The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-23
'CO.RBE.' WANTS
TO FIGHT JEFF
Ex.champion Makes a Bid to Fill
Fits Place.
EXTENDS CHALLENGE TO Fl1z.
Biz Fighter Wires HIS Brother t. Pat Up a
Forieit-Wlll Fight After August Isl.
Sure He Can Whip Either
Of His victors.
EXTENDS CHALLENGE TO FlTZ

James J. Corbett, former champion ot
pugilistic arena and now star memoeI
OF the Em.:1-e Show, which appeared
at the Bijou the past week, IS anS 'us
70 again don the nits and have 4 SET
E "a with Jim Jeffries, the man who knock
"a former homo. S cat Of him. Corbett yes
terdav. in a message to his brother, Har-
nv sienitied his intention to re-enter the
ring bv making a bid for a match VILE
Jeffries.
Jenries and Fitzsiumons are now
matched to fight some time during April.
NO definite date nor club has been settled
,,ron. as so far Firz disagrees Epon every
oInh,s offer. The offer of the Los An
.eles Club did not suit the Cornishman.
and it is at this point that Corbet thinks
| he sees a. play by Fitz to set out OF the
fight and he {Corbetr has a chance TO
fight the man that took the belt from
him. Corbett thinks the Los Angeles OF
fer cinch.
The following dispatch was sent to the
big fighters brother to-day:
! "Harry Corbctt, 80 Ellis Street, San Fran
cisco, CAL:
.sWill take Fitzsinlmons place on same
terms; also bet Jeffries five thousand dol
| lars on side contest to take place any
time after August first. You put up
thousand forfeit for me. Will be IN New
| York Monday, Victoria Hotel
GAMES J. CORBETT."
| CORBETT. TALKS.
| Corbctt was seen late yesterday after
noon at Murphy's Hotel. He was III a.
| very talkative humor and rather boast
| full.
81 have waited for over & years" ne
| said, t'to get an opportunity to .orce jcf-
| fries to fight me and thiak have found
| it now. I have been reading the news
| papers lately and noticed that rltzsiM-
| mons was trying to Shrink from his
| agreement to fight Jeffries, so I decided
/ to send telegram to Harry telling !iitl
! to watch events and at the right nloT:ent
| put in a bid for me.
st am willing to fight Jeffries on any
| club terms he may accept provided they
| are not beyond reason, and If fltz can
| get anybody to put the money for him I
/ will also fight him according to the same
! agreement under which, it should, fight
| jeff.
BEAT EITHER.
| ar can beat either of them, ard am
willing to bet five thousand dollars as
a. side wager that can. want to fight
| jeff again just to prove that can give
! him a longer turn than twenty-three
| rounds and beat the champion.
MY condition is good; in two months 1
| could get in trim, but my reason for
| naming the datc of the fight after August
| 1st, is that I have other business engage
| uents.
| Now you can say for me-, and I mean
it, that should Fitz sneak out OF his
| agreement with jeff l will fight Jeff. and
| then if Fitz furnishes sufficient evidence
Of his intention to fight. I will meet
him.
| II am going to enter the ring again
| and when I retire will again be cham
| pion or the worst-mutilated man IN the
/ world
81 have laid low for over a year and
| listened to ,ne boys talk and heard a lot
| of souabbling: now ] have the opportun-
| ity of my life in coming forward and fore
ing somebody to fight OF shut up so much
bluffing.
IDEA ABOUT FITz.
/ "Fitz 7 don't believe has an idea OF
fighting and I expect to fight Jeffries in
! stead OF him. My boy read the papers
and you will see there is logic IN my talk
and O. whole bunch of truth.
IT can meet financially any agreement
that Jeff. offers or Fitz. either. and what
I say in my message to Harry goes.
ST will be in New York Monday and the
representatives of the uShtefS eau see ms
there and sign terms. .
Fitz puts up will not Interfere with
/ nv engagement with the Empire Snow,
.s thew shall occur before the regular
I season.
CORBETT. ALL RIGHT.
| Corbett looks healthy. and during MS
! stay in this city he has been strictly on
his good behavior and is not carousinS
!. nor abusing himself in the least Local
/ sports believe he is now in better form
for training than when he last met Je1-
| fries.
The pugilists offers create q sensation
in the sporting world, as he was generally
1 considered out of the ring permanently
/ He may yet recover his lost belt ard
title.
/ Corbet left for New York to-day, and
will be in that city tomorrow morning.
He returns to Washington tomorrow ar
ternoon, to rejoin the Empire Show.
! which anpears in that city this week.