The Saint Paul globe., 1902-02-25
JEFF THE FAVORITE
SPORTS BELIEVE THE CHAMPION
WILL WIN FROM
FITZ
BOB THINKS HE HAS CHANGE
COrnishman VIII Change style, and
Wait for an Opening-WiH
Remember Left-Hand
Body Punch.

NEW YORK, Feb. 24.-Followers of
boxing are busy discussing the Fitzsim-
mcns-Jeffries match in every sporting
place in town.
Looking back, one cannot help realizing
the absurdity of Jeffries' offer to fight
for $4,000 a side and Fitz' bluff in asking
Adolph Spreckels, of sugar fame, to back
him for $4,000. The fact that the fight
ers have finally signed articles without
, side bet and almost an even split of
the purse illustrates quite WILDLY their
sincerity when they first began to talk
business. In a talk with various
pugilistic notables it was learned that
the consensus of opinion is that Jeffries
will win 1t is generally set forth that
the champion is too big, too clever and
too invincible in the way of taking pun
ishment to be beaten.
1t is also pointed out that no fighter
has yet succeeded in getting to the cham
pions body with effect and that those
who have succeeded in reaching his head
have done no harm. F'itzsimmons and
Sharkey, it will be recalled, handed some
powerful smashes on the point of JEFF
fries jaw but failed to jar him. Botn
of these men have the reputation of be-
ing great punchers. Corbett, COM
paratively light hitter, put it all over the
champions head and neck In the ninth
round of their memorable encounter, but
Jeffries merely laughed. Because of this
phenomenal strength, therefore, it does
not seem possible, in the estimation of
many experts, that Fitz can do any
great amount Of harm.
But the CorniShman, in giving his
views, declares that he will fight Jeffries
the next time much differently from the
way he handled him at Coney Island
Fitzsimmons has beaten Corbett Rub
lin, Sharl1ey and others with his famous
7oEf
blow in conjunction with what he calls
a shift and has never failed to do
the trick. Against Jeffries the Cornish
man did not try the solar plexus punch
at all. For that matter, he confined his
attack to wild rushes and head swings
which were either blocked off or were
received with the idea of countering with
either hand.
Jeffries, it will be remembered, met
Fitz' advances with a powerful Ieft-hand
jab, which always went straight into
Roberts face and at the same time he
used his right not only as a clever guard,
but also as a means of sending in ter
rife jolts to the body. When Fitz had
been severely Jared as we'll as knocked
down by JeILs S left the latter brought
the right into play for a swing TO the
jaw which sent the Cornishman into
dreamland. In other words, Jeffries
played a waiting game, allowing Fitz to
do the bulk Of the leading, which was
wild, and took no chances of receiving
a blow that might carry with it harm
Fitz now believes that he has a chance
to win by adopting Jeffries tactics He
thinks that if he stands away and let's
the champion come to him he VIII have
a royal chance to win in a miX-up. F'itz
has won most of his fights, he says, by
taking advantage of openings when the
other fellow has been laboring under the
belief that he was winning. He has also
played the part of the fox and thereby
has fooled both fighters and spectators
Robert has learned to feign grogg1ness
to perfection, and when in that sup
posed condition he has found the chances
to get in the winning blows.
For this fight Fitz intends to train
harder than ever before. He says that
he win get into the ring fit to fight Tor
q kings ransom and that he is confident
of reaching the big champion on some
vital spot. Jeffries does not hold Fftz
cheaply. He admits that the Cornishman
is always dangerous and that he will
have to train himself with extreme care.
Jeffries was undoubtedly afraid to fight
Fitz when the latter challenged him just
after beating Rubin and Sharkey, for
the principal reason that the champion
was not in the best physical condition.
That was a year and a half ago and the
critics were almost unanimous in the be-
lief that had a fight been arranged at
that time Fitz would have won.