornishman
meandered into the reception room
with bandages on his knuckles- When
a fighter binds his hands in that man
ner before slipping on the gloves 1t Is
any odds you can mention that he does
not intend to deal out love taps.
Fitz and his man Friday boxed five
rounds, and rapid, earnest rounds they
were. The spectacle might have been
more impressive had it not been foI
Griffin's peculiar style of holding him
self. Hank is a firm believer in protec-
ton. and he crouches. wraps his arms
around his head and covers up from the
beginning of a round until the end. He
rarely boxes in an open manner, and
ne has more elbows apparently than
there are quilts upon the fretful por-
cupine F'itz discovered all this when
he first began to set-to with the dushy
heavyweight at Skaggs Springs, and
II could be seen yesterday that he was
fearful his knuckles might come in con-
tact with those shifty elbows, which
appeared TO be always In the iile oA
fire.
Fitzsinmons was so engrossed with
the problem of circIrnventing Hank
bony protuberances that he left himself
omen at times, and was reminded OF
the fact by sundry swapping blows
But as Hank struck as a. rule from the
guard position, his punches did not
hurt.
Fitzsimmors, by exercising patience
found openings occasionally, and the
blows h sent in cut the negro's lower
lip and caused it to swell. The closing
round was the fastest and fiercest-
Fitzsirnmons landed a few good right
hand jolts, which warmed Hanks ears,
but the colored man took il all good
naturedIy and was smiling at the finish
AT the outset Fitzsimmons stepped
tenderly, as If his blistered feet still
troubled him, but he moved briskiy
enough after warming to his work
He hreathed heavily in the beginning
hut improved in this respect also as
the bout progressed. Referee Graney
was on hand, and he embraced the