The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-20
"DOPE" ON THE BIG FIGHT
BATTLES WHICH JEFFRIEs AND
FITZsIMMONs HAVE FOUGHT.
They Meet Again Next Friday Night
Forbes and ROtchfOrd Preparing
for Their Contest.

Next Friday night James J. Jenries.
champion heavyweight pugilist. and Robert
FitZsimmons, champion middle weight and
ex-champion heavy weight. will fight be-
fore the San Francisco Club, san Francis
co, for a $4,000 purse and moving picture
privileges that Will net the winner a for
tune. They have met before under similar
conditions and FitzsimmOns was placed in
the land OF dreams after eleven rounds OF
fast and furious fighting Fitzsimmons is
now forty. while Jeffries is only twenty
seven years Of age. Fight experts who have
watched Fitzsimmons in training in Cali
fornia say he has not lost his terrible punch
or his wind. or his stamina. or his crafti-
ness. Jeffries Acknowledges that Fitzsim-
mons is the hardest man in the business 10
whip. Fitz always has a good punch left as
long as he is on his feet. he is harmless
only after he has been counted out.
The champion is not the same to-day as
when FitZ met him two years ago. He is
faster. cleverer and stronger. is quick on
mis- feet and actually scientific boxer. JET
fries has taken excellent care OF himself
during the past two years. F1tzsimmons is
nearly always fit for a battle. His little
farm is his training quarters all the year
round. He is consistent and thorough while
in training and when he faces Jeifries he
will be in the best possible condition. Both
men have been training in California for
several weeks and are now In perfect con-
dition and thoroughly acclimated. This week
they Will put the finishing touches TO their
training in San Francisco and both will be
| Mt for a long battle when they enter the
ring Friday night.
According TO the dope" Fitzsimmons
should have beaten Jeffries in their fight
! two years ago. Fitzsimmons met Corbett at
Carson City and for thirteen rounds COrbett
! had FitZ entirely at his mercy. Fitz was ap-
parently ali but out when the men adj
vanced for the fourteenth round. Then Fitz
/ ripped up his left on Corbett's solar plexus
and Jim took the count.
1t took Jeffries twenty-three rounds To put
COrbett TO sleep after the latter had put
/ ii all over him during the preceding
/ rounds. Jeffries got the decision over Tom
Sharkey in twenty-five rounds. FitZ put
/ the sailor into dreamland in two rounds.
| Fitz took Ruhlin's measure in six rounds.
| while Jeffries did the trick for the Akron
! Giant in the fifth. Jeffries met Fitz and
/ the boilermaker won in the eleventh round
| in the shape of hook on the
jaw. Jenries and Fitzsimmons have
/ fought and defeated the same men,
! but the latters work has been cleaner cut
and his victories more positive than the
| champions.
1t viii take just two of Fits blows to
! win back the championships left rip 10 the
! stomach and a RICH hook to the jaw. And
! Jeffries Will get those in rapid succession IL
he gives FitZ half an opportunity. One
| right OF lett SWING on the Jaw OF stomach
| from the mighty fist Of Jeffries viii put
| Fitz out of business.
Fegning a collapse is FitZsimmons's long
| suit. a tap on the jaw has sent him Keeling
| about the ring. He would appear 10 be
! SrOggy and all but gone. His adversary
goes in to put on the finishing touch. Fitz
| wobbles, his knees seem TO give way. and
| his body partly sinks toward the padded
/ floor. The other man comes closer. fitz
! struggles with a painful effort A fist
| swings up with lightning qutckness TO the
| stomach the right hooks "A jolt on the
| jaw and Fitz is the winner. He did the
trick when he fought Corbett and he re-
| peated it for Ruhlin's benefit. Then he
| tried il on Jeffries, but il didn't work There
| is a mysterious power in Fits blows that
! has defed all analysis. One punch so quick
| ~ delivered that the eye could not follow
| the fist won him the championship OF the
| world and the glove Travelled not more than
| six inches.
Jeffries's greatest and most damaging
punch Is his right hook TO the body. An
other wicked punch is a left swing az close
| fails TO reach the stomach IL usually finds
its way flush to the chin. This was the blow
that lifted Corbett off his feet and put him
/ out.
1t is said that Fitzsimmons viii act great
ly on the defensive next Friday night and IN
may be cautious, but n ne has the chance
to send home one OF his stiff punches be
| will take the aggressive side of the battle
in short order. Jeffries has been picked as
the winner largely because OF his former
victory over Fitz and he is the favorite IN
the betting. Fitz has said that the fact
that he will carry the short odds will not
worry him as many favorites have lost in
the roped arena and he hopes 10 make the
coming battle another instance.