The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-24
AWAIT Calico Time
IL
JEFFRIEs AND yFiTzsIMMoNs
CHOP OFF ON HARDH WORK
AND TAKE 1T EASY
BOTH FIGHTERS ARE IN
PERFECT PHYSICAL SHAPE
Fitzsimmons and His Trainers Say He
Cannot Lose, but Betting Heavily
Favors Big Jim - Fitz Taking No
Chances on Referee.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, July "a
Everything is now in readiness for the
Jeffries- Fitzsimmons contest on Fri
day night and the attendance promises
to tax the capacity of the arena It is
not likely that Jeffries will follow his
usual routine of exercise from now on.
He is at his best and will do just as he
pleases. He is particularly partial to
sprinting at this stage of the game, as
he believes that by footing it merri1y
over short stretches of highway he
gains in speed and strengthens his
wind. Jeffries is better natured than
he was week ago. He declares that
he feels stronger and better than ever
he did before going into any fight, and
those who have been watching him
during his training insist that he is
faster than ever.
FitZsimmons also has tapered off in
his work, having passed the point
where preliminary exercise will cut
any figure. He says that hereafter he
Will do his boxing in private. After ex-
periencing temporary boom in bet
ting circles Fitizsimmons' chances have
receded in the estimation aof specula-
tors until the original odds of 10 to
now prevail. ~
A slight defect in the ring has been
found, but it will be removed before
the fight. The heavy tinbers which
support the framework above the ring
were found to be rather too close to the
ropes. If there was a struggle in any
one of the four corners there was a
possibility Of either the heads or the
hands of the boxers being injured. To
avoid this rope will cut off one foot
of each corner, making the)ring octag-
onal instead of square. The posts will
be padded as an extreme precaution.
Soldier Tom Wilson. who came from
the East to act as Fitzsimmons' SPAR
ring partner, but whe was shelved in
favor of Hank Griffin, will not see the
fight. He received orders to join his
regiment at Fort Monroe, Va, by July
20, and will leave tonight.
Only Light Exercise.
Jeffries INDUCED in but light exercise
today at the Reliance club in Oakland.
He arose early and skipped the rope
1,600 times, finishing the ordeal with
no visible sign of exhaustion. He then
spent the lunch hour in comparative
quiet with Delaney and his retinue of
trains, and in the afternoon took a
row on Lake Merritt. He tipped the
beam at PIT pounds tonight, but ex-
poets to weigh 21S when he enters the
ring on Friday night.
Fitzsimmons took Jog around Cold
en- Gate park this morning and was
rubbed down at the Terminal hotel,
after which he partook of a hearty
luncheon and spared with Griffin and
Andy gallagher at the Olympic club.
Experts on the scene declared that
there is apparently nothing further to
be desired in the como ton of the men.
The consensus of opinion seems to be,
however, that Fitzsimmons' age and
the difference in weight is against the
chances of the Cornishman, and that
Jeffries is the logical winner. The re-
cetpts, the club manager states, has
almost reached the $4,000 limit The
betting still shows Jeffries a favorite
at to 1 and 1917 to 4, with much Fitz-
simmons money in sight. Sporting
men from all over the country are ar
irving hourly and tomorrow several ex-
curSiOns are expected.
George Dawson said, in speaking of
Fitz:
in my mind there is no doubt as to
the result. think Bob will undoubt-
edly win. Some might think this
statement is the result of the enthusi-
asm that one is bound to feel when he
has been training a man for a contest
of this kind, but my opinion is not in
fiuenced by any such personal feeling.
Is Sure of Fitz.
have looked the situation suuareIy
can lose. In the first place. he is in
better form than / have ever seen him
before. He has not an ailment of any
kind. 1t would be impossible to make
him any more perfect In all other
contests he has generally been handi-
capped by sickness or an injured arm
or hand and has not been able to let
himself out to his fullest calnacity.
AT the present time he has none of
these ailments. His age does not cut
any figure. He Is just as good as when
first met him, and it is impossible for
me to detect any change in his fighting.
In fact, l honestly believe he is better
today than he ever was, and if Jeffries
wins from Bob it will be because he is
better fighter than Bob is or ever
was"
With the easing UP in his work, Jeff
has begun to take on weight, which
Delaney has counted on and which
pleases him. He wants him to weigh
PIT pounds at the ringside.
Il wouldn't care if he weighed a
ton" said his trainer and manager to
some friends this morning, $50 long
as he is physically in fine condition."
The gloves that Jeffries will use in
defending his title of champion have
reached here. There has been a very
large sale of tickets at Harry Cor
belts place. Corbett alone reserved
over $4,000 worth of seats for his
friends. He gave in one order of six
teen $40 seats, which was from a large
business house in Montgomery street
AT this rate all of the best seats in
the arena will be disposed of before the
night of the battle.
Billy Delaney Talks.
Once more Manager Billy Delaney
announces that his protege is in the
finest fettle and will climb through
the ropes Friday night fit to fight for
reputation. Jeffries is alternating in
his days of heavy work. To avoid the
stale" condition the champion goes at
his work like a trojanf on one day and
on the next relaxes somewhat. This
method he finds agrees with him and
1t keeps him on a vigorous edge.
Jeffries has taken on nine pounds in
thirty-six hours, but sthis is not ex-
traordinary for a mankof his hercuIean
proportions. The fighter now weighs
in the neighborhood OF fairgrounds. He
expects to tip the beam at nearly 217
when he fights.
The canvas-covered pavilion in
which the fight will Take place is near
completion. The platform Sof the ring
is in place and a sort OF a wooden
canopy to hold the lights has been
built over 1t. The arena Is of octa-
gonal shape, with ak the seats built
on the ground except the gallery, which
consists Of three tiers Of boards SIM
liar to the bleachers at a ball ground,
rising at an angle that will give all
occupants an uninterrupted view Of
the encounter.
To economize space as much as pos
sible the seats have been placed very
close together, and the distance from
the center of the ring to the most dis
tant part Of the inclosure is only eigh-
ty-seven feet.
Hard to Size-un Einht.