The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-23
Interest Growing in the Big
Frisco Prize Fight.
To Be Pulled Off on the Eve OF
Thanksgiving.
FITS AGES TELLING,
Grand Old PugiIist Hard to Get
in Condition.
Gardner Claims to Be in the
Best Possible Shape.

Cincinnati, Nov 23.-W. n. Naughton
writes to the Enquirer from San Fran
cisco as follows: Before another week
rolls around the long talked-of pugil-
istic contest for the light heavyweight
championship of the world will have
been decided. The result of it will be
far-reaching. To begin with. if Fitz-
simmons goes under it will mean the
death kneH OF the Corbett-Fritzsin-
mons return match, an event which the
promoters of San Francisco have had
in view for some time and on which
they have been working quietly and
persistently. The matter is in such
shape now that ali that is needed in
the way of ratification is for Fitzsim
mons to dispose of Gardner.
Many of the visitors who go across
the tide to Camp Fitzsimmons come
Will be no Corbett- Fits Inmons fight.
The situation so far as it affects tftz-
simmons chances is unique. The pub
lie has made Bob a toDheaYy fayOrite.
PUgilists. trainers and others who are
supposed to possess expert knowledge
of form III fighters feel sure that Gard
ner Will hammer the old man of the
ring into pulp. 1t must be said that
F'itzsimmons' appearance just at pres
ent is against him. He has taken off a
world OF weight and he looks as
though he had been dragged through
knothOlA, as the saying is.
He does not always show to advant-
age in his work, but in this respect a
good many think that the veteran of
the Queensberry game is having lit
tie fun with those who assemble at diff
ferent times to see him go through his
training stunts.
One day he will appear to be stiff,
awkward and amateurish in his motion,
and his face will be covered with blood
from the punches OF his sparring part
ners. Next day maybe Fitzsimmons
will box differently and opponents,
When least expecting it. viii receive
blows that send them staggering.
His Sparring work has been of such
an uneven character as to cause all
kinds OF doubts as to what he may
mentioned. he has impressed the wise
fellows unfavorably. They think that
he has aged, that he is slow in his move
ments and that he will crack up as
badly when The Fighting Irishman"
gets after him as John L. Sullivan did
when Jim Corbett beat him down at
New Orleans.
Among Fits admirers and weIl-wish-
ers there is a feeling that he took off
weight too rapidly. He contrived to Gre
ate all kinds of suspicions as to what he
really scaled. but about a week ago he
! avoided further secrecy and permitted
visitors to see him on the weighing ma
chine. It is claimed that he has been
as low as 1924, and it is thought that
| he had an idea of getting as close to 1853
as possible. his object being to show
that he was a legitimate opponent for
| Tommy Ryan or Jack O'Brien if the
question of a contest for the middle
weight championship of the world
should crop up again in the near fu-
ture.
Whatever Fits purpose in reducing
lower than the business at present in
hand calls for, he has desisted and is
beginning to build up again. He days off
an afternoon occasionally and goes duck
hunting, and it is understood that 1t is
! his intention to take advantage of every
ounce allowed by the articles of agree
ment In other words, that he will
weigh fully 168 pounds when he steps
on the scales to fulfill the weight clause
| of his contract with Gardner and the
Yosemite club.
There are many who think that Fftz
would be in better fighting shape If al
lowed to weigh 175 pounds. When any
| suggestion of this kind is made to Bob
! himself he becomes furious. He insists
that he never weighed more than 1913
in any fight he engaged in, and that at
Carson he weighed 1885,. AS the match
up in the sagebrush did not call for any
official weighing, Fitz might make it
| 14S with as little fear of being contra
! dicted.
one thing which attracts the atten-
ton of a person in the habit OF visit
ing both training camps is that Gard
ing, and that Fitzsimmons appears to
be perfecting a system of guarding his
ribs and stomach from assault Gard
ner. of course. has a reputation as a
rib crusher. and his friends here ex-
pect to see him bring F'itzsimmons
down with the fierceness of his attack
When Gardner begins his afternoon
set-to with Aleck Greggains the latter
has his ribs and stomach protected by
a big pneumatic shield. It sounds like
a sail Tapping when Gardner unloads
smash after smash on the air-hlled
protector and Greggains, while not
hurt by the blows rained on him, is
frequently sent several PAGES by the
force of Gardeners attack
When Fitz and Joe Kennedy don the
| gloves. Kennedy is under orders tc
, hammer away at the stomach and
short ribs. The Cornishman protects
, himself with his freckled arms, and
: he has a way of folding them across
5 his stomach and of throwing of Joe's
rib-roasters with his elbows which i;
very effective and interesting to watch
Those who have seen both Fitzsim-
mons and Gardner at work believe thai
itha C0rniShrn1n 1TndorSTaTadS oh