Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-06
FIGHTS IND FIGHTERS.
Fitzsimmons is Entitled to Some
 Consideration.

a Battle and Should OHer some H.
 ducements-T Tommy Ryan Says He
 will Fight George Gardner-other
 lsighting News.
 When sporting men learned yester- day that Jeffries had declared that ne would not meet FitZsimmons unless the latter agreed to winner take all' a majority were of the opinion that the champion heavyweight is not so anX- ious to indulge in another fight Wltn the Cornishman after all. Some were outspoken enough to say that JeHrles' when he refused to fight Fitz year ago last summer, was actuated py the same fear of the result which is gov erning him in his present oud pc havior. Ever since Jeffries and De- laney left Frisco. after the champion had laid Ruhlin low, they have been spreading broadcast the statement that they would agree to any proposltlon that would bring Fitz into the ring with the boilermaker again. When Delaney arrived in New York week ago he proceeded to make the state ment that Jeffries would treat Fitz- simmons fairly and that the latter could not back out of q match. except with the excuse that he had retired.
 FitZsimmonS came out with an eX- planation of his stand to the effect that while he had retired, he would consider any proposition that Jeffries saw fit to make, provided it was of businesslike nature and contained suf- fcient inducement for him to re-enter the ring. From the west came the an 1xrn11la cy1n6lV agree to give Fitz 35 per cent of the gate if lSn lost and 65 per cent if he won. The Cornishman did not snap at the offer because, as he said, he be- lieved that his personal drawing abil- ity warranted q better slice of. the money. But with Jeffrles's unquali- fled declaration now that the winner must take all, the chance for a fight fades away. Pugilistic authorities know we'll enough that few matches are made under such conditions. Will Ham Madden, the veteran manager, for instance, when asked for an opinion yesterday. said:
 ''If Jeffries means what he says, it can be put down as certain that he does not want to take a chance with FftZ, even though he ought to beat the Cornishman again But Jeffries prob ably knows that Fitz still has the punch and might do the trick in a round or two. should he be able to reach the vital spot. If Jeffries really wants to meet Fitz he could easily con- vince the public of his sincerity by granting concessions, such as exist in all big matches"
 Usually a heavyweight champion does not challenge anybody. He pre- fers to dodge out of matches and play easy theatrical engagements. But Jefffies- went out of his way to chal- 1enge FitZ, a beaten foe, and the latter under the circumstances seems entitled to name his terms. The champions $ denial of all statements supposed to have been made by him on the trip from the coast is all the more surpris- ing. It cannot be possible that he wa-s misquoted from ocean to ocean. The way he has turned down Delaney $ propositions. which made a fight with Fitz possible, is also proof that the boilermaker who begins a theatrical tour tonight in New England, does not mean business. Fitz will probably come out into the open now, demand a conference in public with Jeffries and name terms that will place the champion in an undesirable predica- ment unless he accepts.
 According to Madden, FitzsimmOns has taken all the fight out of more than one pugilist by the terrific beat ings he has administered. "In my es timation," says Madden, who has han dled string of fighters a mile long including the famous John L., "Fitzs ruined the future prospects of botl Sharkey and Ruhlin. He beat these men so soundly that they have never recovered from the effects of the punching they received. Sharkey was hurt by Jeffries. too. and to-day he is weak man. though powerful ir physique Ruhlin was nearly killed by Fitz in Madison Square Garden. H. bled from the left ear for week af forwards, and I thought at one time that he could not recover. When fighter gets q fearful beating like this once he never wants it again. and nc matter how game he is he is bound tC wince under fire upon another similar occasion. That was what ailed Ruhlir when he ran up against Jeffries q Frisco last November. Fitz virtual, killed off Corbett at Carson City, fo- Jim was never any use after that. Tn, Cornishman's terrific hitting was th' cause of a general breakdown. H, can hit yet and all the big fellow! know it.
 Tommy Ryan, formerly of Syracuse but now of Kansas City, has climbed down out of the clouds and says he il now prepared to make match witt George Gardner, the Lowell middle weight. for the championship. Gard ner's showing in California has beer so good that experts believe he will b, able to trim Ryan should they come together. Ryan is a superb boxer, bu he has never shown that he possesses requisite gameness. He has avoided Walcott studiously, has displayed ; wholesome respect for ''Mysteriou Billy Smith and also Kid Mccoy, ye he has made bluffs at Fitzsimmon and Sharkey. Gardner, some people believe, has q chance against any mar in the world, barring Jeffries
 Billy Delaney. representing Cham pion Jeffries. and Tom Sharkey, me last night and agreed in details for th' Jeffries-Sharkey fight, to be held il San Francisco. The contest is to b' held the week ending April ,. Re